Islands of Destiny: RA 5.0 Japanese Side

[John 3rd]

Have decided to try and lure Dan out. I think he WANTS to land another punch to try and keep me off-balance. Not this time (I HOPE!). All the reinforcement sent in the last 7-10 turns have not had their prep target changed. Want him to THINK I am not moving anyone to differing locations.

Have decided to send the Fleet to Marcus and await developments. It is July 30th. I shall wait until CarDiv1 and CarDiv5 finish their refits and then shall send most of the Kaigun there.

[Hiltibrant]

Have been following both yours and Dan's AAR for some time now, and just pop in to pose this question:

How do unprepped troops fare - generally speaking - in land combat (i.e. when there's no amphibious landing involved)? Or do you mean that you sent unprepped troops to island garrisons? In that case, how do troops fare when garrisoning islands they aren't prepped for? It just seems like such an unorthodox move, given the gospel on this forum to never send troops in before they're 100% prepped.

[John 3rd]

Not as well but if the place is well supplied and the Forts are good then they can hold. What I really want to add is that I will set them to prep once they get there. Right now I have probably 20-24 units at sea and won't set any of them to their correct destination until AFTER they arrive. Allied Intelligence is excellent and so it serves to help delay the inevitable for some time. Dan follows his Intelligence Reports pretty religiously so I know he IS watching. Also love to set a unit's target as somewhere I have no intention of sending them before they actually get their true prep location. It doesn't always work but it is one of those aspects of the head game within the game.

Glad you're reading along!

[John 3rd]

Thought I might provide some examples of how RA changes things up with the Kaigun. Let us look at refits for the CVs. Here is a screenshot of Akagi on Dec 7, 1941:

[John 3rd]

She is allowed to refit in the summer and this is how she changes. The biggest change is the removal of the old USELESS 5" AA Battery for the much better 3.9" AA Guns and Radar:

[John 3rd]

CarDiv5 goes in during the summer as well. Here is Shokaku on Dec 7th:

[John 3rd]

Then the refit brings similar changes to her:

[John 3rd]

RA radically changes the Agano-Class of CL to enlarge them into ships much more able to handle themselves. We moved them away from the Destroyer Leader original vision to a CL capable of being a solid escort with good armament (3x3 6" and solid TTs), solid AA capability (3.9"), good air search with 4 Jakes, and starting radar. The war opens with the first in service and pairs of CLs delivered roughly every year for a total build-out of 8.

Should note that this vision is totally changing in RA 6.0 where we take them back to the DL vision. Dan and I aren't there so this is what we're running with.

[John 3rd]

On the ground side I have shown the SNLF Assault Brigades but we also add a strong defensive element to Japanese Atoll Defense. The Naval Guard units that arrive after December 7th are all done away with and they are replaced with a new Atoll Defense Unit.

This unit is a combination of the Naval Guard Infantry component along with a decent CD addition. The guns all come from weapons taken off of warships as they are refitted to the 3.9" AA and other upgrades. There are roughly 10-12 of these units added to the OOB. These units are designed to fit onto an Atoll and allow for at least a Base Force to be added before reaching that magical 6,000 capacity.

Here is what they look like:

[John 3rd]

We also augment the heavy Japanese naval AA some the addition of 9 88MM battalions:

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

RA radically changes the Agano-Class of CL to enlarge them into ships much more able to handle themselves.

Yeah, no kidding! [X(] Boise eat your heart out!

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd
Atoll Defense Unit.

What a perfect efficiently nasty surprise for Dan! [8D]

[John 3rd]

We took the OOB for a Naval Guard and added the CD. Makes for a lean and MEAN unit! I think it resembles a Marine Defense Bn on the American side.

The Boise's can still outfight the Agano's but they don't possess that great leveler called the LONG LANCE! Course the IJN gets a total of eight by mid-44 and the Americans get about 99,000 of those damned big CLs...

[ny59giants]

The Boise's can still outfight the Agano's but they don't possess that great leveler called the LONG LANCE! Course the IJN gets a total of eight by mid-44 and the Americans get about 99,000 of those damned big CLs...

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

On the ground side I have shown the SNLF Assault Brigades but we also add a strong defensive element to Japanese Atoll Defense. The Naval Guard units that arrive after December 7th are all done away with and they are replaced with a new Atoll Defense Unit.

This unit is a combination of the Naval Guard Infantry component along with a decent CD addition. The guns all come from weapons taken off of warships as they are refitted to the 3.9" AA and other upgrades. There are roughly 10-12 of these units added to the OOB. These units are designed to fit onto an Atoll and allow for at least a Base Force to be added before reaching that magical 6,000 capacity.

Here is what they look like:

Interesting. Should be nasty. Wow.

The one thing that is both good/bad about this unit is the DP guns. They are great where Japanese units are anemic in AA, but also will raise disruption of the entire unit when under attack day after day by air strikes. Still, better to have than not.

[John 3rd]

Agree Obvert. The DP had to be there since they were part of the entire thinking of recycling EVERYTHING from refits and upgrades.

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

The Boise's can still outfight the Agano's but they don't possess that great leveler called the LONG LANCE! Course the IJN gets a total of eight by mid-44 and the Americans get about 99,000 of those damned big CLs...

Aaaahhh...the Peanut Gallery is present!

[John 3rd]

It is on little things that decisions are made.

August 1, 1942

I-155 is posted off the coast of Victoria and it sees a VERY busy day. The I-Boat hits a pair of Tankers sinking one and damaging another while en route to revealing the presence of a large Amphibious TF moving NW along the coast. Am Posting the screenshot below for all to see. There is another TF accompanying this one.

Decision made. He is coming back to the Aleutians. The Kaigun shall deploy for an ambush...

[John 3rd]

Interesting that the AKVs are present. Those are allowed to be converted into CVs quite quickly. Don't know if Dan has noticed this or not.

[John 3rd]

Here is a current screenshot of activities in the Aleutians.

We land at Cold Bay on July 31st under the cover of BBs Nagato and Mutsu. The landing goes well and the troops come ashore in good order. Do think I am getting the whole Amphib thing down. There is no interference during the landing on the 31st and 1st. Orders are for a 'feeler' attack on the 2nd. This attack (by 2nd Kure SNLF and Karafuto Brigade) does well scoring a 1-1 against Forts 3 and dropping them to 2. Little disruption on the attack so we order a second one for tomorrow. Looks pretty good!

The Cold Bay Landing is a DECOY to make Dan think I am moving east and stretching my lines. We'll take it and then immediately move West. The SNLF unit will be at Umnak and the Brigade will be present at Adak.

I am moving east with these two units and pulling back my other units to the Adak Line. Adak, Amchitka, Attu and the Islands around Attu shall be heavily defended. Once my current wave of TF movement is complete I shall look at things and then probably mvoe some troops to Buldir (east of Attu) where the AF begins as 0 (3).