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Three 500lb bombs scored several flightdeck deck hits doing a little damage: SYS +4 and three 20MM guns were destroyed on the Port Side.

Against CVLs or Hiryu/Soryu, three 500lb bombs would have been pretty serious. NOT to the stoutly built former Battlecruiser though.

BANZAI!




BigRed---STOP reading until you watch the 001 for this current turn!

September 25, 1942
Noumea, New Caledonia

Three Japanese Infantry Divisions receive the order to Assault to port of Noumea. No planes or ships bombard the target to keep the element of surprise. At Midnight--FLARES rise to signal the Banzai Assault. All along the line 35,000 screaming Japanese troops rise from their resting place and charge the enemy line.

It is over very quickly:

Japanese Shock Attack: Fort 1 Result 4-1 Base SURRENDERS!
Japanese Casualties: 416
American Casualties: 11,846 (1062 squads), 243 Guns, and 15 Vehicles.

Eight units surrender to the Imperial Japanese Army.

Nearly 40,000 supply changes hands. YES! That will help...

Here is the current Victory Point Screen. The loss of the troops and of Noumea sees Japan gain 455 VP while the Allies lose 638.

You can peruse all the differing loss totals:

Here are the current major sinkings of the Allied Fleet. The cruiser loss is significant and would be worse if my CVs had flown a few days ago when they had 4-5 cruiser targets in their sights!

The loss of pre-war CAs hurt as I use them mostly in CV TFs in late war for their AA. I use the modern CL/CAs in SC TFs with Mr Fletcher.

September 26, 1942
Ichang, China

Another day, another target FALLS! Ichang, China falls to a 636-1 result. Japanese Cas are ZERO and China loses three beaten-up Corps with 2,159 Cas (516 Squads) and 74 Guns.

post #9

ORIGINAL: bigred

I expect Japan to run a high VP count so first year my objective will be to keep John from getting an auto victory. If I pull even in VP count in 45 I will consider this a victory.

It is interesting to see John talk about his victory points. He seems to want to make himself feel good.

Also note my link to my AAR w FatR. Post #8. Check the vp count end of 42. Then end of game.

9/27a: Time for the IJN to get some R&R.

9/27b: Grinding away in Burma.

Looks like some US Congressman blabbed that US torps do not work very well so John risked moving Amagi ...[:'(]

The enemy, in this Mod, have many more starting SS with GOOD TT then in RL. The British have a couple more, there are French SS, Australia has a pair of British, and there are more S-Boats. These additions have really made it more dangerous for my Merchies and Warships.

Amagi DOES appear to be a magnet for bombs and torps!

Paul asked an interesting question when we spoke on the phone a few days ago. He stated how unclear he was about Japanese and Allied CV differences at war's start. As we gabbed, he expressed concern about Japan being too powerful. I told him it wasn't the case but it really got me to thinking and questioning some.

Decided for a full review of the forces on both sides at the point of September 1942. The results made me feel a lot better in defending things. Check out the next Post.

**EDIT**

I couldn't cut-and-paste it without causing all sorts of chaos with the info. Let's see what this does:

If ALL flattops are operational then the Allies are down just 56 planes total as compared to Real Life.

The info was fairly eye opening for me. I've always known that we are balanced but was very nervous to exactingly check it out. Well...here it is!

Take a look and ask questions.

From comments others have made, they implied that Japan's CLVs were made darn near unsinkable while the Allied ones are about as fragile as any 10,000 ton cruiser. That so? The plane capacity suggests the Japanese ones are much bigger.

The only 'tough' Carriers are the CAV. They are the G.6 Class by specs. Over 17,000T with CA armor...everyone else is the same. The American and Allied Hybrids are armored similar to their cruiser hulls. Just like the Allied CAV/CLV they can convert to a full fledged CV in late-42.

The CVL complements are just slightly larger due to the addition of making them more of a scout carrier. Standard plane complement is 21 F, 9 TB, and 3 Scout Planes. Normal complement in Scenario 1 would be 18 F and 12 TB. So...less strike power, slightly more F, and 3 Recon aircraft.

The Recon planes are a variant of the Kate and then the standard Judy Recon Variant.

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Three 500lb bombs scored several flightdeck deck hits doing a little damage: SYS +4 and three 20MM guns were destroyed on the Port Side.

Against CVLs or Hiryu/Soryu, three 500lb bombs would have been pretty serious. NOT to the stoutly built former Battlecruiser though.

BANZAI!
........................

IRL, the 500lb bombs would penetrate the flight deck and detonate in the upper hanger; what they couldn't do was penetrate the deck armor, but the hangars and flight deck were built on top of the hull.
The 3 500lb SAP bomb hits would destroy at a minimum some aircraft stored in the upper hangar; the 500 GP [pen 45] against 57 deck is what saved the Akagi
Stock Akagi is 250 40 25 this scenario 250 57 25

ORIGINAL: Bearcat2

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Three 500lb bombs scored several flightdeck deck hits doing a little damage: SYS +4 and three 20MM guns were destroyed on the Port Side.

Against CVLs or Hiryu/Soryu, three 500lb bombs would have been pretty serious. NOT to the stoutly built former Battlecruiser though.

BANZAI!
........................

IRL, the 500lb bombs would penetrate the flight deck and detonate in the upper hanger; what they couldn't do was penetrate the deck armor, but the hangars and flight deck were built on top of the hull.
The 3 500lb SAP bomb hits would destroy at a minimum some aircraft stored in the upper hangar; the 500 GP [pen 45] against 57 deck is what saved the Akagi
Stock Akagi is 250 40 25 this scenario 250 57 25

I notice 2 bomb hits on the Zuikaku. looks like they bounced off the deck armor.

This is the senario 55 shokaku-kai. Notice the deck rating is increased from 60 to 65.