Newbie Allies vs. Experinced WitP

[Crackaces]

***************************************** 16 AUG 42 *************************************

Another very very very quieet turn ..

Akyab is hit .. the SS Whale was found in the Yellow sea but no hots ..


We smack Milli .. [:D]

Morning Air attack on Mili , at 136,121

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 32 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 3
B-17E Fortress x 27
B-17F Fortress x 6


No Allied losses

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



Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 41

Morning Air attack on Mili , at 136,121

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 8
B-17E Fortress x 8


No Allied losses



Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 15



62 runway hits with 500 Kg bombs ... Milli will not be used as a base for a couple of days ..[;)]

More later ..

[zuluhour]

62 runway hits with 500 Kg bombs ... Milli will not be used as a base for a couple of days

Man, the Koreans are going to be pissed![:D]

[Crackaces]

****************************** 17 AUG 42 **********************

We exchange ASW pleasantries ..

ASW attack near Satawal at 103,107

Japanese Ships
CL Tatsuta
CL Kitakami
CL Isuzu
DD Samidare
DD Shinonome
DD Suzukaze
DD Umikaze

Allied Ships
SS Trigger, hits 3, heavy damage

SS Trigger is sighted by escort

The Trigger is in trouble but Tabiteua might be close enough to survive ...

ASW attack near Nonouti at 137,131

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63, hits 2

Allied Ships
DD Blue
DD Phelps
DD Downes



A smaller sub taking 2 hits cannot be good but no sinking sound yet ..

I want to report the daily bombing of Akyab because the IJ has brought back the ol' Lilly Sentai ..

---------------------------------------------

Morning Air attack on Akyab , at 54,45

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 28
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 25



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 10

Ki-48-Ib Lily x 28
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 25



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 10


We got intelligence that Milne Bay had 4 ships in port so we struck ..

Morning Air attack on Milne Bay , at 101,133

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 18


No Allied losses

Port hits 2
Port supply hits 2

Otherwise a very quiet turn. The movement of CL's around Satawal has me a bit concerned. I suspect their staging for some Solomon's operations?

[Crackaces]

I think it is worth posting a picture of how we have built interlocking search arcs, with the bases in the Gilberts building toward interlocking CAP supported by stationing B-25's trained on low naval attack. SAG TF's will be detected and will meet resistance. A KB strike cannot be stopped but as one sees, each of these bases are protected by flak that will extract thier toll.

The B-17's from these bases can shut down IJNAAF airfields in the area preventing LBA support.

Slowly every one of the bases on the Gilberts will be level 5 airfields with level 3 ports. Tabiteuea is 1/2 to level 6 airfield and has a level 4 port already.

This build up is alarming enough for the IJN to invest in no less than 5 submarines. Much like our strategy around Pearl Harbor, we are moving ASW trained float planes from PH to Kuria. Here they will begin arial ASW warfare to supplement our DD ASW.

I cannot see invading Naru Island until our current build up plan in the Gilberts is complete. A solid foundation I believe is critical to success. We move forward.

[Crackaces]

************************************* 18 AUG 42 **********************************

A very quiet day on the western front ..

No bombing of Akayb today. Rather Oscars simply swept the skies unopposed. Our sweep of Magwe produced no oppoition either. [I was thinking maybe he would shift air resources this turn .. the IJ did .. but where [&:] ]

We met SS I-1 outside of Tarawa but no exchange of plesentries.

One interesting thought .. given I had no real losses besides the intial onslaught I bought out a lot of the destroyed units. One problem with this is that reinforcements are arriving at 1/2 or less strength. WitP Tracker is telling me that I should be caught up in 30 days, but forces are still arriving less than full strength. This has a different side effect if one is managing reinforcements / withdrwing units closely. By shutting off upgrades replacement on certain units and keeping those that will stick around on .. I am managing to fill out units that will help me rather than fight Rommel in the desert ..[;)] The 73 Armored Bde is such a unit withdrawing in a short time after arriving later due to randomness. Thus we can concentrate our TO&E production on units that will stay in theater.

However, I still think I can rail the 73rd into position and get them engaged into a frey before they have to withdrawl ..

Enclosed is a picture of Operation Ivory Balcony:

Bascally I have 1.5K AV with 5 armored units crossing to attack Katha, which right now has a BF 0 AV. The Bases to the northwest have all been built up to level 3 soon to be level 4 airfields and we will shift fighter forces to these airfields to LRCAP the operation. The units just to the southwest consist of 5 bdge and about 1K AV to follow on a block IJ reinforcement attempts. [Jungle rough terrain is murder on attacks]. Once we seize Katha, one division will head north toward Myitkina with 2 armored units while a follow on forces attack and take Bhamo, which I hope is still empty [&:]. That is going to stir the bees nest for sure and I suspect a shift in the IJ's Burma/China plans.

Supply is the huge problem. However, I am thinking that engineers building up Katha to a level 5 airfield and using air transports should be enough to supply the defense and an unopposed foray to Bhamo. Depending on supply and shifting IJ resources we can continue our assult on Swebo, which I suspect will be heavly reinforced by this stage.

Godspeed ...

[Crackaces]

************************************** 19 AUG 42 *******************************************

Another very quiet day in the Pacific. The IJ are extermely curious why I am not bombing him everyday. The answer to that question is that no targets worthy of risking my bombers given the damage they can do exists at this time. So I train. There are some troops in the Jungle near Port Moresby but I kill 20 men for the cost of damaged and even killed bombers. Not worth it. In Burma, we are wating for our replacements so we can hit Swebo when its time with overwhelming force. So we train.


A Dutch submarine finds his prey and I had to include the "Massive explosion on xAK Chile Maru" [:D] No sinking sounds and no fire .. just a big boom ..

Submarine attack near Cape Gloucester at 101,123

Japanese Ships
xAK Chile Maru, Torpedo hits 1

Allied Ships
SS KIX



xAK Chile Maru is sighted by SS KIX
Massive explosion on xAK Chile Maru
SS KIX launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Chile Maru



Otherwise nothing of significance to report this turn ..The BB Washington arrives at Balboa adding to the North Carolina some punch for our next moves ..

[Nemo121]

Why would you conduct an assault crossing of the river to Bhamo?

Surely you could just airdrop some paras there and then move troops into it? --- avoiding all the problems of assault crossings etc.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

Why would you conduct an assault crossing of the river to Bhamo?

Surely you could just airdrop some paras there and then move troops into it? --- avoiding all the problems of assault crossings etc.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh Good idea! I have to find some Britsh paratroppers .. I am not sure if I have any in Burma .. or wait to send some from the US ..

[Crackaces]

I think this is where I am suffering a major disconnect. I know about the Marine Paratroopers . the Ausie Coy detachments . ut I am having difficulty in ID'ing nay other units that have para qualities .. any thoughts from the group? I am trying to use WitP AE and that only ID's inf but not special squads that I understand .. any thoughts on this besides just looking at every stack ..

[Nemo121]

Chindits... IIRC they can paradrop. Alternately I always try to have a Marine Para Unit or Aussie Para Coy available in any theatre.

By this stage of the game you should have some Chindit units though, I'm fairly sure they can paradrop.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

Chindits... IIRC they can paradrop. Alternately I always try to have a Marine Para Unit or Aussie Para Coy available in any theatre.

By this stage of the game you should have some Chindit units though, I'm fairly sure they can paradrop.

Excellent .. in my game +/- 60 days they come in 23 than 46 days as 2 units ... this will work .. I can drop in September .. that is if the IJ have not figured out what I am up to by then [;)]

EDIT: Actaully the Chindit have high morale and effectiveness but use regular inf squads [:(] The first Indian para bdes are 150 days away .... I have the 503rd coming in 44 days .. that would be an 90 days total to get them into theater ...maybe too late .. I have to think about this ...

[Nemo121]

FT TF some of the Aussie guys up on DDs?

If the base is defended even dropping a Bde won't help so so long as the base is undefended all you need is 1 para squad to take it so maybe one of the Aussie Companies could be boarded on DDs and moved up to India? That ought to only take 3 weeks max.

[Alfred]

Allied DDs in a Fast Transport TF do not carry troops. Your only fast option is use of APD.

Alfred

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

Allied DDs in a Fast Transport TF do not carry troops. Your only fast option is use of APD.

Alfred

Ok .. APD's are busy right now in the Gilbert's moving the troop forces from the 24th Infantry division to Tabitieua bu Fast Transport. [Equipment can be moved next month xAK and helped by an upgraded port]. It would take a long time to move them to OZ and then India ...at the expense of operations in the Gilberts.

[Nemo121]

Oops, I'm so used to FTing with DDs in my current game I forgot.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Nemo121

Oops, I'm so used to FTing with DDs in my current game I forgot.

No problem Nemo .. your insights are always welcome here ..

It does give me some ideas for later when my para's arrive, and this discussion would have been quite relavent if the 60+/- was not in effect. As it is ..I will recon Bhamo once I reach Katha. If it is still empty I will move a unit there.

My 'spidey' senses tells me once I move next to Katha all kinds of IJ stuff will get on rail and start moving, which plays well into this plan. I sense a stalemate me low on supply but superior armor and the IJ moving AV from everywhere to react. I am thinking I move the forces just one hex to the south first cuting off the rail and whatever he has moved to Katha, and then attack Katha if he has not committed more than 2K AV. The surprise will be Allied Armor in action as my armor TO&E has been upgraded. A great deal of the IJ armor is Burma is committed to Paoshun. It would take some time to bring this back or committ more stuff from other theaters ...That is what I am thinking .. At the very least a nice chess game around Swebo and Katha ..

[Crackaces]

******************************** 20 AUG 42 *************************************

The IJ have shown they are still on teh offense...

But first an interesting battle over the skies of Port Moresby:

Morning Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16



Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 6
B-17F Fortress x 4
B-24D Liberator x 6


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 4
Damaged B-17E Fortress from 19th BG/28th BS crashes


Morning Air attack on Port Moresby , at 98,130

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 22 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2



Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 6


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses


Airbase hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 11000 feet
............................

So we trade 1 B-17E for 1 Zero, 5 Airbase hits, and 1 Supply hit .. not a good trade in my book ...

We hit Tulagi on teh data that 2 xAKL's are here ..

Morning Air attack on Tulagi , at 114,137

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes


Allied aircraft
A-29 Hudson x 5
B-18A Bolo x 3
B-26B Marauder x 6


No Allied losses

Port hits 1


Morning Air attack on Tulagi , at 114,137

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 23 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes


Allied aircraft
B-18A Bolo x 6


No Allied losses

Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1


2 port hits and a supply hit .. we get some free training as no planes crashed ...[8D]

Now the news ..

We take a pretty profound loss at Paoshun ..


Ground combat at Paoshan (65,45)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 25017 troops, 286 guns, 169 vehicles, Assault Value = 817

Defending force 9065 troops, 64 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 69

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 1160

Allied adjusted defense: 367

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

Japanese forces CAPTURE Paoshan !!!

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

Japanese ground losses:
279 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Allied ground losses:
3416 casualties reported
Squads: 118 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 205 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 37 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 36 (33 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 10 (10 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Units destroyed 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
18th Division
1st Tank Regiment
55th Division
15th Army
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
51st Field AA Battalion

Defending units:
1st Burma Brig
5th Chinese Corps
NCAC
102nd RAF Base Force


I do not know which unit was destroyed.

The only good news is that the IJA are one hex further away from supporting Burma [;)] It is quite possible that the IJA have enough in Burma to hold back Ivory Balcony but so far no movement of forces or platforms.

In other news .. a Type KS class SS is reported HIT This would be one of the IJN SS platforms patroling the Gilbert's. They're not sinking much but these submarines are consuming patroling and escort resources increasing the cost of reinforement tremendously.

Ok more later ..

[Crackaces]

************************************* 21 AUG 42 *************************************

The Lily's have rebuilt in a week back to 55 bombing Akyab ..

Afternoon Air attack on Akyab , at 54,45

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 28
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 5


The come at night at Sian ..

Night Air attack on Sian , at 83,41

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 10



Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 1 damaged

Runway hits 1

In good news .. the SS Whale smacks an xAKL returning from Wenchow ..

Sub attack near Hirosaki/Aomori at 116,54

Japanese Ships
xAKL Nitiyu Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
PB Kensyo Maru

Allied Ships
SS Whale

xAKL Nitiyu Maru is reported to have been sunk near Hirosaki/Aomori on Aug 21, 1942



The following action makes me love this game more ...[:D] experinced commanders in DD's PB's are just escorting stuff ..

Sub attack near Nonouti at 136,132

Japanese Ships
SS I-175

Allied Ships
DD Hull
DD Monaghan

ASW attack near Nonouti at 136,132

Japanese Ships
SS I-175, hits 1

Allied Ships
PC Jackson
PG Indus

SS I-175 is located by PC Jackson


If the Hull or Mnaghan find this sub I am watching a IJN submarine meet its fate . as it is one hit, nothing major and this submarine continues to patrol my one vulnerable spot. The good news is that 36 float aircraft well trained in ASW are headed this way. I will park float planes over this hex until the IJN get the idea ..

Otherwise things keep getting closer to the time I get a lot of stuff ... I just bide my time ..[:D]

[zuluhour]

I have just received reports of the first hits by ASW aircraft. I am unclear as to the resulting damage to the I-boats but it does give one a warm fuzzy feeling. Even better as sub chasers reach the rear area ports deep in SoPac relieving destroyers for much needed escort duty. I actually have a little sticky note "hit list" on IJN boats which have really p*ssed me off, sinking escorted AKs and TKs within 100nm of major ports with alot of dedicated ASW. Their days are numbered!

[DOCUP]

I do agree, I love to read about an air ASW hitting a sub.  Even nicer when you see it pop up on the sunk ship list.  I know theres FOW, but still nice.