Australia Invaded!! NY59Giants (A) vs Olorin (J)

[ny59giants]

no ships should move further than ten hexes per phase, no matter what speed. Haven't tested it but IIRC it's still in the manual.

Does anybody know if this is true?? I may need to send a 2 Fletcher DD TF to find out.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

no ships should move further than ten hexes per phase, no matter what speed. Haven't tested it but IIRC it's still in the manual.

Does anybody know if this is true?? I may need to send a 2 Fletcher DD TF to find out.

I´m 85% sure I had Fletcher move 11 hexes during the night phase. Wouldn´t stake my life on it though! [:D]

[ny59giants]

April 7, 8, 9:
Another disaster for Japan at Lanchow

Key: TT = Torpedo; bb = ground bombardment; c = casualties; b = base hits; s = supply hits; r = runway hits; p = port hits; f = fuel hits; AV = Assault Value; DC = Depth Charged; (*) = destroyed aircraft; If odds are underlined, they are the Allies; BG = Bomber Group of 48 planes (4 x 12 bomber squadrons)

Subs:
Stingray sinks an AG carrying troops at Umboi Island with a single TT hit.
Sargo sinks an xAKL off Carnarvon with 2 TT hits.
Grenadier is hit by a DC off Horn Island. She will head for Brisbane for repairs.
Skipjack sinks an xAKL at Milne Bay.

CVs:
Mine are at Melbourne.

India/Burma:
Shwebo - More of the same. Sweeps by 42 & 42 Tojos followed by over 100 Oscars with over 120 Helens to hit AF in multiple waves. Supplies are still not flowing here....yet. Casualties are going up as I have no flak to disrupt his bombers.

Near Akyab - I launch a ground bb attack to find out what the new unit is on 7th.

Ground combat at 55,47 (near Akyab)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 888 troops, 81 guns, 74 vehicles, Assault Value = 383

Defending force 8772 troops, 72 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 239

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

Assaulting units:
I Aus Corps Engineer Battalion
25th Indian Division
2/1st Med Regiment
2/9th Field Regiment
1st Indian Light AA Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
14th Indian Light AA Regiment

Defending units:
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
I have the 50th Tank Brigade arriving and will exchange the Indian division for another that is at Cox's Bazar finishing its upgrade to '43 infantry squads over the next few weeks.

China:
North -
Sian - AF is attacked by up to 12 Sonia daily.

Lanchow - Up to 9 Oscars with around 75 Sally/Helen attack AF along with the troops daily. On 8th....OUCH!! [:)]

Ground combat at Lanchow (81,34)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 58676 troops, 569 guns, 876 vehicles, Assault Value = 1987

Defending force 47263 troops, 308 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1293

Japanese adjusted assault: 1754

Allied adjusted defense: 2111

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 5)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
7527 casualties reported
Squads: 104 destroyed, 491 disabled
Non Combat: 25 destroyed, 119 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 106 disabled
Guns lost 92 (8 destroyed, 84 disabled)
Vehicles lost 62 (12 destroyed, 50 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
667 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 21 (2 destroyed, 19 disabled)

Assaulting units:
6th Guards Division
2nd Tank Division
1st Tank Division
20th Ind Engineer Regiment
15th Tank Regiment
4th Guards Division
1st Engineer Co
5th Guards Division
North China Area Army
15th AA Regiment
1st Ind.AA Gun Co
21st Army

Defending units:
10th Construction Regiment
71st Chinese Corps
34th Separate Brigade
9th Separate Brigade
3rd Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
12th Construction Regiment
1st War Area
56th AT Gun Regiment
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment
19th Chinese Base Force
57th AT Gun Regiment
8th War Area
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment
21st Chinese Base Force

I suggest to Nick afterwards that he may want to give up on taking this base. I have forts at 5 and now all but one of my Corps has reached the magical 50 experience level.

Urumchi - Also on the 8th,

Ground combat at Urumchi (79,11)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 372 troops, 0 guns, 69 vehicles, Assault Value = 39

Defending force 2143 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 64

Japanese adjusted assault: 37

Allied adjusted defense: 129

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+)
Attacker:

Allied ground losses:
51 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
12th Tank Regiment

Defending units:
259th Brigade
This brigade has now reached 50 experience level.

South [>:]

Australia: [>:]

South Pacific: [>:]

Central Pacific: [>:]

North Pacific: [>:]

Engineering: Attu - P3; Bowen AF4; Cooktown AF3; Port Augusta F4; Ceduna P3;

Recon/Intel:

Notes:
Cooktown is expanding quickly. I will sweep Horn Island from here with 100 P-38s on 10th, weather permitting. Hopefully, to be followed by 37 B-17s from Cairns to his the few ships in port and 96 B-24s from Townsville to hit the AF. A 6 Fletcher DD TF will move two hexes out to possibly go up to Terapo on the 11th (it is 11 hexes away). Meanwhile, from the AF5 at Nauru, 96 B-17/24s will the the port at Tulagi.

[BBfanboy]

About the 11 hex Fletcher DD movement: even if they do reach Terapo during the night phase, won't they be out of Ops points to carry out an attack during that phase? Any prey he does not want there in daylight will have left before they arrive.

[ny59giants]

I don't know exactly what 'may' happen at Terapo as it will be 9 hexes from their jump off point two hexes out from Cooktown. Right now recon doesn't show any bombers at either Horn Island or Port Moresby. I just want him focused in this area for the next month as I continue to expand my bases and make some noise here as I get ready for my jump into western Australia in mid-May. I should be at Coen in less than a week. BFs and construction engineers are already marching for this base so I can LRCAP my move up to Portland Roads. I need everything to point to an invasion of Horn Island, eventually.

[Q-Ball]

Question on supplies for Japan in this one. I think you are playing the same Scen 30 that Greyjoy and I are, correct? And pre-change, that scenario shorted Japan on supplies.

Greyjoy is feeling the pinch now, and wants to ask michaelm for a mini-patch to add supplies. I understand you guys may have done that? (Not sure if this game or another one you have).

If I am right, how much did you send to japan, and how did you figure that amount?

[ny59giants]

Brad,

We took the total missing from Scenario 2, which this DDB mod is based on, from what was missing. We both started our PBEM games with a shortage that was not discovered and corrected until later in the game. We did the change a few weekends ago. MichaelM added 1.8 million supply and 2 million fuel. I recently posted this in GreyJoy's AAR a short while ago.

tm.asp?m=3075475&mpage=2&key=

Look at the posting that start in mid-January '13 about 3/4 of the way down page 2 for details.

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Brad,

We took the total missing from Scenario 2, which this DDB mod is based on, from what was missing. We both started our PBEM games with a shortage that was not discovered and corrected until later in the game. We did the change a few weekends ago. MichaelM added 1.8 million supply and 2 million fuel. I recently posted this in GreyJoy's AAR a short while ago.

tm.asp?m=3075475&mpage=2&key=

Look at the posting that start in mid-January '13 about 3/4 of the way down page 2 for details.

I can't read his AAR, though.

What point did you calculate the shortage from (i.e., how much per day?)

I'm down for whatever, just want to get the number right

Thanks for your help on that, BTW!

[ny59giants]

If you look at post 59 in the thread I gave you, you will see a screenshot of at start for Scenario 1, 2 and DBB 30. Nick asked for the differences between 1 and 30 which is the 1.8 & 2 million numbers. The initial error with DBB 30 was the economy was from scenario 1 vs 2 that was later fixed, but both our PBEM games started before the error was found and fixed. Since refineries don't produce supplies in this mod, Nick (Olorin) did not ask for more.

[Q-Ball]

Thanks! So, I guess 1.8 mil and 2 mil is the number. I suppose, dropped in Tokyo, good a place as any.

I don't want Greyjoy's empire to collapse from supply loss. But he should feel pinched in 44-45. Hard to strike that balance

[ny59giants]

How do other players use both the SBD-5 and Helldivers on their CVs?? I start to get both in April '43. I see the drawback of the Helldiver is the SR of 3, but she has greater speed, range, and those two extra 250 lb bombs vs the SBD-5.

[Q-Ball]

My 2 cents on the DBs........I go with the Helldiver. The extra bombs are nice, and the SR rating doesn't matter as much on CVs. The reason is that I rarely use CV-based DBs in any sustained way; it's usually a one-shot at a time. In that case, SR rating doesn't matter as much. Land-based DBs, on the other hand, need the good SR rating.

Also, the SBD-5 has longer range with drop tanks. This is also more useful from land, since on the CVs you will outrange your TBFs anyway, reducing effectiveness. Land-based can use the extra range.

That's just my 2 cents......

[ny59giants]

I just did my turn and thought I would post this here before I forgot again. I had a transport TF coming back from Melbourne to Cape Town with not enough fuel. Once it got into the off map holding box that you see to the north of Cape Town, it showed over 75 days to get to port. To say I was upset was an understatement. [:@] I know I have plenty of xAKs to haul supplies, it was just an oversight on my part that got me upset. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised a few turns ago when another TF entered that holding box from India on its way back to Cape Town and my 'stuck' TF was able to magically refuel. It will now arrive in less than 20 days. Thanks MichaelM!! [&o]

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

How do other players use both the SBD-5 and Helldivers on their CVs?? I start to get both in April '43. I see the drawback of the Helldiver is the SR of 3, but she has greater speed, range, and those two extra 250 lb bombs vs the SBD-5.

I use the Helldiver exclusively, the service rating has never made any difference for me. Of course, there aren't enough Helldivers available in the first month but by the end of 43, my CV are usually fully equipped with them.

[ny59giants]

April 10, 11, 12:
Fletchers at Full Speed.
Air war over Horn Island begins.

Key: TT = Torpedo; bb = ground bombardment; c = casualties; b = base hits; s = supply hits; r = runway hits; p = port hits; f = fuel hits; AV = Assault Value; DC = Depth Charged; (*) = destroyed aircraft; If odds are underlined, they are the Allies; BG = Bomber Group of 48 planes (4 x 12 bomber squadrons)

Subs:
Blackfish sinks a SC 6 hexes due west of Truk.
Trout sinks a TK near Milne Bay.
Gudgeon sinks a damaged xAK leaving Horn Island on 12th.

CVs:
Mine are at Melbourne.

India/Burma:
Shwebo - More of the same. Sweeps by 42 & 42 Tojos followed by over 100 Oscars with over 120 Helens to hit AF and/or troops in multiple waves. Supplies are still not flowing here....yet. Casualties are going up as I have no flak to disrupt his bombers.

China:
North -
Sian - AF is attacked by up to 12 Sonia daily.

Lanchow - Up to 85 Oscars with around 110 Sally/Helen attack AF along with the troops daily. The Oscars are now assigned strafing missions.

South [>:]

Australia:
Horn Island - Even though this island may not be in physical contact with mainland Australia, I will include it for now. Weather stops any attacks to go in on 10th, but they go in on 11th. There is a CAP of 42 Tojo up as my P-38Gs come in. I am disappointed as they come in as three groups of 16 planes vs a full group on 25 or at least 22. I lose 18 vs 15 Tojo for the day. The B-24s (96 total) hit the AF and the B-17s (35 total) hit the port in multiple waves. I lose 3 B-24s while the B-17s hit the 2 xAKs and E in port. I think all are sunk. The P-38s and B-17s are stood down on 12th. Only the B-24s go in. The first wave is big as 71 fly in together to face 3 Nick & 55 Tojo. Most of his fighters don't get into position to hit my bombers as he loses 3 in air and ground while I lose 8 from A2A(3), flak(2), and op(3) losses. They are stood down and take in some replacement.

Coen - The base falls to a TK and TD unit on 12th (116:1) as his BF fragment is still alive. It retreats out of the base. Multiple BFs and construction engineers units are about 10 to 12 days away.

South Pacific, Solomons, & New Guinea:
Tulagi is targeted on 10th by 70 B-17/24. They get through the CAP of 9 Nicks & 31 A6M5 Zeros, but lose 11 of their numbers and get only a bomb or two hits on the AS, AGP, and AD in port. Not enough to sink any of them and the cost is too high with my limited replacement rate.

Port Moresby - I had sent my 6 Fletcher DD TF at full speed for his ships at Terapo on 10th. On the 11th, after not finding any ships, the TF ended up 2 hexes NW of PM (2 due south Terapo) and without any LRCAP at daybreak. 27 Oscars with 16 Judys from Buna try to attack them without success. It looks like I had a collision at sea as the TF now has broken into a 2 ship Escort TF with the original 4 ship TF in the same hex. The Escort TF had moved only 2 hexes to be 3 hexes slightly south of due west of PM on the 12th. I had a group of P-38s LRCAP from Cooktown. 9 P-38s face 18 Oscars and 16 Judy. I slow him down, but DD Nicholas gets 2 bomb hits. Both my DDs are damaged and 'may' reach safety in a few days. I now assign ALL my available P-38s (70) to LRCAP duty at 60% for the 13th.

Transports leave Wellington from Melbourne to get to Pago Pago to pick up the 1st Marine Division.

Central Pacific:
Marshalls - The "B" part of the 2 Marine Division is loaded and headed to Tabiteuea to join the "A" there. Meanwhile, I have the transport at this base divided and send up to Wotje to pick up "C" component. Getting this division over to Melbourne and upgraded will be the last piece of the western Australian plans.

North Pacific: [>:]

Engineering: Ocean Island F4; Brisbane P6; Normanton AF1; Cooktown AF4;

Recon/Intel:

Notes:
Horn Island - The first few days go alright, but the losses are not easily absorbed by the Allies due to my replacement rates. So, for now the Allies will build up the bases (Cooktown and the just captured Coen) to get the shorter legged fighters and 2e bombers into the mix. E-mail exchanges get me pushing how much I'm willing to fight it this area. I hope my psych ops works. [;)]

[BBfanboy]

Port Moresby - I had sent my 6 Fletcher DD TF at full speed for his ships at Terapo on 10th. On the 11th, after not finding any ships, the TF ended up 2 hexes NW of PM (2 due south Terapo) and without any LRCAP at daybreak. 27 Oscars with 16 Judys from Buna try to attack them without success. It looks like I had a collision at sea as the TF now has broken into a 2 ship Escort TF with the original 4 ship TF in the same hex. The Escort TF had moved only 2 hexes to be 3 hexes slightly south of due west of PM on the 12th.

If those ships collided before they got to Terapo, the question of Fletcher range is still unanswered. We don't know if the undamaged ones visited Terapo and came back of if they were delayed by the collision and never got there.

[ny59giants]

True! I will try again to determine if the 11 hex movement is for real or not. Next time it will be just a 2 DD TF to minimize the possibility of collision.

[JocMeister]

Interesting about the Helldivers. I used them initially but found that I often had 10-20% of the total DB strength repairing in various stages. Some up to 4-5 days. And I only had them on 10% search. So I switched to the SBDs instead. Better to have 50+ extra SDB taking off then have 50+ Helldivers repairing on deck?

[ny59giants]

April 13, 14, 15:
The lull before the mid-May storm.
Shwebo, Lanchow, and the Allies moving further north in NE Australia. [>:]

Key: TT = Torpedo; bb = ground bombardment; c = casualties; b = base hits; s = supply hits; r = runway hits; p = port hits; f = fuel hits; AV = Assault Value; DC = Depth Charged; (*) = destroyed aircraft; If odds are underlined, they are the Allies; BG = Bomber Group of 48 planes (4 x 12 bomber squadrons)

Subs:
S-34 sinks an xAK off Horn Island.
RO-68 is unable to finish off the damaged DD to the NE of Cooktown. She has two attack phases to sink this DD doing only 9 knots. I kind of have fun with Nick over it. [:D]
O24 sinks an xAKL off Victoria Point.

CVs:
Mine are at Melbourne. 4 CVs have their fighters begin the upgrade to F6F Hellcats. It will take until early May before it is finished.

India/Burma:
Shwebo - More of the same. Sweeping 2 groups of 42 Tojos followed by over 100 Oscars with over 120 Helens to hit AF and/or troops in multiple waves. Supplies are still not flowing here....yet. Casualties are going up as I have no flak to disrupt his bombers.

Lashio - 42 Tojos now sweep this base.

China:
North -
Sian - AF is attacked by up to 9 Sonia daily.

Lanchow - Up to 85 Oscars with around 110 Sally/Helen attack AF along with the troops daily. The Oscars are now assigned strafing missions. On the 14th, an LCU tries to cross over....ouch!

Ground combat at Lanchow (81,34)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1308 troops, 20 guns, 50 vehicles, Assault Value = 1185

Defending force 45723 troops, 303 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1231

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 3649

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 5)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
986 casualties reported
Squads: 51 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (9 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st Cavalry Brigade
15th Tank Regiment
1st Tank/B Division
5th Guards Division
2nd Tank/A Division
1st Tank/C Division
1st Tank/A Division
2nd Tank/B Division
2nd Tank/C Division
North China Area Army
15th AA Regiment

Defending units:
34th Separate Brigade
3rd Chinese Corps
100th Chinese Corps
71st Chinese Corps
9th Separate Brigade
12th Construction Regiment
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment
8th War Area
10th Construction Regiment
57th AT Gun Regiment
19th Chinese Base Force
1st War Area
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment
56th AT Gun Regiment
21st Chinese Base Force

South [>:]

Australia:
Horn Island - [>:]

South Pacific, Solomons, & New Guinea: [>:]

Central Pacific: [>:]

North Pacific: [>:]

Engineering: Alice Springs AF5; Cairns P4; Oodnedatta AF4; Cooktown AF5; Townsville P7 (can now load torpedoes);

Recon/Intel:
Esperance - 8 LCUs - 7620/113/81 - 30 fighters, 4 bombers, 6 aux
Perth - Tomorrow (16th) the big B-24 recon type will visit here from Ceduna.

Notes:
Nothing exciting to report as I just move and micro-manage my logistical efforts.

[ny59giants]

Fletcher's at Full Speed - The test was completed on my last turn, 19th, as they left Cooktown at full speed (38 knots & 11 hexes). Destination was Milne Bay (11 hexes away). At night, they ran into 5 PBs and a RO sub on the return. Damage is seen in screenshot. There is one or two points worth of major engine damage that I hope I can repair at Townsville (note to self - send up an AD or two). Safely back at Cooktown in one day. [:)]

Night Time Surface Combat, near Milne Bay at 101,133, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Edo Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire
PB Eiko Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
PB Kohuku Maru, Shell hits 1
PB Tonon Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
PB Teimei Maru, Shell hits 34, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Cony
DD Strong
DD Taylor

Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Improved night sighting under 100% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 100% moonlight: 8,000 yards
Range closes to 27,000 yards...
Range closes to 25,000 yards...
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 21,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
Range closes to 13,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 13,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 8,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 8,000 yards
DD Taylor fires at PB Teimei Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Taylor fires at PB Tonon Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Cony fires at PB Teimei Maru at 8,000 yards
DD Cony fires at PB Edo Maru at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 5,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Teimei Maru at 5,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Tonon Maru at 5,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Eiko Maru at 5,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Edo Maru at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
DD Cony engages PB Teimei Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Strong engages PB Teimei Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Cony engages PB Teimei Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Eiko Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Edo Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Teimei Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Strong engages PB Tonon Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Cony engages PB Teimei Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Strong engages PB Eiko Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Edo Maru at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Teimei Maru at 2,000 yards
DD Strong engages PB Teimei Maru at 2,000 yards
DD Taylor engages PB Kohuku Maru at 2,000 yards
Japanese Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Milne Bay at 101,134

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63

Allied Ships
DD Taylor

SS RO-63 launches 4 torpedoes at DD Taylor
DD Taylor fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Taylor fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Taylor fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Taylor fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Taylor fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub