...and Long Island is at Darwin now.
Faster than an AK because the Corsairs can fly off it, they don't have to get so near to the destination base, and they don't have to be uncrated.
They'll be at Macassar very soon, and we might actually get to see a Corsair fighting in a place that matters.
I have a fairly dim view of Corsairs, yes, they are good in combat, but their range means they never get to see it. I think Corsairs have accounted for 2 Zeroes so far. I did a couple of sweeps over Rabaul, and then he pulled out. And thats it.
P-38s on the other hand... [&o]
EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
Musings on Mitchells
Not a turn update, we have been doing a few turns over Christmas but at a very slow rate and not enough to justify an update really.
No. Just been thinking about Mitchells (and Allied medium bombers in general really) and their value. I've been on record maligning them as worthless.
Thats not strictly speaking true, now I've used them much more I see value in them. They have a pretty hefty bombload and are rugged, survivable machines. I closed down Rabaul pretty much with mediums alone in this game, its true a few RNZAF Liberators were there as well but Mitchells did almost all the work.
The problem is that they are worthless in an antiship role. I read on other AARs about how "any TF that gets within range 6 of an Allied base is dead), I think not. One Jap CA renders a TF immune to Mitchells - they all go for the biggest ship, and a Jap CA is bombproof. Simon always does this, whenever theres a TF of APs a CA is there and draws off all the fire. Sure, I might do 15 sys damage or so, significant enough to cause some port time, but if they were Betties the whole TF would be resting in Davy Jone's locker, their effectiveness is nowhere near. And I really hoped to use Mitchells as antishipping machines while heavies pound bases.
They are, however, pretty good against bases I have found. Not as good as a heavy but plenty good, more than adequate. ...So long as you can get them in range. 6 hexes is pretty damn close. Means you have to waltz well into Jap Betty range, supply a base, build up a base... all risky endeavours, with a cost attached.
I did that with Vella Lavella in the Solomons, and when it was up and running the Mitchells did the job. But getting the base and supplying it cost me many APs, and it could have gone horribly tits up if he had some surface forces in the area.
The only effective antiship tool the Allies have really are CVs. The lions share of my ship kills have been down to CVs, with subs, over time, accounting for a pretty big share as well. The airfarce can be easily countered in comparison.
If I was a Jap player I'd be pretty audacious with the battleships I think, so long as you know the location of the Allied carriers. Its not like the Allies can really stop them with their airforce. If an Allied base doesn't have a surface TF a Jap battleship TF can ruin its day. The reverse is not true, Allied warships have to tread exceedingly carefully anywhere near a Jap base. Just look at PoW and Repulse in Malaya!
In my Solomons campaign here what was to stop the Jap from sending a battleship TF down to Lunga and causing havoc? Nuthin, really, beyond my battleships if I posted them there in time. If I sent my battleships to harass Truk, say, they are sitting ducks.
Far as I can tell this holds true even till 1945, though by then I guess every Allied base has a CV near it. [:D]
No. Just been thinking about Mitchells (and Allied medium bombers in general really) and their value. I've been on record maligning them as worthless.
Thats not strictly speaking true, now I've used them much more I see value in them. They have a pretty hefty bombload and are rugged, survivable machines. I closed down Rabaul pretty much with mediums alone in this game, its true a few RNZAF Liberators were there as well but Mitchells did almost all the work.
The problem is that they are worthless in an antiship role. I read on other AARs about how "any TF that gets within range 6 of an Allied base is dead), I think not. One Jap CA renders a TF immune to Mitchells - they all go for the biggest ship, and a Jap CA is bombproof. Simon always does this, whenever theres a TF of APs a CA is there and draws off all the fire. Sure, I might do 15 sys damage or so, significant enough to cause some port time, but if they were Betties the whole TF would be resting in Davy Jone's locker, their effectiveness is nowhere near. And I really hoped to use Mitchells as antishipping machines while heavies pound bases.
They are, however, pretty good against bases I have found. Not as good as a heavy but plenty good, more than adequate. ...So long as you can get them in range. 6 hexes is pretty damn close. Means you have to waltz well into Jap Betty range, supply a base, build up a base... all risky endeavours, with a cost attached.
I did that with Vella Lavella in the Solomons, and when it was up and running the Mitchells did the job. But getting the base and supplying it cost me many APs, and it could have gone horribly tits up if he had some surface forces in the area.
The only effective antiship tool the Allies have really are CVs. The lions share of my ship kills have been down to CVs, with subs, over time, accounting for a pretty big share as well. The airfarce can be easily countered in comparison.
If I was a Jap player I'd be pretty audacious with the battleships I think, so long as you know the location of the Allied carriers. Its not like the Allies can really stop them with their airforce. If an Allied base doesn't have a surface TF a Jap battleship TF can ruin its day. The reverse is not true, Allied warships have to tread exceedingly carefully anywhere near a Jap base. Just look at PoW and Repulse in Malaya!
In my Solomons campaign here what was to stop the Jap from sending a battleship TF down to Lunga and causing havoc? Nuthin, really, beyond my battleships if I posted them there in time. If I sent my battleships to harass Truk, say, they are sitting ducks.
Far as I can tell this holds true even till 1945, though by then I guess every Allied base has a CV near it. [:D]
-
Tom Hunter
- Posts: 2194
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:57 am
RE: Musings on Mitchells
I like the Mitchells they have blown the crap out of Efate and Noumea in my Lunacy game and they fight air to air pretty well too.
True that they won't sink a cruiser, but mogami does not have very many cruisers to spare so I don't see them in transport TFs very much. My biggest complaint is when he sends DDs in a covering force and my bombers don't hit squat.
As for ship killers I think you underate the Beaufort and the Dauntless. In the battles around New Caledonia Beauforts took down the Fuso, and at Port Moresby they crippled one of the Kongos with 2 torpedo hits. The 1000lb bomb on the Dauntless can also do some serious damange to a cruiser. Both these planes are great ship killers.
As for the danger to Allied BBs so far I have not moved mine near Japanese bases unless they were in a hex with an Allied base and lots of CAP. But I have such bases close to Luganville and Efate, this has enabled me to fight serveral big gun battles and launch many bombardment attacks against the Japanese.
Not really disagreeing with what you say, except on the question of ship killing planes, but adding some complexity to it.
True that they won't sink a cruiser, but mogami does not have very many cruisers to spare so I don't see them in transport TFs very much. My biggest complaint is when he sends DDs in a covering force and my bombers don't hit squat.
As for ship killers I think you underate the Beaufort and the Dauntless. In the battles around New Caledonia Beauforts took down the Fuso, and at Port Moresby they crippled one of the Kongos with 2 torpedo hits. The 1000lb bomb on the Dauntless can also do some serious damange to a cruiser. Both these planes are great ship killers.
As for the danger to Allied BBs so far I have not moved mine near Japanese bases unless they were in a hex with an Allied base and lots of CAP. But I have such bases close to Luganville and Efate, this has enabled me to fight serveral big gun battles and launch many bombardment attacks against the Japanese.
Not really disagreeing with what you say, except on the question of ship killing planes, but adding some complexity to it.
Pointblank Slugfest
31st March, 1943
BURMA/INDIA
Four divisions are now in place at Myritkina. I have two more to go, and plenty of ART units as well, the smaller ones, which are Dakota transportable.
My air superiority remains unquestioned and Burma remains a wreck, as an example this happened today :-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30
Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 2
Allied aircraft
PBM Mariner x 5
Liberator VI x 36
Beaufighter VIC x 40
Beaufighter Mk 21 x 11
P-40B Tomahawk x 14
B-17E Fortress x 60
B-24D Liberator x 45
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 214
Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
9 x Beaufighter Mk 21 bombing at 2000 feet
6 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
5 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
14 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
5 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
10 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
33 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
24 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Beaufighter Mk 21 bombing at 2000 feet
2 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
4 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHINA
First time I wrote about China for some time.
The supply situation in the NE is basically - they have 0 supply, but hold on anyway, Russian style.
This has been true for months but today this happened at Kunchang.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kungchang
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 68215 troops, 508 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 51822 troops, 177 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 6)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 5
Japanese ground losses:
1786 casualties reported
Guns lost 41
Allied ground losses:
409 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That isn't good at all. I'm moving a corps up from Sian to stiffen the defences.
Elsewhere I sent forward a raiding force of two corps to the Chungking - Changsha road. He had it heavily defended in the past but I think he moved everything in the end up to Chungking to try and force the issue. Looking to return to the guerilla warfare of the first half of 1942, as he's concentrated his forces on my bases now, especially as the pressure on the NE needs to be reduced somewhat.
DEI
He almost caught me here. He transferred a full fleet CV load of divebombers, torpedo bombers and Zeroes to Balikpapan. My CVs strayed near and got a full bore attack on them - fortunately my Wildcats saw them off but my heart was in my mouth for a while.
Now Jap Balikpapan and Allied Macassar are involved in a slugging match as they are range 5 from each other. So far I've been on the defensive. I have Corsairs at Macassar now though thanks to CVE Long Island, and while he did succeed in bombing many ships his loss rate is far too high to be survivable it seems to me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Macassar at 30,69
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
D3A Val x 22
B5N Kate x 15
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 22
F4U-1 Corsair x 8 (first time a Corsair has been in a serious fight)
P-38G Lightning x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 16 destroyed
D3A Val: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
B5N Kate: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Allied Ships
LST LST-19, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AVD Gillis
AK Mungana, Bomb hits 1
AK Asphalion, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AGP Mobjack
MSW Finch, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
2 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His little surprise is going to get smashed tomorrow though, my 150 heavies at Koepang have been ordered to sortie, as have mediums and Beaufighters from Macassar.
I'm feeling brave enough to raid into the southern end of the Java Sea with my carriers to sink Jap shipping. Today the weather was bad though so nothing flew. I'm going to try one more day and then withdraw, replenishment TFs are waiting to catch my CVs as they pull back.
Macassar is up to 760 mines and the DMs continue their work. He won't be able to saw me off here as easy as he did Bali. Macassar is also nicely exposed to my bases at Waingapu and Koepang as well. I think he'd be ballsy/foolish to try it on.
SOPAC
A PT boat blockade is now in place at Rabaul for irritations sake. The whole of SOPAC looks like its being left to wither though, I got quite a few submarines between Rabaul and Truk and they've found nothing.
Essex and Independence raided Lae, where his betties are (even though its a level 2 airfield). Damage was slight. The Betties went for the CVs and a few got by the CAP, but with bombs they werent so skeery and all the nerf bombs missed anyway.
Dobodura is now an airfield 5, I'm surprised he's not using it. Maybe not enough aviation support? That is a worry though, my landings at PM have gone pretty much unopposed since my Mitchells out of Vella Lavella closed down Rabaul, Dobudura being a Betty/Zero base would be bad news.
On the ground, Port Moresby has been whittled away some, its down to a fort 5, and I reinforced my beachheads with SeaBees, armour, a US Corps HQ and an FA battery . However, they sustain 75% disablements unloading. I'm at a loss really, the place has been bombed round the clock by 100 Fortresses and I dont see any more "gun hits" when I do port attacks. I'm glad I bagged Tarawa early, I wouldn't like to do an atoll assault on a fortified position given the trouble PM has caused me. Even after I capture it I'm going to have rotate every unit involved back to Brisbane for R&R.
CENTPAC
My landings at Majuro have gone off without a hitch. Its now garrisoned with a division, armour and one of those FA regiments which dubs as a CD battery. Engineers are about five days out, then we can move my Mitchells which have been twiddling thumbs at Tarawa up, and then ruin Kwajaleins day.
The noose is tightening in the Marshalls.
BURMA/INDIA
Four divisions are now in place at Myritkina. I have two more to go, and plenty of ART units as well, the smaller ones, which are Dakota transportable.
My air superiority remains unquestioned and Burma remains a wreck, as an example this happened today :-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30
Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 2
Allied aircraft
PBM Mariner x 5
Liberator VI x 36
Beaufighter VIC x 40
Beaufighter Mk 21 x 11
P-40B Tomahawk x 14
B-17E Fortress x 60
B-24D Liberator x 45
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase hits 12
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 214
Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
9 x Beaufighter Mk 21 bombing at 2000 feet
6 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
5 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
14 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
5 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
10 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
33 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
24 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Beaufighter Mk 21 bombing at 2000 feet
2 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
4 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Beaufighter VIC bombing at 2000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x Liberator VI bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHINA
First time I wrote about China for some time.
The supply situation in the NE is basically - they have 0 supply, but hold on anyway, Russian style.
This has been true for months but today this happened at Kunchang.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kungchang
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 68215 troops, 508 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 51822 troops, 177 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 6)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 5
Japanese ground losses:
1786 casualties reported
Guns lost 41
Allied ground losses:
409 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That isn't good at all. I'm moving a corps up from Sian to stiffen the defences.
Elsewhere I sent forward a raiding force of two corps to the Chungking - Changsha road. He had it heavily defended in the past but I think he moved everything in the end up to Chungking to try and force the issue. Looking to return to the guerilla warfare of the first half of 1942, as he's concentrated his forces on my bases now, especially as the pressure on the NE needs to be reduced somewhat.
DEI
He almost caught me here. He transferred a full fleet CV load of divebombers, torpedo bombers and Zeroes to Balikpapan. My CVs strayed near and got a full bore attack on them - fortunately my Wildcats saw them off but my heart was in my mouth for a while.
Now Jap Balikpapan and Allied Macassar are involved in a slugging match as they are range 5 from each other. So far I've been on the defensive. I have Corsairs at Macassar now though thanks to CVE Long Island, and while he did succeed in bombing many ships his loss rate is far too high to be survivable it seems to me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Macassar at 30,69
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
D3A Val x 22
B5N Kate x 15
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 22
F4U-1 Corsair x 8 (first time a Corsair has been in a serious fight)
P-38G Lightning x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 16 destroyed
D3A Val: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
B5N Kate: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Allied Ships
LST LST-19, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AVD Gillis
AK Mungana, Bomb hits 1
AK Asphalion, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AGP Mobjack
MSW Finch, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
2 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 9000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His little surprise is going to get smashed tomorrow though, my 150 heavies at Koepang have been ordered to sortie, as have mediums and Beaufighters from Macassar.
I'm feeling brave enough to raid into the southern end of the Java Sea with my carriers to sink Jap shipping. Today the weather was bad though so nothing flew. I'm going to try one more day and then withdraw, replenishment TFs are waiting to catch my CVs as they pull back.
Macassar is up to 760 mines and the DMs continue their work. He won't be able to saw me off here as easy as he did Bali. Macassar is also nicely exposed to my bases at Waingapu and Koepang as well. I think he'd be ballsy/foolish to try it on.
SOPAC
A PT boat blockade is now in place at Rabaul for irritations sake. The whole of SOPAC looks like its being left to wither though, I got quite a few submarines between Rabaul and Truk and they've found nothing.
Essex and Independence raided Lae, where his betties are (even though its a level 2 airfield). Damage was slight. The Betties went for the CVs and a few got by the CAP, but with bombs they werent so skeery and all the nerf bombs missed anyway.
Dobodura is now an airfield 5, I'm surprised he's not using it. Maybe not enough aviation support? That is a worry though, my landings at PM have gone pretty much unopposed since my Mitchells out of Vella Lavella closed down Rabaul, Dobudura being a Betty/Zero base would be bad news.
On the ground, Port Moresby has been whittled away some, its down to a fort 5, and I reinforced my beachheads with SeaBees, armour, a US Corps HQ and an FA battery . However, they sustain 75% disablements unloading. I'm at a loss really, the place has been bombed round the clock by 100 Fortresses and I dont see any more "gun hits" when I do port attacks. I'm glad I bagged Tarawa early, I wouldn't like to do an atoll assault on a fortified position given the trouble PM has caused me. Even after I capture it I'm going to have rotate every unit involved back to Brisbane for R&R.
CENTPAC
My landings at Majuro have gone off without a hitch. Its now garrisoned with a division, armour and one of those FA regiments which dubs as a CD battery. Engineers are about five days out, then we can move my Mitchells which have been twiddling thumbs at Tarawa up, and then ruin Kwajaleins day.
The noose is tightening in the Marshalls.
RE: Pointblank Slugfest
1st April, 1943
BURMA/INDIA
Division #4 is 75% airdropped to Myritkina. One more!
DEI
A tanker torpedoed by USS Tinosa the other day sank in Palembang harbour. His ASW efforts aren't meeting my rate of sub reinforcement, I've got 7 submarines now in the Java Sea.
Today Allied carriers raided Soerabaja for the first time since Java fell. Results were juicy!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 22,65
Allied aircraft
Wildcat V x 12
F4F-4 Wildcat x 37
SBD Dauntless x 87
Swordfish x 15
Barracuda x 15
TBF Avenger x 54
Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
TBF Avenger: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Konan Maru
CA Suzuya, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (sinks)
DD Kamikaze, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Konzan Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
PG Saga, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kureha Maru #3, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Keisyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kiyozumi Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP Kizan Maru, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PG Edo Maru
AP Minto Maru
AP Neikai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Mexico Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kashiwara Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Karimo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Koan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AS Chogei, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
2 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
2 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Barracuda launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Barracuda launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Barracuda launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Barracuda launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
That damn CA is the one that was absorbing my nerf bombs earlier. So good riddance.
My smacking of Balikpapan wasnt so effective.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Balikpapan , at 31,64
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 11
F-5A Lightning x 10
B-17E Fortress x 41
B-24D Liberator x 65
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed, 3 damaged
B5N Kate: 4 destroyed
C5M Babs: 2 destroyed
D3A Val: 11 destroyed
Ki-46-III Dinah: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F-5A Lightning: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 10 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 10 damaged
Airbase hits 19
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 54
Aircraft Attacking:
14 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
15 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But effective enough. Together with the devastating losses he suffers in air to air recon indicates his forces here are down to token levels.
A cruiser force sorties from Macassar headed for Balikpapan, to clear the place out of vessels and so the Commander can see some surface action. Wildcats and Lightnings provide LRCAP.
SOPAC
PM is down to fort 4 but the troops are exhausted, I'm giving them three days in defensive mode to get their act together. Exhausted as my Forts at Cooktown didnt sortie on ground attack as instructed.
Raiders land at Gasmata but its garrisoned and I have to pull them back, my Solomons cruisers are in the process of doing that.
BURMA/INDIA
Division #4 is 75% airdropped to Myritkina. One more!
DEI
A tanker torpedoed by USS Tinosa the other day sank in Palembang harbour. His ASW efforts aren't meeting my rate of sub reinforcement, I've got 7 submarines now in the Java Sea.
Today Allied carriers raided Soerabaja for the first time since Java fell. Results were juicy!
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Day Air attack on TF, near Soerabaja at 22,65
Allied aircraft
Wildcat V x 12
F4F-4 Wildcat x 37
SBD Dauntless x 87
Swordfish x 15
Barracuda x 15
TBF Avenger x 54
Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
TBF Avenger: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Konan Maru
CA Suzuya, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (sinks)
DD Kamikaze, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Konzan Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
PG Saga, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kureha Maru #3, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Keisyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kiyozumi Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP Kizan Maru, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PG Edo Maru
AP Minto Maru
AP Neikai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Mexico Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kashiwara Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Karimo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Koan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AS Chogei, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
2 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
2 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Barracuda launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x TBF Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Barracuda launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Barracuda launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Barracuda launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
That damn CA is the one that was absorbing my nerf bombs earlier. So good riddance.
My smacking of Balikpapan wasnt so effective.
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Day Air attack on Balikpapan , at 31,64
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 11
F-5A Lightning x 10
B-17E Fortress x 41
B-24D Liberator x 65
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed, 3 damaged
B5N Kate: 4 destroyed
C5M Babs: 2 destroyed
D3A Val: 11 destroyed
Ki-46-III Dinah: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F-5A Lightning: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 10 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 10 damaged
Airbase hits 19
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 54
Aircraft Attacking:
14 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
11 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
15 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
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But effective enough. Together with the devastating losses he suffers in air to air recon indicates his forces here are down to token levels.
A cruiser force sorties from Macassar headed for Balikpapan, to clear the place out of vessels and so the Commander can see some surface action. Wildcats and Lightnings provide LRCAP.
SOPAC
PM is down to fort 4 but the troops are exhausted, I'm giving them three days in defensive mode to get their act together. Exhausted as my Forts at Cooktown didnt sortie on ground attack as instructed.
Raiders land at Gasmata but its garrisoned and I have to pull them back, my Solomons cruisers are in the process of doing that.
RE: Pointblank Slugfest
3rd April, 1943
BURMA/INDIA
A Japanese convoy is sighted heading up the coast of Malaysia towards Rangoon by my sub pickets. Simultaneously my Dutch short range sub, which was loitering in the deserted Rangoon harbour, is attacked by a pair of PCs. Looks like my sustained, constant bombing campaign in Burma has caused him to seek to resupply by sea.
This can't be allowed. My heavy bombers at Akyab are detailed to mine Rangoon harbour. Surface forces are available too for an intercept hopefully one hex out of Rangoon harbour, and there will be plenty of aircraft - Beaufighters and heavies mostly - ready, willing able and eager to blow away any ships that draw near.
SEAC HQ is now 90% transported over to Myritkina. Tomorrow, the British juggernaut will start to roll.
CHINA
Kunchang will soon fall to the Jap, tomorrow, I expect. No supply, no hope.
I'm a bit miffed at the Chinese theatre because I noticed a few months back that I can't move half of my Chinese units. I set them to move, then next turn the orders are forgotton, or they get to 59 miles and dont actually move. As a result it seems my entire Chinese army, with a few exceptions, is paralysed.
Sian has actually been cut off from the rest of China for some time as a couple of road hexes between Sian and Chungking are Jap owned. However, as all my LCUs are paralysed, I've been unable to run down the road and reopen my supply route. I do have one unit - which was forced to make its way over a trail - which came from the Chinese end of the Burma Road of all places which is on the way to Sian but its going to be two months too slow.
I am more than a little p*ssed, and Les the Sarge, if you are reading this - I've not played Hearts of Iron 2 with a crushing bug since, well... forever, really. 'Nuff said. [;)]
But the show must go on, and hey, its only China.
DEI
Jap "BBs" are sighted five hexes NW of Macassar. I say "BB" as Vals and Kates were spotted in huge numbers. No attacks ,a thunderstorm may have been responsible.
I must have 20-30 AKs at Macassar right now unloading supplies and baseforces, the map is covered with Allied shipping symbols as well (mostly barges though). I wonder if this is an anti shipping raid or if he's planning on another counterinvasion. If the latter, I'm up to 1000 mines at Macassar so he won't be getting away with it scot free this time.
Beaufighters and Avengers at Macassar are set to ship kill mode with 4 hex range, where the Corsairs and Wildcats there can escort. A bit further away at Waingapu Mitchells and Beaufighers are warmed up with longer ranges set as Lightnings are there. Still futher away at Koepang my heavies are stood down, because today, they did this :-
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Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 22,65
Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 11
B-17E Fortress x 43
B-24D Liberator x 76
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Atago, Bomb hits 11, on fire
CA Chikuma, Bomb hits 15, on fire
AP Konan Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
CA Mogami, Bomb hits 14, on fire
AP Kiyama Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Takanami, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PG Kanko Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kashu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Namikaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Netsuda Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Kinjosan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kitano Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kizan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Mexico Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Nissho Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Karimo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Makigumo, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PG Edo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Minto Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kagero, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AS Chogei, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kamikaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kasima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kogyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW W.17, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Kofuku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Nichiren Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Numakaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
140 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Port hits 25
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 5
Aircraft Attacking:
20 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
15 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
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[:D]
SOPAC
Port Moresby should be in Allied hands in a few days, finally.
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Ground combat at Port Moresby
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 40586 troops, 498 guns, 125 vehicles
Defending force 16693 troops, 104 guns, 1 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 4)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3
Japanese ground losses:
352 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Allied ground losses:
313 casualties reported
Guns lost 11
This actually did almost no disruption or fatigue to my forces, so I've set them to shock attack for tomorrow. That should hopefully be enough to tip the place over the edge and finally nudge the Jap out.
The PM assault has been a complete bloodbath for the Allies, and victory here may prove to be a pyrrhic one. Two divisions and 2 RCTs are almost completely ruined after this little sojourn and will need months of rest to recover for further action.
Almost all the casualties were taken by the act of landing, which caused them to suffer between 50 and 75% disablements at least. I'm puzzled by whats been done wrong here - Port Moresby port is at 100% damage and has been for months due to the sustained Fortress bombardment its suffered in an attempt to suppress the coastal defences. The initial landings (though not the later ones, admittedly) were supported by battleships. He doesn't even have any dedicated CD units there, just a baseforce and divisional arty is doing this!
The Solomons are quietish at the moment, mostly building is going on. With 250+ engineers and 100+ engineer vehicles turning torokina into an aircraft carrier it wont take long.
CENTPAC
Baseforces and engineers are now ashore at Majuro, and the airfield is being rapidly built up. Soon as I get an airfield 1, some Tomahawks from Tarawa are being transferred over. We can then ponder our next move in the Central Pacific.
I'm inclined to leave Kwajalein to wither on the vine, bypassed, and instead hop over it to take a less well defended island on the far side - Eniwetok, maybe - to make sure its completely sealed off from any Japanese reinforcement.
The US navy is worn out and needs a refit quite badly, though fortunately my carriers are still, at the moment, in fighting trim. Its surface forces and battleships that are needing dock time.
Winston wants an aircraft carrier to fight the Germans. Winston, you fool! We need that carrier so its not likely to be sent off. Thats bad, at a time where I have mauled SOPAC units I would love to free up another Australian division to replace them, but it looks like its not going to happen.
BURMA/INDIA
A Japanese convoy is sighted heading up the coast of Malaysia towards Rangoon by my sub pickets. Simultaneously my Dutch short range sub, which was loitering in the deserted Rangoon harbour, is attacked by a pair of PCs. Looks like my sustained, constant bombing campaign in Burma has caused him to seek to resupply by sea.
This can't be allowed. My heavy bombers at Akyab are detailed to mine Rangoon harbour. Surface forces are available too for an intercept hopefully one hex out of Rangoon harbour, and there will be plenty of aircraft - Beaufighters and heavies mostly - ready, willing able and eager to blow away any ships that draw near.
SEAC HQ is now 90% transported over to Myritkina. Tomorrow, the British juggernaut will start to roll.
CHINA
Kunchang will soon fall to the Jap, tomorrow, I expect. No supply, no hope.
I'm a bit miffed at the Chinese theatre because I noticed a few months back that I can't move half of my Chinese units. I set them to move, then next turn the orders are forgotton, or they get to 59 miles and dont actually move. As a result it seems my entire Chinese army, with a few exceptions, is paralysed.
Sian has actually been cut off from the rest of China for some time as a couple of road hexes between Sian and Chungking are Jap owned. However, as all my LCUs are paralysed, I've been unable to run down the road and reopen my supply route. I do have one unit - which was forced to make its way over a trail - which came from the Chinese end of the Burma Road of all places which is on the way to Sian but its going to be two months too slow.
I am more than a little p*ssed, and Les the Sarge, if you are reading this - I've not played Hearts of Iron 2 with a crushing bug since, well... forever, really. 'Nuff said. [;)]
But the show must go on, and hey, its only China.
DEI
Jap "BBs" are sighted five hexes NW of Macassar. I say "BB" as Vals and Kates were spotted in huge numbers. No attacks ,a thunderstorm may have been responsible.
I must have 20-30 AKs at Macassar right now unloading supplies and baseforces, the map is covered with Allied shipping symbols as well (mostly barges though). I wonder if this is an anti shipping raid or if he's planning on another counterinvasion. If the latter, I'm up to 1000 mines at Macassar so he won't be getting away with it scot free this time.
Beaufighters and Avengers at Macassar are set to ship kill mode with 4 hex range, where the Corsairs and Wildcats there can escort. A bit further away at Waingapu Mitchells and Beaufighers are warmed up with longer ranges set as Lightnings are there. Still futher away at Koepang my heavies are stood down, because today, they did this :-
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Day Air attack on Soerabaja , at 22,65
Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 11
B-17E Fortress x 43
B-24D Liberator x 76
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Atago, Bomb hits 11, on fire
CA Chikuma, Bomb hits 15, on fire
AP Konan Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
CA Mogami, Bomb hits 14, on fire
AP Kiyama Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Takanami, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PG Kanko Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kashu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Namikaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Netsuda Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Kinjosan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kitano Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kizan Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Mexico Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Nissho Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Karimo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Makigumo, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PG Edo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Minto Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kagero, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AS Chogei, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kamikaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kasima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kogyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW W.17, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Kofuku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Nichiren Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Numakaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
140 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Port hits 25
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 5
Aircraft Attacking:
20 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
15 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
8 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 6000 feet
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[:D]
SOPAC
Port Moresby should be in Allied hands in a few days, finally.
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Ground combat at Port Moresby
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 40586 troops, 498 guns, 125 vehicles
Defending force 16693 troops, 104 guns, 1 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 4)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3
Japanese ground losses:
352 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Allied ground losses:
313 casualties reported
Guns lost 11
This actually did almost no disruption or fatigue to my forces, so I've set them to shock attack for tomorrow. That should hopefully be enough to tip the place over the edge and finally nudge the Jap out.
The PM assault has been a complete bloodbath for the Allies, and victory here may prove to be a pyrrhic one. Two divisions and 2 RCTs are almost completely ruined after this little sojourn and will need months of rest to recover for further action.
Almost all the casualties were taken by the act of landing, which caused them to suffer between 50 and 75% disablements at least. I'm puzzled by whats been done wrong here - Port Moresby port is at 100% damage and has been for months due to the sustained Fortress bombardment its suffered in an attempt to suppress the coastal defences. The initial landings (though not the later ones, admittedly) were supported by battleships. He doesn't even have any dedicated CD units there, just a baseforce and divisional arty is doing this!
The Solomons are quietish at the moment, mostly building is going on. With 250+ engineers and 100+ engineer vehicles turning torokina into an aircraft carrier it wont take long.
CENTPAC
Baseforces and engineers are now ashore at Majuro, and the airfield is being rapidly built up. Soon as I get an airfield 1, some Tomahawks from Tarawa are being transferred over. We can then ponder our next move in the Central Pacific.
I'm inclined to leave Kwajalein to wither on the vine, bypassed, and instead hop over it to take a less well defended island on the far side - Eniwetok, maybe - to make sure its completely sealed off from any Japanese reinforcement.
The US navy is worn out and needs a refit quite badly, though fortunately my carriers are still, at the moment, in fighting trim. Its surface forces and battleships that are needing dock time.
Winston wants an aircraft carrier to fight the Germans. Winston, you fool! We need that carrier so its not likely to be sent off. Thats bad, at a time where I have mauled SOPAC units I would love to free up another Australian division to replace them, but it looks like its not going to happen.
RE: Pointblank Slugfest
4th April, 1943
Huge battles break out in the DEI!
His carriers move to range 5 off Macassar and launch a strike, causing my large convoy TF to be heavily bombed. Corsairs maul him on the way in, but there are only 11 of them, and sheer weight of numbers means the bombers get through to wreak havoc.
Day Air attack on TF, near Macassar at 30,69
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
D3A Val x 89
A6M3a Zero x 26
B5N Kate x 107
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 26
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
P-38G Lightning x 11
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 24 destroyed
D3A Val: 10 destroyed, 7 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 16 destroyed
B5N Kate: 14 destroyed, 8 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-38G Lightning: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1
CL Danae
CA Dorsetshire, Bomb hits 4, on fire
CL Durban, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AP Rooseboom
CL Nashville
CL Sumatra, Bomb hits 1
AP Pijnacker Hordijk
AP Mount McKinley, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CA Exeter, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
CLAA Capetown, Bomb hits 2
DD Hull
AP Largs Bay, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Manunda
AP Moreton Bay
AP Empire Attendant, Bomb hits 1
AP Bloemfontrin, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AP Dardanus
AP West Point
AP President Polk
DMS Hopkins
Allied ground losses:
75 casualties reported
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
1 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
1 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
2 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
It was a pain in the ass to get those Corsairs in position, I had to use Long Island to do it, but damn, it was worth it, that squadron has 48 kills so far, and they've been there no longer than a month.
My airfarce at Waingapu takes off, intent on a counterstrike. The Beaufighters prove that they are totally outclassed by the Zero in air-to-air, now I know how the Me110s felt, and the Mitchells arent as accurate at 6000' as his Kates are at 10,000', but a single nerf bomb hits Akagi and scratches the imperial gray.
Day Air attack on TF at 27,66
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31
A6M3a Zero x 23
Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Mk 21 x 23
P-38G Lightning x 27
B-25J Mitchell x 36
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed, 1 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed, 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter Mk 21: 15 destroyed
P-38G Lightning: 6 destroyed, 5 damaged
B-25J Mitchell: 10 destroyed, 16 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
CV Akagi, Bomb hits 1
CV Zuikaku
CV Soryu
CV Junyo
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
End result, 44 Allied aircraft shot down in air to air - Beaufighters being 17 of them - in exchange for 118 Japs shot down, almost all of them (over 100) being Zeroes.
CA Exeter is badly bruised but she'll make it unless the Jap misbehaves again.
The morale of my air units at Waingapu is in the toilet after that aerial turkey shoot, so they get reluctantly stood down. The units at Macassar have their range opened to 5, meanwhile, to make him hopefully pay if he tries it again - with 100+ dead fighters surely his CAP must be tissue thin and with morale problems after that.
Elsewhere Port Moresby finally falls! I switch the base to Australia Command immediately so I can bring up Aus Command air units, and shimmy around my Corsairs in SOPAC so Lunga gets denuded a bit and Port Moresby brandishes two squadrons of those killer interceptors. Australia Command Vengeances and Beaufighters follow - with the loss of PM he won't be supplying any of his SE New Guinea bases anymore.
Huge battles break out in the DEI!
His carriers move to range 5 off Macassar and launch a strike, causing my large convoy TF to be heavily bombed. Corsairs maul him on the way in, but there are only 11 of them, and sheer weight of numbers means the bombers get through to wreak havoc.
Day Air attack on TF, near Macassar at 30,69
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
D3A Val x 89
A6M3a Zero x 26
B5N Kate x 107
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 26
F4U-1 Corsair x 12
P-38G Lightning x 11
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 24 destroyed
D3A Val: 10 destroyed, 7 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 16 destroyed
B5N Kate: 14 destroyed, 8 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-38G Lightning: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1
CL Danae
CA Dorsetshire, Bomb hits 4, on fire
CL Durban, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AP Rooseboom
CL Nashville
CL Sumatra, Bomb hits 1
AP Pijnacker Hordijk
AP Mount McKinley, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CA Exeter, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
CLAA Capetown, Bomb hits 2
DD Hull
AP Largs Bay, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Manunda
AP Moreton Bay
AP Empire Attendant, Bomb hits 1
AP Bloemfontrin, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AP Dardanus
AP West Point
AP President Polk
DMS Hopkins
Allied ground losses:
75 casualties reported
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
1 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
1 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
2 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 10000 feet
It was a pain in the ass to get those Corsairs in position, I had to use Long Island to do it, but damn, it was worth it, that squadron has 48 kills so far, and they've been there no longer than a month.
My airfarce at Waingapu takes off, intent on a counterstrike. The Beaufighters prove that they are totally outclassed by the Zero in air-to-air, now I know how the Me110s felt, and the Mitchells arent as accurate at 6000' as his Kates are at 10,000', but a single nerf bomb hits Akagi and scratches the imperial gray.
Day Air attack on TF at 27,66
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31
A6M3a Zero x 23
Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Mk 21 x 23
P-38G Lightning x 27
B-25J Mitchell x 36
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed, 1 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed, 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter Mk 21: 15 destroyed
P-38G Lightning: 6 destroyed, 5 damaged
B-25J Mitchell: 10 destroyed, 16 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
CV Akagi, Bomb hits 1
CV Zuikaku
CV Soryu
CV Junyo
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell bombing at 6000 feet
End result, 44 Allied aircraft shot down in air to air - Beaufighters being 17 of them - in exchange for 118 Japs shot down, almost all of them (over 100) being Zeroes.
CA Exeter is badly bruised but she'll make it unless the Jap misbehaves again.
The morale of my air units at Waingapu is in the toilet after that aerial turkey shoot, so they get reluctantly stood down. The units at Macassar have their range opened to 5, meanwhile, to make him hopefully pay if he tries it again - with 100+ dead fighters surely his CAP must be tissue thin and with morale problems after that.
Elsewhere Port Moresby finally falls! I switch the base to Australia Command immediately so I can bring up Aus Command air units, and shimmy around my Corsairs in SOPAC so Lunga gets denuded a bit and Port Moresby brandishes two squadrons of those killer interceptors. Australia Command Vengeances and Beaufighters follow - with the loss of PM he won't be supplying any of his SE New Guinea bases anymore.
RE: Pointblank Slugfest
Also look at this
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34
Allied aircraft
Liberator VI x 36
B-17E Fortress x 59
B-24D Liberator x 48
No Allied losses
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
6 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
24 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
36 x B-24D Liberator laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
5 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
11 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
5 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator laying mines at 6000 feet
2 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
5 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
2 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator laying mines at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
I didn't think you saw that on the combat report, but you do.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Rangoon , at 29,34
Allied aircraft
Liberator VI x 36
B-17E Fortress x 59
B-24D Liberator x 48
No Allied losses
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
6 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
24 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
8 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
36 x B-24D Liberator laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
5 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
11 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
5 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator laying mines at 6000 feet
2 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
5 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
2 x Liberator VI laying mines at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator laying mines at 6000 feet
2 x B-17E Fortress laying mines at 6000 feet
I didn't think you saw that on the combat report, but you do.
RE: Pointblank Slugfest
6th April, 1943
BURMA/INDIA
The British forces are on the move, and have covered a hex, so Simon knows what I'm up to!
Four divisions with a fifth following with plenty of engineer and artillery support are aimed at Mandalay. Most of them have 100 or near to 100 prep points. Won't take them long to get to Mandalay from Myritkina given the railway.
Simultaneously (good timing) my units from Akyab make it atop the mountain hex to the east, the first hex on their way to Pagan. Akyab has been packed with supplies, the objective here is mainly to open up a supply route to my forces which will soon be besieging Mandalay.
Two Jap TFs, both transport TFs I think, are now dancing around a Royal Navy light cruiser force at Rangoon. I've prevented him from landing two days running now with the cruisers, and Beaufighters have strafed and bombed the Jap ships. Today it got a bit more tense as Betties from Bangkok had a crack at my cruisers, but they are good at dodging - 20 torpedo bombers got through but scored no hits on the British ships.
I don't plan on allowing him to land and resupply Burma, so the cruisers are staying there under LRCAP. Bangkok is getting plastered tomorrow by heavies. And hopefully there are some a/c spare at Akyab to bomb more ships unless he gives up and goes home.
DEI
KB withdrew, so my carriers have pulled back also to Koepang. I'm in a consolidation phase now, Macassar is being built up, mined and fortified. Dutch Catalinas have been placed there now. Soon I'll move the heavies up and begin trashing strategic targets on northern Borneo I think. The objective all along has been to deny him his oil as early as possible, after all - the Allied offensive into the DEI has already dented him somewhat here, as several enemy TKs have been sunk on my raids into the Java Sea.
Next objective : Balikpapan. A full division is ready at Darwin with 100 preppoints, but thats not enough, I fear. Southern Borneo looks to be quite well garrisoned with the Jap. So there is going to be some reorganisation of Allied ground units. I think I'm going to scrimp on the garrison at Koepang, which looks pretty safe from Jap invasions now, and use the Aussie division there as additional assault fodder.
SOPAC
Similar tales here really, with the fall of Port Moresby I'm moving APs up to take off the battered assault troops and take them to Brisbane for R&R.
An AK at Auckland just picked up two squadrons of NZ Corsairs, they are going to the DEI. Its hard going there, lots of Jap airbases, constant risk of counterattack - a perfect environment for these short ranged interceptors.
CENTPAC
And more consolidation here, at Majuro. There is a serious lack of transports in the Pacific, they are all busy in the DEI and SOPAC, or damaged. Another USMC division arrives soon, I'd like to ponder a potential grab at Marcus Island or Eniwetok soon with them, but there isnt the transport capacity yet. I'll do my best to reroute units to San Francisco unless they are urgently needed elsewhere, hopefully I can scrape up a few, and US reinforcements can provide the rest.
BURMA/INDIA
The British forces are on the move, and have covered a hex, so Simon knows what I'm up to!
Four divisions with a fifth following with plenty of engineer and artillery support are aimed at Mandalay. Most of them have 100 or near to 100 prep points. Won't take them long to get to Mandalay from Myritkina given the railway.
Simultaneously (good timing) my units from Akyab make it atop the mountain hex to the east, the first hex on their way to Pagan. Akyab has been packed with supplies, the objective here is mainly to open up a supply route to my forces which will soon be besieging Mandalay.
Two Jap TFs, both transport TFs I think, are now dancing around a Royal Navy light cruiser force at Rangoon. I've prevented him from landing two days running now with the cruisers, and Beaufighters have strafed and bombed the Jap ships. Today it got a bit more tense as Betties from Bangkok had a crack at my cruisers, but they are good at dodging - 20 torpedo bombers got through but scored no hits on the British ships.
I don't plan on allowing him to land and resupply Burma, so the cruisers are staying there under LRCAP. Bangkok is getting plastered tomorrow by heavies. And hopefully there are some a/c spare at Akyab to bomb more ships unless he gives up and goes home.
DEI
KB withdrew, so my carriers have pulled back also to Koepang. I'm in a consolidation phase now, Macassar is being built up, mined and fortified. Dutch Catalinas have been placed there now. Soon I'll move the heavies up and begin trashing strategic targets on northern Borneo I think. The objective all along has been to deny him his oil as early as possible, after all - the Allied offensive into the DEI has already dented him somewhat here, as several enemy TKs have been sunk on my raids into the Java Sea.
Next objective : Balikpapan. A full division is ready at Darwin with 100 preppoints, but thats not enough, I fear. Southern Borneo looks to be quite well garrisoned with the Jap. So there is going to be some reorganisation of Allied ground units. I think I'm going to scrimp on the garrison at Koepang, which looks pretty safe from Jap invasions now, and use the Aussie division there as additional assault fodder.
SOPAC
Similar tales here really, with the fall of Port Moresby I'm moving APs up to take off the battered assault troops and take them to Brisbane for R&R.
An AK at Auckland just picked up two squadrons of NZ Corsairs, they are going to the DEI. Its hard going there, lots of Jap airbases, constant risk of counterattack - a perfect environment for these short ranged interceptors.
CENTPAC
And more consolidation here, at Majuro. There is a serious lack of transports in the Pacific, they are all busy in the DEI and SOPAC, or damaged. Another USMC division arrives soon, I'd like to ponder a potential grab at Marcus Island or Eniwetok soon with them, but there isnt the transport capacity yet. I'll do my best to reroute units to San Francisco unless they are urgently needed elsewhere, hopefully I can scrape up a few, and US reinforcements can provide the rest.
RE: Pointblank Slugfest
11th April, 1943
BURMA/INDIA
The British and Indian forces have just reached Mandalay. A bombardment showed the Jap to be weak, so a shock attack followed, which looked like this :-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Mandalay
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 75094 troops, 719 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 10441 troops, 54 guns, 66 vehicles
Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 7
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 7)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 5
Japanese ground losses:
261 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
Vehicles lost 5
Allied ground losses:
1198 casualties reported
Guns lost 29
While I took 1200 casualties my units don't seem particularly fazed in terms of fatigue or disruption. Two units were somewhat fatigued so I stood those down, the rest are going for a deliberate attack tomorrow. There are more units on the railroad which have not yet reached Mandalay, but they are mostly ART units. And believe it or not there are still several weaker units - Chinese SEAC divisions mostly - at Ledo still awaiting transport.
I think this Burma offensive is looking good so far!
Bad weather has grounded all my aircraft, thats the only wrinkle. Rangoon has been mined a bit more by aircraft, I've not seen him manage to get any transports in, in fact one sunk at Victoria Point, so I think his convoy was sufficiently spanked to make him give up.
DEI
Gearing up for an assault on Balikpapan. I'm stripping out some of my garrison forces which is going to make it a bit of a risk, but I think I have adequate naval power to see off any Japanese counterattacks. KB lost 100 fighters in the last raid, I'm happy to slug it out with him now with my carriers.
The assault is going to be headed by the 32nd US division, a veteran of Macassar, the 7th Australian Division, which has been used as a garrison at Koepang for the best part of a year, and the 9th Australian Division which is currently at Darwin and has not yet made contact with the enemy, being an Australia Command division I changed the command of a while back, so the main body is packing about a thousand assault points. In support will be the 8th Australian Tank Regiment, a couple of Aussie antitank artillery units, and plenty of engineers. To move this prodigious force every AP in SOPAC is being requisitioned and is on its way to Darwin, in addition to the already considerable number of APs in the DEI theatre.
This reduces my garrisons to brigade size pretty much, but. I have a lot of naval power in the DEI and its only increasing. A fast DD flotilla at Macassar has been raiding him repeatedly and bargebusting, but there is also a fast cruiser type unit headed by CA New Orleans. In addition to that, the BBs Arizona, Tennessee, New Mexico, Mississippi and Ramilles are forming a bombardment/surface combat TF. The aircraft carriers already in theatre (currently at Koepang we have Victorious, Illustrious, Lexington, Saratoga, Yorktown and Enterprise) are being reinforced with the Essex and the Independence. So, a pretty mighty armada. Let alone the LBA. I don't fancy his chances of succeeding in landing at Macassar, Waingapu or Koepang with the required multi-divisional strength without crippling losses at sea.
(CVL Princeton, currently at Majuro, and CVL Belleau Wood which just arrived at San Francisco are probably going to be kept in the Central Pacific).
Finally the escort carriers Copahee and Suwannee, in a TF along with BB Colorado, will be going along with the transports. I would have had a third escort carrier but to my great surprise and distaste CVE Sangamon sunk in Townsville dock the other day, a victim of a single Jap AP bomb. The first carrier sunk by the Jap so far in the war, though he has damaged many. CVEs are really vulnerable, I'm spoiled as most of his successful carrier hits have landed on the sturdy decks of a British Illustrious class. [:D]
I think its going to take a couple of weeks to get ready and amass prep points before we land on Borneo.
As for the Jap, the Jap has been fairly quiet here. The Jap airforce looks to have been evacuated from southern Java, and a massive port strike by Fortresses the other day reminded him not to keep ships in port at Soerabaja anymore. I think the 24 ships he has there are all cripples now anyway. Balikpapan and Macassar are still going at it, but the Corsairs are proving decisive and the Japanese are but a shadow of their former selves. His main airbase in the area still seems to be Sinkawang, which is a good choice on his part as its nicely in range of any landings I will make and out of range of Allied heavy bombers.
Macassar airfield is only level 4 and I dont want my heavies flying from a too-small airfield, and besides, it'll be overloaded if I move the heavies there now, its packed with fighterbombers and fighters at the moment. I have learned my lesson about overloaded airfields, its rarely worth it.
SOPAC
Is being denuded of force for my DEI operations. I want to remember to stay focused, the DEI was the objective of the Allied thrust and the only reason to take Port Moresby was to free up my supply routes to North Australia.
I notice Lae is being built up by the Jap, that could be a problem if allowed to continue. I am bombing it with Vengeances and Beaufighters out of Port Moresby now, however, and in a little time, I'll have a full aviation support unit at Port Moresby and then my heavy bombers - now up to about 150 or so in SOPAC, as I've drawn over a lot of RNZAF Corsair and Liberator units. Therefore I'm not really envisaging any more adventurism here, merely pounding him with bombers to keep him down.
I would consider more landings but after Port Moresby my good LCUs have been chewed up horribly and will be out of action for months ,and besides, I don't have the APs. Transportation capacity seems to be the real limiting factor for the Allies in 1943.
CENTPAC
Now, I am planning some adventurism here. I have a lot of spare LCUs, and the proximity to the United States means I have a little, though not a huge amount, of spare transport capacity in the guise of reinforcements.
I'm going to keep CVL Princeton and CVL Belleau Wood in the Central Pacific to support such adventurism, and we'll be able to rustle up a couple of battleships as well. CVL Cowpens arrives in about a month, so all three baby carriers in one TF should prove adequate enough to toast some sparsely defended islands and support invasions.
Nothing like the power being used in the DEI but enough to nibble at him. The Jap appears to have garrisoned the Central Pacific only lightly, I guess he's well aware that the Allied heavy hand is landing on him mostly elsewhere.
I think Eniwetok or even Bikini Atoll (which is still an Allied green dot) will be my next target, I'd prefer Marcus Island but I don't think I got the balls of steel required for that, its got four Jap ground units there and it promises to be bloody. In any case I got a 25 day wait for another USMC division, there won't be any attacking until the Marines arrive.
BURMA/INDIA
The British and Indian forces have just reached Mandalay. A bombardment showed the Jap to be weak, so a shock attack followed, which looked like this :-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Mandalay
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 75094 troops, 719 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 10441 troops, 54 guns, 66 vehicles
Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 7
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 7)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 5
Japanese ground losses:
261 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
Vehicles lost 5
Allied ground losses:
1198 casualties reported
Guns lost 29
While I took 1200 casualties my units don't seem particularly fazed in terms of fatigue or disruption. Two units were somewhat fatigued so I stood those down, the rest are going for a deliberate attack tomorrow. There are more units on the railroad which have not yet reached Mandalay, but they are mostly ART units. And believe it or not there are still several weaker units - Chinese SEAC divisions mostly - at Ledo still awaiting transport.
I think this Burma offensive is looking good so far!
Bad weather has grounded all my aircraft, thats the only wrinkle. Rangoon has been mined a bit more by aircraft, I've not seen him manage to get any transports in, in fact one sunk at Victoria Point, so I think his convoy was sufficiently spanked to make him give up.
DEI
Gearing up for an assault on Balikpapan. I'm stripping out some of my garrison forces which is going to make it a bit of a risk, but I think I have adequate naval power to see off any Japanese counterattacks. KB lost 100 fighters in the last raid, I'm happy to slug it out with him now with my carriers.
The assault is going to be headed by the 32nd US division, a veteran of Macassar, the 7th Australian Division, which has been used as a garrison at Koepang for the best part of a year, and the 9th Australian Division which is currently at Darwin and has not yet made contact with the enemy, being an Australia Command division I changed the command of a while back, so the main body is packing about a thousand assault points. In support will be the 8th Australian Tank Regiment, a couple of Aussie antitank artillery units, and plenty of engineers. To move this prodigious force every AP in SOPAC is being requisitioned and is on its way to Darwin, in addition to the already considerable number of APs in the DEI theatre.
This reduces my garrisons to brigade size pretty much, but. I have a lot of naval power in the DEI and its only increasing. A fast DD flotilla at Macassar has been raiding him repeatedly and bargebusting, but there is also a fast cruiser type unit headed by CA New Orleans. In addition to that, the BBs Arizona, Tennessee, New Mexico, Mississippi and Ramilles are forming a bombardment/surface combat TF. The aircraft carriers already in theatre (currently at Koepang we have Victorious, Illustrious, Lexington, Saratoga, Yorktown and Enterprise) are being reinforced with the Essex and the Independence. So, a pretty mighty armada. Let alone the LBA. I don't fancy his chances of succeeding in landing at Macassar, Waingapu or Koepang with the required multi-divisional strength without crippling losses at sea.
(CVL Princeton, currently at Majuro, and CVL Belleau Wood which just arrived at San Francisco are probably going to be kept in the Central Pacific).
Finally the escort carriers Copahee and Suwannee, in a TF along with BB Colorado, will be going along with the transports. I would have had a third escort carrier but to my great surprise and distaste CVE Sangamon sunk in Townsville dock the other day, a victim of a single Jap AP bomb. The first carrier sunk by the Jap so far in the war, though he has damaged many. CVEs are really vulnerable, I'm spoiled as most of his successful carrier hits have landed on the sturdy decks of a British Illustrious class. [:D]
I think its going to take a couple of weeks to get ready and amass prep points before we land on Borneo.
As for the Jap, the Jap has been fairly quiet here. The Jap airforce looks to have been evacuated from southern Java, and a massive port strike by Fortresses the other day reminded him not to keep ships in port at Soerabaja anymore. I think the 24 ships he has there are all cripples now anyway. Balikpapan and Macassar are still going at it, but the Corsairs are proving decisive and the Japanese are but a shadow of their former selves. His main airbase in the area still seems to be Sinkawang, which is a good choice on his part as its nicely in range of any landings I will make and out of range of Allied heavy bombers.
Macassar airfield is only level 4 and I dont want my heavies flying from a too-small airfield, and besides, it'll be overloaded if I move the heavies there now, its packed with fighterbombers and fighters at the moment. I have learned my lesson about overloaded airfields, its rarely worth it.
SOPAC
Is being denuded of force for my DEI operations. I want to remember to stay focused, the DEI was the objective of the Allied thrust and the only reason to take Port Moresby was to free up my supply routes to North Australia.
I notice Lae is being built up by the Jap, that could be a problem if allowed to continue. I am bombing it with Vengeances and Beaufighters out of Port Moresby now, however, and in a little time, I'll have a full aviation support unit at Port Moresby and then my heavy bombers - now up to about 150 or so in SOPAC, as I've drawn over a lot of RNZAF Corsair and Liberator units. Therefore I'm not really envisaging any more adventurism here, merely pounding him with bombers to keep him down.
I would consider more landings but after Port Moresby my good LCUs have been chewed up horribly and will be out of action for months ,and besides, I don't have the APs. Transportation capacity seems to be the real limiting factor for the Allies in 1943.
CENTPAC
Now, I am planning some adventurism here. I have a lot of spare LCUs, and the proximity to the United States means I have a little, though not a huge amount, of spare transport capacity in the guise of reinforcements.
I'm going to keep CVL Princeton and CVL Belleau Wood in the Central Pacific to support such adventurism, and we'll be able to rustle up a couple of battleships as well. CVL Cowpens arrives in about a month, so all three baby carriers in one TF should prove adequate enough to toast some sparsely defended islands and support invasions.
Nothing like the power being used in the DEI but enough to nibble at him. The Jap appears to have garrisoned the Central Pacific only lightly, I guess he's well aware that the Allied heavy hand is landing on him mostly elsewhere.
I think Eniwetok or even Bikini Atoll (which is still an Allied green dot) will be my next target, I'd prefer Marcus Island but I don't think I got the balls of steel required for that, its got four Jap ground units there and it promises to be bloody. In any case I got a 25 day wait for another USMC division, there won't be any attacking until the Marines arrive.
Mandalay falls to the Empire
13th April, 1943
BURMA/INDIA
Five divisions smashed through Mandalay without breaking much of a sweat, its now in British hands. Reinforcements are continuing to airdrop in.
Their speed has meant my armoured divisions have become a bit disjointed, they won't join the fray for a couple of weeks yet. When they do it'll bring my total divisions up to 8, 5 infantry 3 armoured, and plenty of artillery.
Supplies are not brilliant but not bad. Given how few supplies were at Mandalay when I captured it I imagine the Japs supplies are much worse.
The Allied air pounds when it can at a mix of targets throughout Burma, but atrocious weather has mostly grounded them.
DEI
Darwin has about 30 APs, over 100 AKs, five battleships, plenty of lesser warships... Essex and Independence are a few days steaming from Koepang. ETA on Balikpapan invasion : 2 weeks. Prep points are building.
SOPAC
Starting to go quiet, aside from Allied bombing already beaten Japanese bases to keep him down. A small operation to shift my Cooktown baseforce to PM and transfer the heavies there rather than have them twiddle thumbs in PM is underway.
On reflection CVL Princeton has been diverted to the DEI along with the rest. Sod CentPac, his carriers aint there.
CENTPAC
Pretty quiet here too. Majuro is being built so it can support bombers.
BURMA/INDIA
Five divisions smashed through Mandalay without breaking much of a sweat, its now in British hands. Reinforcements are continuing to airdrop in.
Their speed has meant my armoured divisions have become a bit disjointed, they won't join the fray for a couple of weeks yet. When they do it'll bring my total divisions up to 8, 5 infantry 3 armoured, and plenty of artillery.
Supplies are not brilliant but not bad. Given how few supplies were at Mandalay when I captured it I imagine the Japs supplies are much worse.
The Allied air pounds when it can at a mix of targets throughout Burma, but atrocious weather has mostly grounded them.
DEI
Darwin has about 30 APs, over 100 AKs, five battleships, plenty of lesser warships... Essex and Independence are a few days steaming from Koepang. ETA on Balikpapan invasion : 2 weeks. Prep points are building.
SOPAC
Starting to go quiet, aside from Allied bombing already beaten Japanese bases to keep him down. A small operation to shift my Cooktown baseforce to PM and transfer the heavies there rather than have them twiddle thumbs in PM is underway.
On reflection CVL Princeton has been diverted to the DEI along with the rest. Sod CentPac, his carriers aint there.
CENTPAC
Pretty quiet here too. Majuro is being built so it can support bombers.
RE: Mandalay falls to the Empire
17th April, 1943
BURMA/INDIA
There was a short but fierce action off Rangoon when his resupply convoy showed again. I sortied surface ships on full speed after seeing him in Rangoon harbour. His transport TF fled NW of all directions and was pounced on by 200 bombers from Akyab. 5 AKs were blown to bits.
In return, as I wanted to be absolutely certain that Rangoon was denied to him for a turn, my British cruiser force was attacked by Betties and Nells from Bangkok. A US DD was sunk, and a British CL took two torpedoes but as of yet has not sunk, it being only moderately damaged.
On land Pagan is heavily fortified, and I'm working on surrounding it and neutralising it. I want to cut off the overland supply route, which means getting to the railway east of Rangoon.
DEI
My thoughts crystallise. The tale of 1943 is going to be the Allied capture of southern and northern Borneo, with the exception of the bases on the east side of the north coast, which I dont need.
My armada continues to amass itself. A huge force given its only carrying my troops from Macassar to Balikpapan, a mere five hexes. I'm including the amphibious HQ which was involved in the PM operations having switched it to SWPAC command, and an immense number of transports, must be over a hundred of all types. Just about every warship afloat is going to be there as well.
...if anything the problem will be overkill.
D-Day will be in about a week, if D Day is defined as "The armada setting off from Darwin". The landings will be a week or so after that.
ELSEWHERE
Elsewhere all is mostly quiet. He's resupplying Kwajalein, a single AK is in Kwaj harbour. I'mgoing to have a go at it. But mostly... the Pacific really has been Pacific. Simons efforts have all been around Singers/India/Java, and so have mine. We are fighting on a very small part of the map. [:D]
BURMA/INDIA
There was a short but fierce action off Rangoon when his resupply convoy showed again. I sortied surface ships on full speed after seeing him in Rangoon harbour. His transport TF fled NW of all directions and was pounced on by 200 bombers from Akyab. 5 AKs were blown to bits.
In return, as I wanted to be absolutely certain that Rangoon was denied to him for a turn, my British cruiser force was attacked by Betties and Nells from Bangkok. A US DD was sunk, and a British CL took two torpedoes but as of yet has not sunk, it being only moderately damaged.
On land Pagan is heavily fortified, and I'm working on surrounding it and neutralising it. I want to cut off the overland supply route, which means getting to the railway east of Rangoon.
DEI
My thoughts crystallise. The tale of 1943 is going to be the Allied capture of southern and northern Borneo, with the exception of the bases on the east side of the north coast, which I dont need.
My armada continues to amass itself. A huge force given its only carrying my troops from Macassar to Balikpapan, a mere five hexes. I'm including the amphibious HQ which was involved in the PM operations having switched it to SWPAC command, and an immense number of transports, must be over a hundred of all types. Just about every warship afloat is going to be there as well.
...if anything the problem will be overkill.
D-Day will be in about a week, if D Day is defined as "The armada setting off from Darwin". The landings will be a week or so after that.
ELSEWHERE
Elsewhere all is mostly quiet. He's resupplying Kwajalein, a single AK is in Kwaj harbour. I'mgoing to have a go at it. But mostly... the Pacific really has been Pacific. Simons efforts have all been around Singers/India/Java, and so have mine. We are fighting on a very small part of the map. [:D]
RE: Mandalay falls to the Empire
23rd April, 1943
BURMA/INDIA
Taung Gyi has fallen to the British assault.
Pagan has not, but it has been completely surrounded by the British and is being bombed round the clock. Today I moved in units to lay siege to it but the objective is mainly containment. The bulk of my forces are headed for Rangoon.
DEI
The battlefleet is loading up and preparing to move off!
As you can see, I got a huge transport TF which is carrying 3 divisions plus support, a bombardment TF of battleships, and an air combat TF. Only one CVE, the lack of CVEs is my only real shortage on this op. It is, however, packing 24 Marine Corsairs.
Just about every CV and CVL available is at Koepang, 7 CVs and 2 CVLs are there.
As for opposition... well. the IJAF appears to have gone. I've barely had an aerial combat for weeks. So silent has it been I asked Simon in my email, "Where is your airforce?".
9000 Japanese aircraft have gone into the bag and for a while, in early 43, Simon was suffering fearful slaughter - regularly, I destroyed 100 Jap aircraft on the ground due to my bombers. I have no doubt that, beyond the range of my aircraft, his air force is building up though.
Singkawang appears to be his key base, and its just out of range of my units at the moment. So what is there exactly, is anybody's guess. I can[t move my CVs close enough to bombard it as KB is in Singapore, and my LBA can't reach that far yet.
SOPAC
Americal Division got pulled out of Port Moresby and is now in Towmsville on R&R. A single RCT is the garrison force. I keep bombing Lae, which is his only remaining functional airfield, with aircraft out of PM. Now including Fortresses, as I got some more av support in place finally. But the theatre is quiet.
CENTPAC
Quiet here too. Until Majuro is airfield 4, I anticipate no change.
BURMA/INDIA
Taung Gyi has fallen to the British assault.
Pagan has not, but it has been completely surrounded by the British and is being bombed round the clock. Today I moved in units to lay siege to it but the objective is mainly containment. The bulk of my forces are headed for Rangoon.
DEI
The battlefleet is loading up and preparing to move off!
As you can see, I got a huge transport TF which is carrying 3 divisions plus support, a bombardment TF of battleships, and an air combat TF. Only one CVE, the lack of CVEs is my only real shortage on this op. It is, however, packing 24 Marine Corsairs.
Just about every CV and CVL available is at Koepang, 7 CVs and 2 CVLs are there.
As for opposition... well. the IJAF appears to have gone. I've barely had an aerial combat for weeks. So silent has it been I asked Simon in my email, "Where is your airforce?".
9000 Japanese aircraft have gone into the bag and for a while, in early 43, Simon was suffering fearful slaughter - regularly, I destroyed 100 Jap aircraft on the ground due to my bombers. I have no doubt that, beyond the range of my aircraft, his air force is building up though.
Singkawang appears to be his key base, and its just out of range of my units at the moment. So what is there exactly, is anybody's guess. I can[t move my CVs close enough to bombard it as KB is in Singapore, and my LBA can't reach that far yet.
SOPAC
Americal Division got pulled out of Port Moresby and is now in Towmsville on R&R. A single RCT is the garrison force. I keep bombing Lae, which is his only remaining functional airfield, with aircraft out of PM. Now including Fortresses, as I got some more av support in place finally. But the theatre is quiet.
CENTPAC
Quiet here too. Until Majuro is airfield 4, I anticipate no change.
Action off Kwajalein
Quick report for this day as the overall situation hasn't changed much.
In the DEI, a force of 10 destroyers, about half older classes, and half modern warships all under Rear Admiral Struble (an aggressive man) sortie from Macassar and aim for a daylight interception at Balikpapan. Unfortunately the convoy I sighted didn't land at Balikpapan, but sixty miles away, so the DDs didnt find any good hunting.
His airforce at Singakawang, 55 torpedo bombers with escort found the destroyers and sunk the Bulmer, though the rest were all missed. I figure DD maneuverability and poor Jap experience are to thank for all those misses.
The very limited LRCAP from Macassar ripped into his Zeroes. This is the pilot training problem which Simon has, the IJAF is a shadow of its former self thanks to heavy battles of attrition earlier in the year in SOPAC and CENTPAC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Balikpapan at 31,64
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
A6M3a Zero x 22
G3M Nell x 4
G4M1 Betty x 55
Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 10 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 6 destroyed, 30 damaged
Allied Ships
DD Dale
DD Barker
DD Phelps
DD Fox
DD Humphreys
DD Bulmer, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Aylwin
DD Sands
DD Clark
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere similar situation at Kwajalein, a convoy came in and the Kiwi Navy sallied forth to stop it from landing. the SC's policy is that if Simon is moving things around then its to make my life miserable, so I try to intercept every convoy I can.
In these safer waters (only Kwajalein is big enough and in range to handle torpedo bombers) I have deployed cruisers, not more expendable DDs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Kwajalein at 79,79
Japanese Ships
AV Akitsushima
DD Sagiri
DD Akebono, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ushio, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
DD Hakaze, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
MSW W.16
AK Tokusima Maru
AK Tottori Maru
AK Toyooka Maru, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
AK Turuga Maru
AK Tusima Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
Allied Ships
CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
CL Leander, Shell hits 4
CL Achilles
CL Boise
DD Morris, Shell hits 1
DD Isaac Sweers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Allied commander achieved surprise and the heavier guns of the cruisers worked over the Japs. Salt Lake City got torpedoed and will have to limp home, and from there, to Pearl for several months refit (sys at 48), which isnt good due to my extreme lack of heavy cruisers - i only got half a dozen in the whole game at the moment.
Both naval forces will press the attack - the cruisers at Kwajalein in effect blockading the port and allowing my bombers at Majuro to work him over, the DDs at Balikpapan seeking an intercept. I dont expect much from DDs, in my experience DD-only taskforces do a very poor job at surface combat without a cruiser or two to stiffen them, but my objective here is, as at Kwajalein, merely to disrupt his unloading long enough for my airforce to smack him.
In the DEI, a force of 10 destroyers, about half older classes, and half modern warships all under Rear Admiral Struble (an aggressive man) sortie from Macassar and aim for a daylight interception at Balikpapan. Unfortunately the convoy I sighted didn't land at Balikpapan, but sixty miles away, so the DDs didnt find any good hunting.
His airforce at Singakawang, 55 torpedo bombers with escort found the destroyers and sunk the Bulmer, though the rest were all missed. I figure DD maneuverability and poor Jap experience are to thank for all those misses.
The very limited LRCAP from Macassar ripped into his Zeroes. This is the pilot training problem which Simon has, the IJAF is a shadow of its former self thanks to heavy battles of attrition earlier in the year in SOPAC and CENTPAC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Balikpapan at 31,64
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
A6M3a Zero x 22
G3M Nell x 4
G4M1 Betty x 55
Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
A6M3a Zero: 10 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 6 destroyed, 30 damaged
Allied Ships
DD Dale
DD Barker
DD Phelps
DD Fox
DD Humphreys
DD Bulmer, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Aylwin
DD Sands
DD Clark
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
1 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere similar situation at Kwajalein, a convoy came in and the Kiwi Navy sallied forth to stop it from landing. the SC's policy is that if Simon is moving things around then its to make my life miserable, so I try to intercept every convoy I can.
In these safer waters (only Kwajalein is big enough and in range to handle torpedo bombers) I have deployed cruisers, not more expendable DDs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Kwajalein at 79,79
Japanese Ships
AV Akitsushima
DD Sagiri
DD Akebono, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ushio, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
DD Hakaze, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
MSW W.16
AK Tokusima Maru
AK Tottori Maru
AK Toyooka Maru, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
AK Turuga Maru
AK Tusima Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
Allied Ships
CA Salt Lake City, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
CL Leander, Shell hits 4
CL Achilles
CL Boise
DD Morris, Shell hits 1
DD Isaac Sweers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Allied commander achieved surprise and the heavier guns of the cruisers worked over the Japs. Salt Lake City got torpedoed and will have to limp home, and from there, to Pearl for several months refit (sys at 48), which isnt good due to my extreme lack of heavy cruisers - i only got half a dozen in the whole game at the moment.
Both naval forces will press the attack - the cruisers at Kwajalein in effect blockading the port and allowing my bombers at Majuro to work him over, the DDs at Balikpapan seeking an intercept. I dont expect much from DDs, in my experience DD-only taskforces do a very poor job at surface combat without a cruiser or two to stiffen them, but my objective here is, as at Kwajalein, merely to disrupt his unloading long enough for my airforce to smack him.
Ship Losses
Split into categories
Allied
BB 7
BC 1
CVE 1
CA 17 (ouch)
CL 12
DD 42
Japanese
2 CVL
2 CVE
9 BB (ouch)
5 CA
15 CL
58 DD
The Silent Service I'm going to look at separately as I'm a bit of a sub fan, and I'll ignore IJN submarines - almost the entire IJN submarine arm was wiped out within the first four months and achieved effectively nothing, so this is just Allied subs.
The Allies have lost 44 submarines in total - 7 S-boats and almost all the Dutch submarines among them, though there are a few Dutch veteran subs still about - only one of them a long range boat though.
That is counterbalanced by - and these are sub kills only as far as I can ascertain, so Mk 14 torpedoes, Mk 10 torpedoes, 533mm torpedoes, 450mm torpedoes.
2 AO
22 TK (roughly half of all tanker sinkings have been by subs)
55 AP/AK (with the Dutch submarines accounting for about a third of these I notice, for which US torpedoes can be blamed)
So each submarine is worth almost, but not quite, two Japanese merchant vessels so far, April 1943.
A few small Jap warships, MSWs and such have been sunk by subs but not many. Large ships have been successfully torpedoed (a Jap CV took one steel fish even) but none sunk as the result of a sub attack.
Allied
BB 7
BC 1
CVE 1
CA 17 (ouch)
CL 12
DD 42
Japanese
2 CVL
2 CVE
9 BB (ouch)
5 CA
15 CL
58 DD
The Silent Service I'm going to look at separately as I'm a bit of a sub fan, and I'll ignore IJN submarines - almost the entire IJN submarine arm was wiped out within the first four months and achieved effectively nothing, so this is just Allied subs.
The Allies have lost 44 submarines in total - 7 S-boats and almost all the Dutch submarines among them, though there are a few Dutch veteran subs still about - only one of them a long range boat though.
That is counterbalanced by - and these are sub kills only as far as I can ascertain, so Mk 14 torpedoes, Mk 10 torpedoes, 533mm torpedoes, 450mm torpedoes.
2 AO
22 TK (roughly half of all tanker sinkings have been by subs)
55 AP/AK (with the Dutch submarines accounting for about a third of these I notice, for which US torpedoes can be blamed)
So each submarine is worth almost, but not quite, two Japanese merchant vessels so far, April 1943.
A few small Jap warships, MSWs and such have been sunk by subs but not many. Large ships have been successfully torpedoed (a Jap CV took one steel fish even) but none sunk as the result of a sub attack.
RE: Ship Losses
Phew. For some reason I couldnt connect to the forum for a long time
And... well, what a month. I dont have the turn to hand to show you the latest (was quite surprised to see I could reach the forum but, in short)
The Allies have won a battle that makes Midway look marginal off the coast of Tarakan.
My Allied carriers - pretty much all of them, so 7 CV, 2 CVL, moved up to support my invasion of Balikpapan with three divisions. Allied submarines had noticed Vals on the north and northeast coast of Borneo, so I had assumed, rightly as it happened, that he was sending his CVs around the long way rather than down the sub infested Java Sea to catch me by surprise.
Accordingly, my CVs were positioned slightly to the east of my transport fleet as it was landing.
Day 1 of the Battle of Tarakan had bad weather over my CVs so his CVs struck at my transport fleet, inflicting grievous, though not invasion stopping, damage. LBA from Macassar was flying LRCAP over my convoy so it wasn't completely without loss for him.
Day 2 - I charged my carriers down the Macassar Strait on full speed to do battle. He wasn't expecting this I think, we ended up two hexes from each other before launching strikes. His maximum effort against my convoy earlier must have put his fatigue up while the Allied pilots were well rested - also KB had received a lot of attrition over the years and his pilot quality can't have been good.
In short, it was a complete victory for the Allies. Not a single bomber penetrated the Allied CAP, and every single one of his carriers - six CVs - was smashed good by Dauntlesses.
Day 3 - He was trying to retreat his remnants but I followed up by sending the CVs towards the Philippines, finishing off a couple of CVs. Of his heavy ships committed, a couple of battleships survived, but his CV force has been wiped off the map, never to return.
Epilogue - His huge airbase at Singkawang was still bombing my unloading fleet with Betties and I had to do something about it. I couldnt use LBA due to the range so Essex, Princeton and Independence were sent up to Singkawang to do battle. They found a convoy on the way so in actual fact Singkawang was not bombed, but repeated attacks from inexperienced Jap pilots ended up pretty much clearing the place out anyway, after losing 50+ Betties attacks there have gone down to a trickle. However, Princeton and Independence were both badly hit, with one sinking and the other now at Koepang on 90+ flotation damage.
Still, the end result of the whole Borneo landings was
1 Allied CVL lost, in exchange for
6 Japanese CVs and at least one, maybe 2 Japanese BBs.
Wowzer.
Next turn I'll screenshot the sunk ships screen. [:D]
And... well, what a month. I dont have the turn to hand to show you the latest (was quite surprised to see I could reach the forum but, in short)
The Allies have won a battle that makes Midway look marginal off the coast of Tarakan.
My Allied carriers - pretty much all of them, so 7 CV, 2 CVL, moved up to support my invasion of Balikpapan with three divisions. Allied submarines had noticed Vals on the north and northeast coast of Borneo, so I had assumed, rightly as it happened, that he was sending his CVs around the long way rather than down the sub infested Java Sea to catch me by surprise.
Accordingly, my CVs were positioned slightly to the east of my transport fleet as it was landing.
Day 1 of the Battle of Tarakan had bad weather over my CVs so his CVs struck at my transport fleet, inflicting grievous, though not invasion stopping, damage. LBA from Macassar was flying LRCAP over my convoy so it wasn't completely without loss for him.
Day 2 - I charged my carriers down the Macassar Strait on full speed to do battle. He wasn't expecting this I think, we ended up two hexes from each other before launching strikes. His maximum effort against my convoy earlier must have put his fatigue up while the Allied pilots were well rested - also KB had received a lot of attrition over the years and his pilot quality can't have been good.
In short, it was a complete victory for the Allies. Not a single bomber penetrated the Allied CAP, and every single one of his carriers - six CVs - was smashed good by Dauntlesses.
Day 3 - He was trying to retreat his remnants but I followed up by sending the CVs towards the Philippines, finishing off a couple of CVs. Of his heavy ships committed, a couple of battleships survived, but his CV force has been wiped off the map, never to return.
Epilogue - His huge airbase at Singkawang was still bombing my unloading fleet with Betties and I had to do something about it. I couldnt use LBA due to the range so Essex, Princeton and Independence were sent up to Singkawang to do battle. They found a convoy on the way so in actual fact Singkawang was not bombed, but repeated attacks from inexperienced Jap pilots ended up pretty much clearing the place out anyway, after losing 50+ Betties attacks there have gone down to a trickle. However, Princeton and Independence were both badly hit, with one sinking and the other now at Koepang on 90+ flotation damage.
Still, the end result of the whole Borneo landings was
1 Allied CVL lost, in exchange for
6 Japanese CVs and at least one, maybe 2 Japanese BBs.
Wowzer.
Next turn I'll screenshot the sunk ships screen. [:D]
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Rob Brennan UK
- Posts: 3685
- Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2002 8:36 pm
- Location: London UK
RE: Ship Losses
Welcome back Banana ! .. sorry to hear of your connection woes.
BUT .. fantastic engagement there , i bet your opponent is weeping tears of pain from that. Fantastic going. The DEI will be a lot easier now i believe.
Has he got any flattops left after that ?
and don't go getting victory disease [;)] LBA could still ruin your day [:D][:D]
BUT .. fantastic engagement there , i bet your opponent is weeping tears of pain from that. Fantastic going. The DEI will be a lot easier now i believe.
Has he got any flattops left after that ?
and don't go getting victory disease [;)] LBA could still ruin your day [:D][:D]
sorry for the spelling . English is my main language , I just can't type . and i'm too lazy to edit 
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Tom Hunter
- Posts: 2194
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:57 am
RE: Ship Losses
To bad your connection problems robbed us of play by play that would have been something to read.
RE: Ship Losses
ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter
To bad your connection problems robbed us of play by play that would have been something to read.
I think I have the combat reports still saved away, so I might well just upload them for your viewing pleasure, three days worth.