RE: Straight Into the Teeth: A Story of Logistics, Patience, and Firepower
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2017 2:57 pm
Landing in Honshu
Well the day has come! As expected, those pesky MTBs caused me all sorts of trouble:
Despite multiple cruiser and destroyer fleets engaging them afterwards, not a single one was seriously damaged.
Then some Japanese destroyers managed to ambush a cruiser fleet and tear them to shreds:
What an absolutely pathetic showing! Radar was a complete non-factor here. The Japanese snuck in close and just rampaged a vastly superior fleet.
In the landing itself CD guns proved quite the obstacle. This is just one combat snippet:
Many ships were sunk by CD guns and countless more were damaged.
During the day the Japanese sent wave after wave of aircraft at the Deathstar:
That was the first of many waves to crash into my enormous CAP. I recently removed every dive bomber from my squadrons, replaced them with fighters, and turned naval strike off. Even my CVs only provide CAP and ASW. Naval bombing from carriers is so 1942. Only a single attack in the morning managed to hit a ship:
In the afternoon, however, the KB launched its planes at me. Most of my fighters were flying high and engaged the escorting fighters but not the bombers. When I watched the replay, every single fighter was shot down or forced to turn back but not a single bomber was engaged:
As you can see from the report, nearly every Japanese bomber managed to drop their bombs or torpedoes on my ships. Luckily heavy AA fire and inexperienced Japanse pilots prevented them from doing too much damage. The CV Yorktown looks in bad shape but its hard to say if it will sink until I get the turn back. In any case, my ship losses from air attacks are pretty light compared to Japanese air losses. I would guess at least 2,000 Japanese planes were shot down. Given the damage I have done to Japanese fighter factories, I cannot imagine Japan will be able to replenish most losses with modern fighters. Many will have to be downgraded to older models I imagine.
Here is the situation on the ground:
The Japanese have an edge in AV but Hachinohe is in open terrain. I also am going to land more AV tomorrow. Still, it makes me nervous because the Japanese can bring literally their whole army here if they want. And landing supply is going to be very expensive for me; many ships will not return. Hopefully my bombers can obliterate anything in their way. I think stacking will also work in my favor; if the Japanese bring too many units they will pay a heavy stacking penalty. I am not sure the Japanese will attempt to fight me on the beaches in open terrain and risk their whole army; the smart move may be to pull back into terrain and hold there.
Well the day has come! As expected, those pesky MTBs caused me all sorts of trouble:
ight Time Surface Combat, near Hachinohe at 118,55, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
MTB G-168
MTB G-175
MTB G-187
MTB G-189
MTB G-192
Allied Ships
BB Arizona
DD Terry, Shell hits 1
DD Mugford
AP Gen. H.L.Scott, Shell hits 4
AKA Arneb
AKA Capricornus
SC PC-778
PF Hoquiam
xAP Dunnatar Castle
xAP Indora, Shell hits 5
xAK Singu
xAK Clan Macnair
xAP Hong Kheng
xAP Poelau Laut
xAK Defiance, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Golden Gate, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Dellwood
Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 44 (2 destroyed, 42 disabled)
Reduced sighting due to 7% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 7% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 25,000 yards...
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 3,000 yards...
Range closes to 1,000 yards...
MTB G-192 engages AP Gen. H.L.Scott at 1,000 yards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Ominato at 119,55, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
MTB G-168
MTB G-175
MTB G-187
MTB G-189
MTB G-192
Allied Ships
AM Prevail, Shell hits 1
LST-31
LST-43
LST-205
LST-207, Shell hits 1
LST-214
LST-215
LST-216
LST-217
LST-220
LST-246
LST-247
LST-248
LST-249
LST-268
LST-269, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST-270, Shell hits 4
LST-271, Shell hits 1
LST-272, Shell hits 25
LST-273, Shell hits 20, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
Reduced sighting due to 7% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 7% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 25,000 yards...
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 3,000 yards...
Range closes to 1,000 yards...
MTB G-192 engages LST-273 at 1,000 yards
Despite multiple cruiser and destroyer fleets engaging them afterwards, not a single one was seriously damaged.
Then some Japanese destroyers managed to ambush a cruiser fleet and tear them to shreds:
Night Time Surface Combat, near Akita at 117,55, Range 2,000 Yards
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
OS2U-3 Kingfisher: 5 destroyed
Japanese Ships
DD Urakaze, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Samidare, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Umikaze
Allied Ships
CA Baltimore, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Boyd, Shell hits 2
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Vincennes II, Shell hits 17, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD Le Fier, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
Reduced sighting due to 7% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 7% moonlight: 3,000 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: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 2,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 2,000 yards
Shiraishi, Nagayo crosses the 'T'
What an absolutely pathetic showing! Radar was a complete non-factor here. The Japanese snuck in close and just rampaged a vastly superior fleet.
In the landing itself CD guns proved quite the obstacle. This is just one combat snippet:
Invasion Support action off Hachinohe (118,55) - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force
123 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
BB Mississippi, Shell hits 7
DD Ward
LSD Carter Hall, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
DD McCord
LSD Belle Grove, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
LSD Epping Forest, Shell hits 2, on fire
LSD Gunston Hall
APA Barnstable
Japanese ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Many ships were sunk by CD guns and countless more were damaged.
During the day the Japanese sent wave after wave of aircraft at the Deathstar:
Morning Air attack on TF, near Hachinohe at 118,55
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 116 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 8
N1K1-J George x 8
N1K2-J George x 17
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 9
Ki-46-III Dinah x 13
Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy x 27
Ki-84a Frank x 53
Ki-100-I Tony x 26
Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 97
Martlet IV x 9
Spitfire VIII x 2
Thunderbolt I x 4
Spitfire VIII x 3
P-40N1 Warhawk x 16
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 6
FM-2 Wildcat x 629
F4U-1A Corsair x 424
F6F-3 Hellcat x 434
F6F-5 Hellcat x 224
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 4 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 10 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 4 destroyed
Ki-46-III Dinah: 9 destroyed
Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy: 10 destroyed
Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-84a Frank: 21 destroyed
Ki-100-I Tony: 17 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
FM-2 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
F6F-5 Hellcat: 1 destroyed
That was the first of many waves to crash into my enormous CAP. I recently removed every dive bomber from my squadrons, replaced them with fighters, and turned naval strike off. Even my CVs only provide CAP and ASW. Naval bombing from carriers is so 1942. Only a single attack in the morning managed to hit a ship:
Morning Air attack on TF, near Hachinohe at 118,55
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 24,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 32 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-61-Id Tony x 22
Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy x 81
Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 56
Martlet IV x 6
Thunderbolt I x 2
Spitfire VIII x 3
P-40N1 Warhawk x 5
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 3
FM-2 Wildcat x 354
F4U-1A Corsair x 209
F6F-3 Hellcat x 223
F6F-5 Hellcat x 107
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Id Tony: 6 destroyed
Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy: 37 destroyed, 23 damaged
No Allied losses
Allied Ships
CVE Admiralty Island
CVE Breton
CVE Attu, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CVE Fanshaw Bay
CVE Thetis Bay
CVE Shamrock Bay
Aircraft Attacking:
13 x Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
4 x Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
4 x Ki-67-Ia (T) Peggy launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
In the afternoon, however, the KB launched its planes at me. Most of my fighters were flying high and engaged the escorting fighters but not the bombers. When I watched the replay, every single fighter was shot down or forced to turn back but not a single bomber was engaged:
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Hachinohe at 118,55
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 40 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A7M2 Sam x 26
B6N2 Jill x 163
D4Y3 Judy x 81
D4Y4 Judy x 21
N1K2-J George x 200
Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 89
Martlet IV x 9
Spitfire VIII x 2
Thunderbolt I x 4
Spitfire VIII x 2
P-40N1 Warhawk x 15
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 6
FM-2 Wildcat x 569
F4U-1A Corsair x 377
F6F-3 Hellcat x 405
F6F-5 Hellcat x 205
Japanese aircraft losses
A7M2 Sam: 13 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 53 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 15 destroyed by flak
D4Y3 Judy: 26 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 10 destroyed by flak
D4Y4 Judy: 9 damaged
D4Y4 Judy: 2 destroyed by flak
N1K2-J George: 75 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Corsair II: 1 destroyed
FM-2 Wildcat: 7 destroyed
F4U-1A Corsair: 5 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 2 destroyed
F6F-5 Hellcat: 5 destroyed
Allied Ships
CV Hornet
CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Wasp, Torpedo hits 1
CVL Princeton
BB Massachusetts
CV Victorious, Torpedo hits 1
CV Yorktown, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires
CV Hornet II, Bomb hits 1
CVL Cowpens, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CV Yorktown II, Torpedo hits 1
CVL Bataan
CVL Langley, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Woodworth
CV Wasp II
BB Indiana
DD Claxton
Aircraft Attacking:
21 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
9 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
11 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
6 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
19 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
14 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
21 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
10 x D4Y4 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
19 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
9 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
21 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
7 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
10 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
10 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
12 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
2 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
8 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
7 x D4Y4 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
16 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
6 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
1 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
1 x D4Y3 Judy releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
1 x D4Y4 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 800 kg AP Bomb
As you can see from the report, nearly every Japanese bomber managed to drop their bombs or torpedoes on my ships. Luckily heavy AA fire and inexperienced Japanse pilots prevented them from doing too much damage. The CV Yorktown looks in bad shape but its hard to say if it will sink until I get the turn back. In any case, my ship losses from air attacks are pretty light compared to Japanese air losses. I would guess at least 2,000 Japanese planes were shot down. Given the damage I have done to Japanese fighter factories, I cannot imagine Japan will be able to replenish most losses with modern fighters. Many will have to be downgraded to older models I imagine.
Here is the situation on the ground:
Ground combat at Hachinohe (118,55)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 118316 troops, 1283 guns, 224 vehicles, Assault Value = 4896
Defending force 77968 troops, 1546 guns, 2191 vehicles, Assault Value = 3126
Japanese ground losses:
4021 casualties reported
Squads: 162 destroyed, 71 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 41 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 40 (33 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
311 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (6 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Assaulting units:
89th Naval Guard Unit
44th Division
42nd Division
66th Ind.Mixed Brigade
4th Engineer Co
1st Guard ADU Coastal Gun Battalion
9th ADU Coastal Gun Regiment
18th Division
47th Ind.Mixed Brigade
3rd Guards Division
5th ADU Coastal Gun Regiment
8th ADU Coastal Gun Regiment
50th Ind.Mixed Brigade
49th Ind.Mixed Brigade
84th Division
102nd Division
73rd Division
93rd Division
2nd ADU Coastal Gun Regiment
1st Guards Division
7th Guard ADU Coastal Gun Battalion
1st Naval Construction Battalion
31st Army
51st Road Const Co
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
3rd Mortar Regiment
32nd Ind.AA Gun Co
11th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
176th JAAF AF Bn
16th Field AF Construction Battalion
2nd Medium Mortar Battalion
64th Construction Battalion
4th IJN Pioneer Battalion
23rd Air Flotilla
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
13th Field AF Construction Battalion
2nd Air Division
20th RF Gun Battalion
19th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
113th AA Regiment
18th RF Gun Battalion
6th Naval Construction Battalion
38th Road Const Co
18th Field AF Construction Battalion
19th RF Gun Battalion
39th Road Const Co
7th IJN AA Battalion
Defending units:
18th Combat Engineer Regiment
8th NZ Bde /1
1st Cavalry (Spec) Cav Div /7
14th Canadian Brigade
706th Tank Battalion
762nd Tank Battalion
3rd Marine Division
16th Canadian Brigade
711th Tank Battalion
754th Tank Battalion
53rd (Sep) Infantry Regiment
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
1st USMC Tank Battalion
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
Fiji Brigade
671th Tank Destroyer Battalion
1st Marine Division
670th Tank Destroyer Battalion
6th Infantry Division
77th Infantry Div /2
I Corps Artillery
4th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
12th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
251st Field Artillery Battalion
462nd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
7th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
Tenth US Army
10th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
8th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
I Australian Corps /2
The Japanese have an edge in AV but Hachinohe is in open terrain. I also am going to land more AV tomorrow. Still, it makes me nervous because the Japanese can bring literally their whole army here if they want. And landing supply is going to be very expensive for me; many ships will not return. Hopefully my bombers can obliterate anything in their way. I think stacking will also work in my favor; if the Japanese bring too many units they will pay a heavy stacking penalty. I am not sure the Japanese will attempt to fight me on the beaches in open terrain and risk their whole army; the smart move may be to pull back into terrain and hold there.
