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InHarmsWay wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2026 1:54 am ....Odds are the IJN may lose this action, but it is worth the shot, and I find it easier to undertake risky attacks knowing that in the end, all of the IJN will end up in the same place... BANZAI!!!

BANZAI!!!!!

"Admiral Harmasaki, it looks like your sake is safe for now, the TF commander south of Rabaul reported no sighting of the allied carriers, but he was able to make a successful night time strike on several transport ships that were in the area. He asks for forgiveness in not living up to your expectations. He said that transports were barely worthy of the long lance expenditures, but in lieu of any other target he felt that it was worthwhile."

"What ships did he encounter?" .. Admiral Harmasaki mused as he looked over the combat report. "Ah, it was worth the gamble. Radio to TF 347, well done even though the true targets escaped. the APA's are worth the effort to kill."

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Deboyne Islands at 103,135, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Maya
CL Isuzu
CL Yubari, Shell hits 1
DD Kosugiri
DD Myojinami
DD Suruyame
DD Yamanagiri

Allied Ships
DD Lardner, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD McCalla, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
APA Harris, Shell hits 9, on fire
APA Zeilin, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
APA Hunter Liggett, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk

Low visibility due to Rain with 14% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 14% moonlight: 1,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 14,000 yards
Allied ships attempt to get underway
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 2,000 yards...
Range closes to 1,000 yards...
DD Myojinami engages DD McCalla at 1,000 yards
DD McCalla sunk by CL Yubari at 1,000 yards
Range increases to 2,000 yards
DD Lardner engages CA Maya at 2,000 yards
CL Yubari engages DD Lardner at 2,000 yards
DD Yamanagiri engages DD Lardner at 2,000 yards
DD Lardner engages DD Kosugiri at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
DD Lardner sunk by DD Kosugiri at 4,000 yards
DD Yamanagiri engages APA Harris at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CA Maya engages APA Hunter Liggett at 2,000 yards
DD Myojinami engages APA Zeilin at 2,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages APA Hunter Liggett at 2,000 yards
APA Hunter Liggett sunk by DD Yamanagiri at 2,000 yards
DD Myojinami engages APA Zeilin at 2,000 yards
DD Kosugiri engages APA Harris at 2,000 yards
APA Zeilin sunk by CA Maya at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
CA Maya engages APA Harris at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
CL Isuzu engages APA Harris at 4,000 yards
DD Myojinami engages APA Harris at 4,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...
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Nice to bag a couple APA's, but one did escape. I think those APAs are some of the better landing ships for his future assaults, and not sure how many he gets. Adm Wa commented that my Surface TF sailed right by the Surface TF riding shotgun, which he was annoyed with , but also right by the CV's which he was happy with...

InHarmsWay wrote: Mon Aug 24, 2026 4:37 pm
Nice to bag a couple APA's, but one did escape. I think those APAs are some of the better landing ships for his future assaults, and not sure how many he gets. Adm Wa commented that my Surface TF sailed right by the Surface TF riding shotgun, which he was annoyed with , but also right by the CV's which he was happy with...

Totally agree with you, the APA's were a worthy target ... almost as much as his CV's. He only gets (in Scen 1) about dozen and a half in all of '43 ... Here is early April he has less than 10 total ... so nailing 2 is a big deal.

BTW: it takes 8 - 10 of these APA's to move a full Marine ID in amphib so, just losing 2 means he doesn't have APA to move a full Marine ID ... however he can make this up by using AKA's which he also gets about a dozen or so in '43 .... or AK's which he gets quite a few (over 2 dozen) in the early war period.

After 2 months of combat, LGen Shigeru looked out at the still smoking ruins of Amchitka Airfield and port. Extensive lines of Allied POW's streamed past and he could not help feel both anger at having taken so long to conquer this god forsaken island, and grudging respect at his enemy for the defense they had put up against overwhelming odds. At least it was over now, and repair of the base can commence. Both the 53rd and 54th Divisions would need time to recover and refit after the battle.
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Ground combat at Amchitka Island (158,52)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 16848 troops, 208 guns, 135 vehicles, Assault Value = 365

Defending force 5352 troops, 172 guns, 178 vehicles, Assault Value = 39

Japanese adjusted assault: 421

Allied adjusted defense: 94

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Amchitka Island !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
1004 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 98 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 17 (2 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
4201 casualties reported
Squads: 57 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 736 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 46 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 239 (239 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 218 (218 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 6

Assaulting units:
54th Division
53rd Division
2nd Recon Regiment
56th Recon Regiment
8th Tank Regiment
82nd Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
4th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
57th Coastal Artillery Regiment
154th FA Bn
95th Coast AA Regiment
112th USA Base Force
808th Engineer Aviation Battalion
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Lesson learned for all those Jfanboys out there. Do not try and land in the winter, in Alaska, and then overstack the hex while trying to resupply past a US coastal Artillery Regiment. That way lies pain. Looking at my ships sunk, the coastal defense unit claimed ~20 xAKs over the past 2 months. Brutal. Towards the end my fast transports were getting through, but by then, enough BB bombardments had eventaully whittled away the CD unit enough.

Quick air production update as of April 11, 1943.

George : There are 730 N1K1's in the pool. I have reduced production to 5 * size 30 factories.
7 size 30 factories have been switched to the N1K2 airframe. best estimate is the K2 airframe will arrive sometime in August '43. I may move 1-2 more factories to the K2 model, depending on losses.

Frank : I now have 6 factories researching, and worst case is the Ki-84a model will begin production around May 10th. The remaining five factories that need repair are: two at 25(5), two at 26(4) and one 29(1). Very much looking forward to this, and now I need to start thinking about what to do with the remaining Tojo Factories (four factories). I will switch them to something else in the next day or two. IJA high command staff are still debating this....

Ki-83 : 14 size 30 factories repairing currently. Repaired status is: 19, 18, 17, 15, 15, 14, 12, 12, 12, 11, 11, 10, 8, 1

A7M2 Sam: 14 size 30 factories repairing. Repaired status is: 26, 17, 17, 14, 14, 13, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 8, 6

J7W1 Shinden: 9 size 30 factories repairing. Repaired status is: 8, 7, 7, 5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2

Engine wise, doing well with inventories (1285 Ha-45's, 739 Ha-35's, and over 500 of Ha-32 and Ha-33 engines), and will have the Mit Ha-43 in production likely in mid - late June timeframe.

InHarmsWay wrote: Tue Aug 25, 2026 7:24 pm Quick air production update as of April 11, 1943.

George : There are 730 N1K1's in the pool. I have reduced production to 5 * size 30 factories.
7 size 30 factories have been switched to the N1K2 airframe. best estimate is the K2 airframe will arrive sometime in August '43. I may move 1-2 more factories to the K2 model, depending on losses.

Frank : I now have 6 factories researching, and worst case is the Ki-84a model will begin production around May 10th. The remaining five factories that need repair are: two at 25(5), two at 26(4) and one 29(1). Very much looking forward to this, and now I need to start thinking about what to do with the remaining Tojo Factories (four factories). I will switch them to something else in the next day or two. IJA high command staff are still debating this....

Ki-83 : 14 size 30 factories repairing currently. Repaired status is: 19, 18, 17, 15, 15, 14, 12, 12, 12, 11, 11, 10, 8, 1

A7M2 Sam: 14 size 30 factories repairing. Repaired status is: 26, 17, 17, 14, 14, 13, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 8, 6

J7W1 Shinden: 9 size 30 factories repairing. Repaired status is: 8, 7, 7, 5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2

Engine wise, doing well with inventories (1285 Ha-45's, 739 Ha-35's, and over 500 of Ha-32 and Ha-33 engines), and will have the Mit Ha-43 in production likely in mid - late June timeframe.

Here's my thoughts, use as you see fit.

Ki83: good sweeper. reasonable escort (it has range). Fair (at best) CAP. Struggles against late model P47/P51/F4U. So it has it's uses, but you have to consider how much you will actually use it in roles to which it is best suited. If you are sweeping in the late war, bless you. If you are actually able to send bombers afterwards, WOW. Congrats!

A7M: your best IJN carrier capable fighter. Good CAP due to climb, speed, firepower. Matches up against all allied fighters.

J7W: your best interceptor. Speed and firepower are top end. You need to know how to manage the SR and the climb.

Ki-84: a solid fighter/interceptor. Can hold its own against everything the allies have.

Ki-102c Randy. Your best, way better than any other, night fighter ... These are WAY more effective than any normal fighter in night operations. Just remember, you need high exp/skill pilots for night ops. I save them in TRACOM. Pretty much ALL of my +80 fighter pilots are saved for my Randy's. With enough ground radar, they can decimate allied night bombing, forcing the allies back to daylight bombing where the J7W/Ki84 combo can take care of them.

G3M3 - until the Black Widow shows up, this is your best bomber in the late war as a night bomber. Great range (21/26). Once the Black Widow appears, you want to stop else you are just going to feed VP's to the allies.