Newbie Allies vs. Experinced WitP

[ny59giants]

Akyab and Cox's Bazar:

I usually send 2 of my PBY groups to India. One goes to Colombo and the other to Diamond Harbor. The CW just doesn't have big enough naval search groups in their long range FPs. The one at Diamond Harbor should have its naval search narrowed down to cover Rangoon and some distant to the west to cover warships like you are seeing go to and from Cox's Bazar and Akyab. Now, I send my Dutch subs to India and have them patrol the coastline where you will see what you are having done to them. They are nimble enough that they usually just get damaged and can make it back for repairs. Look to see where his warships end up during the day phase after these nightly attacks and place subs there.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Akyab and Cox's Bazar:

I usually send 2 of my PBY groups to India. One goes to Colombo and the other to Diamond Harbor. The CW just doesn't have big enough naval search groups in their long range FPs. The one at Diamond Harbor should have its naval search narrowed down to cover Rangoon and some distant to the west to cover warships like you are seeing go to and from Cox's Bazar and Akyab. Now, I send my Dutch subs to India and have them patrol the coastline where you will see what you are having done to them. They are nimble enough that they usually just get damaged and can make it back for repairs. Look to see where his warships end up during the day phase after these nightly attacks and place subs there.

Excellent advice. I moved the VP101 to Attu Island in Alaska and put it under North Pacfic command thinking the Brit PA would be enough .. I just might have to move 2 CAT squadrons from PH back to the United States and on to Mombasa ..

The Dutch Submaines are patroling Japan (and doing a damn good job of getting xAK's -- with the short ranged 'O' class in the Gilberts / Marshalls ...

I will have to rethink this maybe in the coming days ..

[Crackaces]

As we approach July 42 this turn is about moving supplies to PH from the WC and stationing the USN in an undisclosed location within SOPAC. I started this movement ...

Most of the restored units have arrived and have started drawing replacements. The Indian's, British, and Aussies are producing 300 squads per month. That is about a division by my calculations. There is a huge pent up demand as units are upgrading while these are building back up. However, I am not engaged on the ground really so this will work out ..

Burma is quiet .. but a mess .. my inexperience really showed its ugly head here. I moved the 221 HQ for example to Akyab thinking that eventually with a level 7 airfield this entire group could be based here. The interdiction of the IJN and IJNAAF has reduced the supply so low that building has stopped. It will be quite awhile before Cox's Bazzar builds back up to a point to protect the peninsula from the Betty's and Nell's lurking at Moulumein. So, in the meantime I will be looking at the 221 - 225 airgroups and rethinking where to station the main RAF HQ's.

In the meantime I am executing airbase attacks on Mandalay and anywhere nearby that has an airbase > 3.

In Oz the 58 B-17E's will contunue to rain hell on earth on an IJA unit waiting for his buddy for an attack at PM. I am thinking the unit is fatgued from crossing moutianious jungle .. and being pounded from the air along with depletion of supplies. Low morale should be very helpful in the upcoming defense of PM.

More later when I get the combat turn back ..

[DOCUP]

Can you run some xAKLs to Akyab in amphib TF? 

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

Can you run some xAKLs to Akyab in amphib TF? 

I have been trying .. but a submarine and Betty's have sunk 4 so far .. I am going to try and run them to Cox's Bazzar first .. get the base built up and then build Akyab ..

[Crackaces]

********************************************** 22 JUN '42 *****************************************

Colombo:

Were going to lose 2 xAK's to a submarine setting next to columbo ...


Submarine attack near Colombo at 28,48

Japanese Ships
SS I-32

Allied Ships
xAK Jaladurga, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage



xAK Jaladurga is sighted by SS I-32
SS I-32 launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Jaladurga


---------------------------------------------

Submarine attack near Colombo at 28,48

Japanese Ships
SS I-32

Allied Ships
xAK Kiangsu, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage



But in repsonse the USN submarine force does its thing ...[:D]

Submarine attack near Woleai at 100,102

Japanese Ships
xAK Glasgow Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Greenling



xAK Glasgow Maru is sighted by SS Greenling
SS Greenling launches 4 torpedoes

Sub attack near Truk at 113,110

Japanese Ships
xAKL Katsuragisan Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL Tateyama Maru
PB Kyo Maru #7

Allied Ships
SS Gar


In other news the mighty Yamato fires her guns at Wenchow

Night Naval bombardment of Wenchow at 89,58

Japanese Ships
BB Yamato
CA Chokai
CA Chikuma
CL Oi
CL Natori


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


Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 2
Port hits 1

BB Yamato firing at 70th Chinese Corps
CA Chokai firing at Wenchow
CA Chikuma firing at 70th Chinese Corps
CL Oi firing at 70th Chinese Corps
CL Natori firing at 70th Chinese Corps



Wow a lot of shelling and supply to kill 35 Chineese ...[:D]

On the other hand .. we drop a lot of bombs to kill 32 LYB ..

Morning Air attack on 4th/C Division, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes


Allied aircraft
Hudson III (LR) x 12
B-17E Fortress x 26
LB-30 Liberator x 2


No Allied losses

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


Just another note .. we keep getting more messages about sunk xAK's from battles past:

xAK Tatutaki Maru is reported to have been sunk near Balikpapan on Jan 17, 1942

A look at WitPTracker and some of the IJA/IJN landings did not go very well. This landing took the loss of 2 6200 unit xAK's full of arnament and supplies landing at Balikpapan ..

More later ..

[Crackaces]

China Sitrep:

I thought I would post a picture of China. Mainly because the gret yamato has demosntrated all its glory by bombardment of Wenchow ..

A close look shows 2 IJA Divisions vs. 4 Corps. I think the IJA are concerned because their last attack went very very badly and they are looking for better odds before attacking. IN the meantime we got a calling card from the IJN ..[:D]

The other area of focus is Ichang. 10 Corps are moving on 2 IJA units and will be in place in one game week. I believe a shock attack will dislodge the forces there and force him to come across the river to retake Ichung.

In reality this is all a side show. But the IJ has gotten concerned enough to devote forces and project power into the area. What I want to do is to attack burma and open the supply line. I believe I am 3 more months away from executing the plan toward this goal.

[zuluhour]

A look at WitPTracker and some of the IJA/IJN landings did not go very well. This landing took the loss of 2 6200 unit xAK's full of arnament and supplies landing at Balikpapan ..

I wish I had knocked off some of Terry's landings, but never put more than a handful EJ marines in the drink. I had not thought of using the Dutch subs in that way. Hmmmmm. I used them at choke points in the DEI and lost several in harbor by two complete surprise raids. I am going to have to read some IJN threads on where they are shipping resources from the DEI and try and get at them.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

A look at WitPTracker and some of the IJA/IJN landings did not go very well. This landing took the loss of 2 6200 unit xAK's full of arnament and supplies landing at Balikpapan ..

I wish I had knocked off some of Terry's landings, but never put more than a handful EJ marines in the drink. I had not thought of using the Dutch subs in that way. Hmmmmm. I used them at choke points in the DEI and lost several in harbor by two complete surprise raids. I am going to have to read some IJN threads on where they are shipping resources from the DEI and try and get at them.

Starting with the very first turns of the game I used the USN and Dutch submarine force to interdict invasion forces. I got very lucky with the USN. Now combine this with some lucky shore battery hits and the IJ's plans were slowed considerably.

Now I have moved the Dutch to operate out of secret bases in CenPAC and patrol the Home Islands ..just a couple of sinkings there has a lot of reosurces escorting convoys ..[;)]

[Crackaces]

I have enclosed a snapshot from WitP Tracker. I have highlited in red where Dutch and USN submarines attacked ships full of troops and equipment. This had to impact the flow of the game. Then the Moulumien disaster where 6xAK's full of troops headed to attack Ragoon where sunk ...

[zuluhour]

nice kill on I-22 to. That Moulmein replay would have been fun to watch him watch.[;)]

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

nice kill on I-22 to. That Moulmein replay would have been fun to watch him watch.[;)]

I got to say it was satisfying from the standpoint of taking intellegence "unit moving to ..," where the unit was located, couting the hexes, setting up the patrol to detect when the ships arrive, gathering the forces, and then executing was a thrill ...

I hve gotten way behind on sending fuel to PH but in 4 turns 100K of fuel will be docked in three TF's. The probelm was loading up the AO's and just a few naval missions drains a lot of fuel. I used my TK's to get fuel to Sydney which takes a long time and by the time they return to LA .. its time to send more! Lot's of fuel goes from Abadan to Perth but it is still not enugh to feed OZ. Those Tanker losses are killers! I will take 2 weeks to send 200K plus of fuel to PH and then send a huge convoy to Sydney.

I know a lot of players shut down the factories in Oz. It has unintended consequinces. Like certain die rolls for aircraft production variation are affected by total HI. So nonintutively LA's aircraft outputs are affected by Sydney's HI. At least there is a thread disscusing a little side effect of shutting down Oz.

It does make me wonder what the IJ fuel situation is like. They have been executing continuious operations with the KB and all the BB's in huge bombardment surface action groups. I am frugal with all the fuel and supplies I have and I am of great want for fuel .. I cannot imagine the IJ keeping this pace of operations for very much longer [&:]

In other news I am gathering more TR's at Alice Springs. Until Tennant Creek gets built up it will not draw enough supply. [See Kfesgo's post in this thread]. Until enough supply gets to Tennant Creek the constrcution is very slow. It will take until early '43 to get the infrastructure in place to start the Darwin campaign. In the meantime we continue to build our launch points for the big corrdinated offensive ...

[Crackaces]

Burma:

below illistrates my comments above. Here a 3 BB SAG supported by CA's, CL's and DD's are sailing from Molumien to bombard. This has been an intensive operation for a couple of months now .. it has to be buring fuel .. at least I would like to believe that given the Allies current fuel situation.

If he does hit Chattadong it might do some damage but I am betting on the Darwin experience and losing ships to port defenses. I do have 20 squadrons on Naval attack including the ever so dangerious swordfish and wildebest squadrons! ..[:D]

The map gives a feel for the IJ deployments as of Jun '42. I can muster 3 full Corps by December '42 January 43 and begin an offensive.

[Crackaces]

******************************************* 23 JUN 1942 ***************************************

We dud on a convoy near Formosa ..

Submarine attack near Iriomote at 91,62

Japanese Ships
xAK Cheribon Maru

Allied Ships
SS Searaven



xAK Cheribon Maru is sighted by SS Searaven
SS Searaven launches 2 torpedoes


I forget to shut off my air attack on PM ..

Morning Air attack on 4th/C Division, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4



Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 14
B-26 Marauder x 12


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged

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


Afternoon Air attack on 4th/C Division, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4



Allied aircraft
Hudson III (LR) x 9
B-17E Fortress x 31


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hudson III (LR): 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
73 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled



---------------------------------------------

Afternoon Air attack on 4th/C Division, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 5 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3



Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 6


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
13 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


So for about 100 LYB's killed we lose 4 Bombers and they lose a single zero OUCH! .. we have to rethink this one .. and move the medium bombers elsewhere ..

Tarawa took a hit this turn surprise!

Afternoon Air attack on Tarawa , at 136,128

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
G3M2 Nell x 9



No Japanese losses



Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 8

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x G3M2 Nell bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb


These Nell's are sitting on Naval attack and have Tarawa as a secondary target.

More later ..

[ny59giants]

Here is my list of ships I devote to moving fuel around the board. I break them down more by speed so you can combine them, as needed. The 16 and 17 knot ships can be formed in the same TF, but I don't usually put the 14 knot with the 17 speed ships.

[Crackaces]

I had things organized a bit unntil the IJN started raiding
But great info ny59giants!

Ok Tennant Creek has another month or so to build up to a level 3 airfield and the boys are digging in the level 3 forts .. try and remember ksfgo's post about moving supplies as a function of port/fort/airbase. We are executing against this plan. Although we messed the plan up by moving a division too early to Tennant Creek that is sucking up supplies ... but .. they will be moving south soon.

The IJ is shifting resources from theater to theater at will. What I want to do is start attacking Daily Waters at the same time of starting a limited offense in Burma and put pressure in the Solomons ..in a corrdinated move to put pressure on the IJ industrial base. I just do not think he can maintain the current level of operations and keep those factories going ...

[Crackaces]

A little look at Burma above and one can see an active airbase at Mandalay .. we decided to test the waters and send 3 fighter groups on a high sweep and 3 fighter groups at 100' and straffe the airbase. I suspect one flak group there but we shall see how many damaged airplanes we have at the end of this .. we also sent in 40 medium bombers to hit the airbase with 10 escorts ... Really I am just having fun with some pixels rather than thinking of some long term strategy in comitting these forces . but it will be fun if we can bag all 8 fighter aircraft just moved there this turn ..

We have decided to move the marine engineers to the land of OZ along with Seebees. They have been building up Pago Pago and now it is time to build up Alice Springs and more importanly Tennant Creek....This is a part of the long term plan .. eventually establishing the potential of B-29's at Darwin would open the possibility of turning loose strategic bombing and naval operations in the DEI. This will cause much consternation and open lots of possibilites for the Allies.


July will be a much more active month I think ..

For now .. establish the Gilberts ... Tabiteuea is now level 4 and is 2 weeks from level 5 at this pace. Level 5 means B-17's and stationing the V USAAF here.

That brings up the next part of the planning. I had Burma well planned but the IJ put a damper to things. So I have to replan where to station the RAF 221 - 225 Commands. Also it is time to start stationing the USAAF fighter and bomber commands.



Lots to do!

[Crackaces]

*************************************************** 24 JUN 1942 ***********************************************

Bad turn for the Allies .. rememberthose BB's and our Naval attack that did not go .. they came to visit Chittagong ..

Night Naval bombardment of Chittagong at 55,41 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 55 damaged
Blenheim IV: 6 destroyed on ground
P-40E Warhawk: 11 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
Lysander II: 5 damaged
Lysander II: 3 destroyed on ground
Kittyhawk IA: 3 damaged
Kittyhawk IA: 3 destroyed on ground
Hudson IIIa: 21 damaged
Hudson IIIa: 2 destroyed on ground
Wellington Ic: 17 damaged
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIc Trop: 4 damaged
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
CA Kumano
CA Takao


Allied ground losses:
83 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 22 (3 destroyed, 19 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (2 destroyed, 9 disabled)


Airbase hits 19
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 35

So we lost 12 aircraft and another just under a hundred damaged .. he will come to visit over and over again reducing our air force here . I was hoping better from our CD ..

The bad part is that I did not move these airplanes ..

Our little guy at Cox's Bazzar did not get off a shot ..

Day Time Surface Combat, near Cox's Bazar at 54,43, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
CA Takao
CA Kumano
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Asagumo
DD Murasame
DD Harusame
DD Ayanami
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
HDML 1104, Shell hits 1, and is sunk


Submarine attack near Nikunau at 141,134

Japanese Ships
SS I-3

Allied Ships
xAP Kota Radja, Torpedo hits 1



There escorted by 4 DD's but we did not repsond ..

The straffing missions did nothing .. planes on the ground did not come up but we could not hit them .

Morning Air attack on Mandalay , at 59,46

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
Hurricane I Trop x 16


No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Hurricane I Trop sweeping at 22000 feet *



---------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Mandalay , at 59,46

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 3,100 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 10


Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 4 damaged

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



Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Hurricane IIb Trop strafing at 100 feet




Tarawa gets smacked again ..

Afternoon Air attack on Tarawa , at 136,128

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
G3M2 Nell x 9



No Japanese losses



Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 10

That is about it for this turn ..

We will have to commit the fleet at Colombo to stop this little BB foray into Chittagong .. mines did not work . naval attack with airplanes did not fly so we are pretty helpless without teh RN ...in the meantime depending on things airplanes are stuck on the ground to get hit again and again ..bad move really to leave so many airplanes on the coast ..I just thought my CD guns would do a little more ..and he clearly has no fear even after Darwin ..

[Crackaces]

Well we have done a dunderheaded move letting the IJ bombard Chittergong ...

But as per the illistrations above in China we hae moved 3000 AV into Ichang. On June 27th we will shock attack and move teh IJA out of Ichang ..

A lot of Logitics this turn ..

The IJ wrote in an email that he is awash in fiuel and has a backlog .. thus infinite Naval operations .. Though I am a nurse by trade now .. I will have zero sympathy when '44 comes and the IJN have no fuel reserves [:'(]

[Crackaces]

I need to delay the annimations more so I can grab some screen shots t make this a little more interesting. I should have the time from this point forward. For now .. its the same ol' dry combat reports [8D]

*********************************** 25 JUN 1942 **********************************

So the night brings some submarine activity ..

Submarine attack near Anatahan at 110,92

Japanese Ships
AMC Akagi Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Thresher


Count one AMC thinking of interdicting shipping ...sunk ..


Then the Dutch do there thing near Nagoya .. 2 IJN DMS's come out to play ... only one survives ..

ASW attack near Hamamatsu at 110,63

Japanese Ships
DMS W-13, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS W-5

Allied Ships
SS O23


Come to find out .. they were escorting a xAK ...

Sub attack near Tsu at 108,63

Japanese Ships
xAK Myoko Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DMS W-5

Allied Ships
SS O23


Count that one sunk ... [;)]

The Growler go cold with duds in the Marshall's ..

Sub attack near Nauru Island at 124,126

Japanese Ships
xAK Uga Maru

Allied Ships
SS Growler

SS Growler launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Uga Maru


In the air the Lilly's return to Akyab ..

Morning Air attack on Akyab , at 54,45

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 30
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 25



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 6 damaged

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 8


What is left of my bomber force in Burma practices bombing on Mandalay ..

Morning Air attack on Mandalay , at 59,46

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes


Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 5
Hurricane IIc Trop x 4
Kittyhawk IA x 4


No Allied losses

Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 5


We test the reaction of fighters over Daily Waters ..

Morning Air attack on Daly Waters , at 76,131

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 4 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes


Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 11


No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Fulmar II sweeping at 18000 feet *



So 1 xAk, 1AMC, and 1DMS find Davy Jones' locker ...

We shall continue to lay a mine field along the coast of Burma ... eventually we will be able to defend ourselves ...

A lot of logitics this turn we shall plan how to set up our airforce in Burma ..and the Pacific ..