Watched the replay. Fairly uneventful. Landings continue at Lunga, Tulagi, Tassafronga, Rennel Island and Kirakira without any enemy intervention. B-17s bombed both Lunga and Tulagi at 6000 feet and encountered no flak. Lunga was bombarded with a small cruiser force. Troops on both islands will deliberately attack.
There are many subs just southeast of Guadalcanal. I may have my many task forces exit the area by going around the west side of the island and then south, instead of going directly southeast towards Luganville. Besides the torpedo threat, OPilot could drop mines in the shallow water there. I-31 was sunk at Tulagi, hit by 3 depth charges in the shallow water.
Mines were discovered southwest of Luganville, on the route from Noumea, and at Kirakira.
Sian was bombed heavily again.
I'll be taking my time with this turn, having 4 days to complete it.
Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
Don't forget to transfer the best FAA pilots from that withdrawing CV to the British general reserve pools. Or, if you don't think it too gamey, fly off the air group and just send away the carrier. While you are at it, offload the rum rations too!
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
If the carrier isn't going to return to the Pacific, I don't have a problem with flying off its aircraft before the ship withdraws.
I'm slowly working on the turn. OPilot reports that he will be returning Monday instead of Sunday.
I noticed that today OPilot did recon on a couple of dot bases that have remained Allied: a base west of Rabaul, and another base on an island southeast of Rabaul. He may think that I'm sneaking troops into them. I did so at Rennel and Kirakira, but I don't think they were ever observed. He knows they are there now because I'm dropped lots of troops by ship on both. Both will have airfields going in a week or so.
I have some P-38Fs in the pool now. I'm looking for squadrons that can use them. I see one or two on the US mainland, but they are permanently restricted, so I won't use them there. I get a P-38F squadron in 2 or 3 months, but I believe that it is restricted also. I will be doing a comprehensive check of every unit on the map in the next few days, so I'll look for a squadron that can upgrade to it. Tracker helps, but shows what a squadron upgrades to next, not all of the future upgrades, and none upgrade immediately to P-38Fs.
Remember that this is a PDU OFF game.
I'm slowly working on the turn. OPilot reports that he will be returning Monday instead of Sunday.
I noticed that today OPilot did recon on a couple of dot bases that have remained Allied: a base west of Rabaul, and another base on an island southeast of Rabaul. He may think that I'm sneaking troops into them. I did so at Rennel and Kirakira, but I don't think they were ever observed. He knows they are there now because I'm dropped lots of troops by ship on both. Both will have airfields going in a week or so.
I have some P-38Fs in the pool now. I'm looking for squadrons that can use them. I see one or two on the US mainland, but they are permanently restricted, so I won't use them there. I get a P-38F squadron in 2 or 3 months, but I believe that it is restricted also. I will be doing a comprehensive check of every unit on the map in the next few days, so I'll look for a squadron that can upgrade to it. Tracker helps, but shows what a squadron upgrades to next, not all of the future upgrades, and none upgrade immediately to P-38Fs.
Remember that this is a PDU OFF game.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
Slowly working on the turn, looking at every unit everywhere. I noted some units that aren't needed in their current locations. Some artillery, some engineers, some base forces. They'll be put to use elsewhere.
I did come up with an overland attack plan for Portland Roads. I started prepping 3 Australian brigades, as well as 4 artillery units, 2 armor units, a AA and a HQ for the attack. Almost all are Australian units. I don't want to walk over the long slow trail to Portland Roads, but I will do so. I'll also man the dot base just southwest of Portland Roads, and build it to help pull supply and to build an airfield. This work will be vulnerable in the open terrain.
I haven't decided if I will push this offensive soon, or wait to coordinate other activity in the Solomons. I want to draw more enemy troops into Portland Roads if I can, and then cut them off when Port Moresby is isolated. This may be done with a landing at Milne Bay and at Horn Island. We'll see.
I did come up with an overland attack plan for Portland Roads. I started prepping 3 Australian brigades, as well as 4 artillery units, 2 armor units, a AA and a HQ for the attack. Almost all are Australian units. I don't want to walk over the long slow trail to Portland Roads, but I will do so. I'll also man the dot base just southwest of Portland Roads, and build it to help pull supply and to build an airfield. This work will be vulnerable in the open terrain.
I haven't decided if I will push this offensive soon, or wait to coordinate other activity in the Solomons. I want to draw more enemy troops into Portland Roads if I can, and then cut them off when Port Moresby is isolated. This may be done with a landing at Milne Bay and at Horn Island. We'll see.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
Coen is a safer place to base your aircraft than Portland Roads. It cannot be bombarded by sea. And if he invades by sea it will take him a few days to get to Coen whereas PR can be gone in the day after landing. At Coen, all you have to defend against are paratroops and IJ bombers.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
The enemy took Portland Roads awhile ago. Coen autoflipped to the enemy recently, but isn't occupied. The Japanese have 5 or 6 units at Portland Roads now, and the airfield is building and up to a size 2. 1/3 of the 4th Infantry Division is there for sure.
I didn't want to go after Portland Roads because of the exposed approach. He has can use bombers from Horn Island and Port Moresby. I also wanted to wait and see if he was trying to draw me north onto the bad terrain, and then land behind me at Cooktown or Normanton.
So I'm preparing for an overland move to Coen and Portland Roads, but I'm not sure when and if I'll go through with it. I will be moving bombers back to Charter Towers soon. They all went to Luganville and are helping hit Lunga and Tulagi, but that mission could end soon.
I didn't want to go after Portland Roads because of the exposed approach. He has can use bombers from Horn Island and Port Moresby. I also wanted to wait and see if he was trying to draw me north onto the bad terrain, and then land behind me at Cooktown or Normanton.
So I'm preparing for an overland move to Coen and Portland Roads, but I'm not sure when and if I'll go through with it. I will be moving bombers back to Charter Towers soon. They all went to Luganville and are helping hit Lunga and Tulagi, but that mission could end soon.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
22 Aug 42
Troops and supplies continue to land at Lunga, Tulagi, Tassafronga, Rennell Island and Kirakira. This is the third day of landings, and the third day that my carriers have stayed in place adjacent to both Lunga and Tulagi, covering both. I don't like staying in the exact same place, but I did so in this case because the positioning was optimal, covering both major landings and being in shallow water, and because I never do it. Maybe it was less predictable that I would do it. Anyhow, there was no enemy intervention. There are many subs to the southeast though.
US destroyers hunt subs southwest of Pearl Harbor. It's not on a route that I'm using, but no harm in going after the subs and showing activity where my convoys aren't going.
Northwest of Guadalcanal, S-34 fired 2 torpedoes at already heavily damaged sub I-31, but missed.
Allied cruisers bombarded Lunga with decent results.
Mineclearing continues at Kirakira. Based on the number of mines there, Kirakira may have been the next logical invasion spot expected by OPilot.
AMs get a depth charge hit on RO-66 outside of Townsville. Enemy cruisers have gone back to Horn Island. Enemy fighters at Portland Roads, which is a size 2 airfield.
Sub attack near Gardner Island at 150,142
Japanese Ships
SS I-21
Allied Ships
TK War Sirdar, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
KV Quesnel
SS I-21 launches 4 torpedoes at TK War Sirdar
War Sirdar and another tanker were hauling fuel from Christmas Island to Tabiteuea.
The tanker sinks later in the turn, with fires out of control. In real life, War Sirdar was damaged near Batavia in February 1942, alongside Perth. Perth wasn't able to take on fuel from the damaged tanker. If it had, it would have taken part in the battle of the Java Sea. War Sirdar was attacked again days after that encounter, set on fire, and stranded near Batavia. In March, the Japanese salvaged the ship and it made many trips to Palembang. US sub Bluegill attacked the ship in March 1945, and the tanker was beached at Cape Varella. A week later, a crew from the sub landed and blew up the ship.
Sian gets major enemy air attention again today. A downside of holding a big base with 100,000 troops is that the base pulls in lots of supply, which is then bombed.
B-17s from Luganville hit troops at Lunga. Lunga is attacked and falls in the first attempt.
Ground combat at Lunga (114,138)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 26961 troops, 463 guns, 423 vehicles, Assault Value = 901
Defending force 13744 troops, 91 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 271
Allied adjusted assault: 752
Japanese adjusted defense: 149
Allied assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 3)
Allied forces CAPTURE Lunga !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1966 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 139 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 46 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 35 (7 destroyed, 28 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
289 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Assaulting units:
2nd Marine Division
41st Infantry Division
754th Tank Battalion
193rd Tank Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
43rd Base Group
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
2nd RAA Med Arty Regiment
2nd USMC FA Bn /1
Defending units:
87th Naval Guard Unit
83rd Naval Guard Unit
88th Naval Guard Unit
Kure 3rd SNLF
6th Indpt SNLF Coy
23rd Air Flotilla
17th Naval Construction Battalion
38th JNAF AF Unit
43rd JNAF AF Unit
13th Naval Construction Battalion
46th JNAF AF Unit
With Tassafronga already in US control, the enemy has nowhere to retreat and heads into the jungle at Lunga. The estimate is 18,000 men stranded there. A US sub will mine Lunga tonight. A big CM task force will mine Lunga within a week.
Tulagi is attacked for the first time.
Ground combat at Tulagi (114,137)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 8018 troops, 164 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 360
Defending force 5001 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 98
Allied adjusted assault: 143
Japanese adjusted defense: 118
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
439 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
173 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Assaulting units:
Americal Infantry Division
Defending units:
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
82nd Naval Guard Unit
Bandasan SNLF
5th Naval Construction Battalion
55th JNAF AF Unit
Tulagi will hold for awhile, but Americal will take the base with repeated attempts.
Artillery will bombard at Lunga today, with the infantry divisions and armor resting. Americal will rest on Tulagi for a day.
Most invasion shipping will leave Tassafronga, Lunga and Tulagi today. A few ships will continue to unload supply. Ships with unit fragments still loaded will unload at nearby Rennell Island, to be shipped to their final locations on smaller ships later. Carriers will move south also, covering Rennell Island. A big convoy with followup units for Lunga is north of Koumac now. If Lunga's airfield is operational when it arrives, the carriers will retire to Sydney for refit and repairs.
The replay again had the audio for enemy carriers spotted, but none were seen on the map. There's a task force at Ponape that shows multiple destroyers. This is probably the CVE task force seen recently there. I think that enemy troops have been rushed to Ponape, which is a good move. I've had a division prepping for Ponape, but I'm not going there soon. I'll allow Kusaie Island to be the enemy point of interest while I'm working the Solomons.
Troops and supplies continue to land at Lunga, Tulagi, Tassafronga, Rennell Island and Kirakira. This is the third day of landings, and the third day that my carriers have stayed in place adjacent to both Lunga and Tulagi, covering both. I don't like staying in the exact same place, but I did so in this case because the positioning was optimal, covering both major landings and being in shallow water, and because I never do it. Maybe it was less predictable that I would do it. Anyhow, there was no enemy intervention. There are many subs to the southeast though.
US destroyers hunt subs southwest of Pearl Harbor. It's not on a route that I'm using, but no harm in going after the subs and showing activity where my convoys aren't going.
Northwest of Guadalcanal, S-34 fired 2 torpedoes at already heavily damaged sub I-31, but missed.
Allied cruisers bombarded Lunga with decent results.
Mineclearing continues at Kirakira. Based on the number of mines there, Kirakira may have been the next logical invasion spot expected by OPilot.
AMs get a depth charge hit on RO-66 outside of Townsville. Enemy cruisers have gone back to Horn Island. Enemy fighters at Portland Roads, which is a size 2 airfield.
Sub attack near Gardner Island at 150,142
Japanese Ships
SS I-21
Allied Ships
TK War Sirdar, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
KV Quesnel
SS I-21 launches 4 torpedoes at TK War Sirdar
War Sirdar and another tanker were hauling fuel from Christmas Island to Tabiteuea.
The tanker sinks later in the turn, with fires out of control. In real life, War Sirdar was damaged near Batavia in February 1942, alongside Perth. Perth wasn't able to take on fuel from the damaged tanker. If it had, it would have taken part in the battle of the Java Sea. War Sirdar was attacked again days after that encounter, set on fire, and stranded near Batavia. In March, the Japanese salvaged the ship and it made many trips to Palembang. US sub Bluegill attacked the ship in March 1945, and the tanker was beached at Cape Varella. A week later, a crew from the sub landed and blew up the ship.
Sian gets major enemy air attention again today. A downside of holding a big base with 100,000 troops is that the base pulls in lots of supply, which is then bombed.
B-17s from Luganville hit troops at Lunga. Lunga is attacked and falls in the first attempt.
Ground combat at Lunga (114,138)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 26961 troops, 463 guns, 423 vehicles, Assault Value = 901
Defending force 13744 troops, 91 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 271
Allied adjusted assault: 752
Japanese adjusted defense: 149
Allied assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 3)
Allied forces CAPTURE Lunga !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1966 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 139 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 46 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 35 (7 destroyed, 28 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
289 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 46 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Assaulting units:
2nd Marine Division
41st Infantry Division
754th Tank Battalion
193rd Tank Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
43rd Base Group
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
2nd RAA Med Arty Regiment
2nd USMC FA Bn /1
Defending units:
87th Naval Guard Unit
83rd Naval Guard Unit
88th Naval Guard Unit
Kure 3rd SNLF
6th Indpt SNLF Coy
23rd Air Flotilla
17th Naval Construction Battalion
38th JNAF AF Unit
43rd JNAF AF Unit
13th Naval Construction Battalion
46th JNAF AF Unit
With Tassafronga already in US control, the enemy has nowhere to retreat and heads into the jungle at Lunga. The estimate is 18,000 men stranded there. A US sub will mine Lunga tonight. A big CM task force will mine Lunga within a week.
Tulagi is attacked for the first time.
Ground combat at Tulagi (114,137)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 8018 troops, 164 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 360
Defending force 5001 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 98
Allied adjusted assault: 143
Japanese adjusted defense: 118
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
439 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
173 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Assaulting units:
Americal Infantry Division
Defending units:
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
82nd Naval Guard Unit
Bandasan SNLF
5th Naval Construction Battalion
55th JNAF AF Unit
Tulagi will hold for awhile, but Americal will take the base with repeated attempts.
Artillery will bombard at Lunga today, with the infantry divisions and armor resting. Americal will rest on Tulagi for a day.
Most invasion shipping will leave Tassafronga, Lunga and Tulagi today. A few ships will continue to unload supply. Ships with unit fragments still loaded will unload at nearby Rennell Island, to be shipped to their final locations on smaller ships later. Carriers will move south also, covering Rennell Island. A big convoy with followup units for Lunga is north of Koumac now. If Lunga's airfield is operational when it arrives, the carriers will retire to Sydney for refit and repairs.
The replay again had the audio for enemy carriers spotted, but none were seen on the map. There's a task force at Ponape that shows multiple destroyers. This is probably the CVE task force seen recently there. I think that enemy troops have been rushed to Ponape, which is a good move. I've had a division prepping for Ponape, but I'm not going there soon. I'll allow Kusaie Island to be the enemy point of interest while I'm working the Solomons.
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RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
23 Aug 42
Some supply still being unloaded at Tulagi and Lunga, with no enemy action.
SST Nautilus hit an enemy mine at Kusaie Island. I have 3 transport subs hauling supply into the island. Damage is severe, with SYS 36/FLOT 69-47/ENG 27-12/FIRE 0. It is disbanded into the size 1 port. Kusaie gets enemy recon every day, so Nautilus will probably be bombed soon. I could bring fighters in, but supply is still critical and is under 1000. APDs did just drop off some supply. They continue running fast transport missions from Nauru Island.
With OPilot dropping mines at Kusaie, maybe he isn't intending on bombarding there again. I do spot small carriers at Ponape, with about 60 fighters and 60 bombers. They've been spotted there off and on for over a week, and OPilot knows they've been spotted. I wonder what their mission is. Bait? Or just lingering while covering reinforcements to Ponape.
Enemy troops at Lunga are bombed by B-17s, as are ones still holding Tulagi. Americal attacked again at Tulagi, getting an exact 1 to 1 attack.
Ground combat at Tulagi (114,137)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 7888 troops, 164 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 343
Defending force 4681 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 80
Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 0
Allied adjusted assault: 133
Japanese adjusted defense: 133
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
179 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Allied ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
Americal Infantry Division
Defending units:
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
82nd Naval Guard Unit
Bandasan SNLF
5th Naval Construction Battalion
55th JNAF AF Unit
Forts were dropped to zero. We're wearing down the defenders. All units on Lunga will attack today, and Americal will attack again.
Withdraw and maneuver continues around Sian in China. OPilot may be going to try to flank Sian from the southwest. Enemy troops are moving into the Chinese occupied woods there. Supply is critical in China now. Sian wants over 10,000 supply, with all the defenders there. It has less than 1,000, although the units are supplied.
Allied carriers will head south from Rennell Island. 2 US carriers will upgrade at Sydney, and Formidable will withdraw there.
Some supply still being unloaded at Tulagi and Lunga, with no enemy action.
SST Nautilus hit an enemy mine at Kusaie Island. I have 3 transport subs hauling supply into the island. Damage is severe, with SYS 36/FLOT 69-47/ENG 27-12/FIRE 0. It is disbanded into the size 1 port. Kusaie gets enemy recon every day, so Nautilus will probably be bombed soon. I could bring fighters in, but supply is still critical and is under 1000. APDs did just drop off some supply. They continue running fast transport missions from Nauru Island.
With OPilot dropping mines at Kusaie, maybe he isn't intending on bombarding there again. I do spot small carriers at Ponape, with about 60 fighters and 60 bombers. They've been spotted there off and on for over a week, and OPilot knows they've been spotted. I wonder what their mission is. Bait? Or just lingering while covering reinforcements to Ponape.
Enemy troops at Lunga are bombed by B-17s, as are ones still holding Tulagi. Americal attacked again at Tulagi, getting an exact 1 to 1 attack.
Ground combat at Tulagi (114,137)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 7888 troops, 164 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 343
Defending force 4681 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 80
Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 0
Allied adjusted assault: 133
Japanese adjusted defense: 133
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 0
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
179 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Allied ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
Americal Infantry Division
Defending units:
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
82nd Naval Guard Unit
Bandasan SNLF
5th Naval Construction Battalion
55th JNAF AF Unit
Forts were dropped to zero. We're wearing down the defenders. All units on Lunga will attack today, and Americal will attack again.
Withdraw and maneuver continues around Sian in China. OPilot may be going to try to flank Sian from the southwest. Enemy troops are moving into the Chinese occupied woods there. Supply is critical in China now. Sian wants over 10,000 supply, with all the defenders there. It has less than 1,000, although the units are supplied.
Allied carriers will head south from Rennell Island. 2 US carriers will upgrade at Sydney, and Formidable will withdraw there.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
24 Aug 42
An Allied cruiser force bombarded Tulagi. It was protecting the landing but isn't needed any longer, so it bombarded on the way out. Over 400 enemy casualties and significant damage to the port and supply.
Imphal is targeted by enemy bombers. Minor damage in bad weather. Over 80 Oscars supporting. It's pretty clear that to go up against enemy aircraft, I need to have about 100 fighters to do well. Whether that be in Burma or at Sian in China. I can do so at places like Ledo, but OPilot doesn't attack there. And in China it is impossible to support so many planes with the critical supply situation.
Here's what Sian got today:
Morning Air attack on Sian , at 83,41
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 36
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 41
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 5
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 5
Ki-51 Sonia x 33
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 damaged
Ki-51 Sonia: 1 damaged
Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 53
and
Morning Air attack on Sian , at 83,41
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 20
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 1 destroyed by flak
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 7
and
Morning Air attack on Sian , at 83,41
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 30 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 20
No Japanese losses
Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 14
B-17s hit troops at Lunga and Tulagi. Enemy troops on Lunga were reduced some today.
Ground combat at Lunga (114,138)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 26608 troops, 463 guns, 423 vehicles, Assault Value = 851
Defending force 12084 troops, 84 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 158
Allied adjusted assault: 594
Japanese adjusted defense: 99
Allied assault odds: 6 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2306 casualties reported
Squads: 54 destroyed, 55 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 24 (2 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
179 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Vehicles lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Assaulting units:
2nd Marine Division
754th Tank Battalion
41st Infantry Division
193rd Tank Battalion
43rd Base Group
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
6th Port Maint Engineer Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
2nd RAA Med Arty Regiment
Defending units:
88th Naval Guard Unit
Kure 3rd SNLF
83rd Naval Guard Unit
6th Indpt SNLF Coy
38th JNAF AF Unit
23rd Air Flotilla
17th Naval Construction Battalion
13th Naval Construction Battalion
43rd JNAF AF Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
46th JNAF AF Unit
And Tulagi was attacked again by the Americal Division.
Ground combat at Tulagi (114,137)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 7854 troops, 164 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 336
Defending force 4089 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 69
Allied adjusted assault: 64
Japanese adjusted defense: 115
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
379 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Allied ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
Americal Infantry Division
Defending units:
82nd Naval Guard Unit
Bandasan SNLF
5th Naval Construction Battalion
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
55th JNAF AF Unit
Disruption is high in both place now, so we'll rest tomorrow. Note that a significant part of Americal's support didn't land at Tulagi, even with 3 days of landing, since I used ordinary xAPs there. A part of the troops are on Rennell Island, and the rest are headed back to Noumea. Both parts will eventually join the parent group on Tulagi.
Allied carriers have headed south and are not spotted as they head towards Sydney. Nautilus didn't repair at all at Kusaie's port, in readiness mode. As it can't make it to safety as is, I put it in pier mode and I'll hope for the best concerning getting bombed.
2 damaged British battleships are leaving Bombay for Capetown. Both have repaired all of the SYS damage but have significant FLOT damage to fix. Yorktown is preparing to leave Vava'u for Sydney, with 10 SYS and about 43 FLOT damage.
An Allied cruiser force bombarded Tulagi. It was protecting the landing but isn't needed any longer, so it bombarded on the way out. Over 400 enemy casualties and significant damage to the port and supply.
Imphal is targeted by enemy bombers. Minor damage in bad weather. Over 80 Oscars supporting. It's pretty clear that to go up against enemy aircraft, I need to have about 100 fighters to do well. Whether that be in Burma or at Sian in China. I can do so at places like Ledo, but OPilot doesn't attack there. And in China it is impossible to support so many planes with the critical supply situation.
Here's what Sian got today:
Morning Air attack on Sian , at 83,41
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 36
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 41
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 5
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 5
Ki-51 Sonia x 33
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 1 damaged
Ki-51 Sonia: 1 damaged
Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 53
and
Morning Air attack on Sian , at 83,41
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 20
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 1 destroyed by flak
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 7
and
Morning Air attack on Sian , at 83,41
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 30 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 20
No Japanese losses
Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 14
B-17s hit troops at Lunga and Tulagi. Enemy troops on Lunga were reduced some today.
Ground combat at Lunga (114,138)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 26608 troops, 463 guns, 423 vehicles, Assault Value = 851
Defending force 12084 troops, 84 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 158
Allied adjusted assault: 594
Japanese adjusted defense: 99
Allied assault odds: 6 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2306 casualties reported
Squads: 54 destroyed, 55 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 24 (2 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
179 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Vehicles lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Assaulting units:
2nd Marine Division
754th Tank Battalion
41st Infantry Division
193rd Tank Battalion
43rd Base Group
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
6th Port Maint Engineer Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
2nd RAA Med Arty Regiment
Defending units:
88th Naval Guard Unit
Kure 3rd SNLF
83rd Naval Guard Unit
6th Indpt SNLF Coy
38th JNAF AF Unit
23rd Air Flotilla
17th Naval Construction Battalion
13th Naval Construction Battalion
43rd JNAF AF Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
46th JNAF AF Unit
And Tulagi was attacked again by the Americal Division.
Ground combat at Tulagi (114,137)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 7854 troops, 164 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 336
Defending force 4089 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 69
Allied adjusted assault: 64
Japanese adjusted defense: 115
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
379 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Allied ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
Americal Infantry Division
Defending units:
82nd Naval Guard Unit
Bandasan SNLF
5th Naval Construction Battalion
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
55th JNAF AF Unit
Disruption is high in both place now, so we'll rest tomorrow. Note that a significant part of Americal's support didn't land at Tulagi, even with 3 days of landing, since I used ordinary xAPs there. A part of the troops are on Rennell Island, and the rest are headed back to Noumea. Both parts will eventually join the parent group on Tulagi.
Allied carriers have headed south and are not spotted as they head towards Sydney. Nautilus didn't repair at all at Kusaie's port, in readiness mode. As it can't make it to safety as is, I put it in pier mode and I'll hope for the best concerning getting bombed.
2 damaged British battleships are leaving Bombay for Capetown. Both have repaired all of the SYS damage but have significant FLOT damage to fix. Yorktown is preparing to leave Vava'u for Sydney, with 10 SYS and about 43 FLOT damage.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
25 Aug 42
Supply continues to unload from a few xAKs at Tulagi. The big convoy with lots of support units arrives at Lunga and will start unloading tonight. A strong cruiser force is guarding. The runway at Lunga is now repaired enough for use, so a P-40 squadron is sent there to CAP.
Kukong was the enemy target of choice today in China.
The Japanese continue to bombard with artillery at Bataan.
Allied troops at Lunga bombarded with artillery today. Americal on Tulagi will attack tomorrow.
An elite P-40 unit will sweep Portland Roads. No bombing today, but B-17s are at Charter Towers and bombing will begin soon, hitting Portland Roads and the troops headed south from there. All clear terrain south of Portland Roads, so it's time to make the most of home field advantage in northeastern Australia.
The enemy cruiser force is now back at Horn Island from Port Moresby. Another cruiser force is spotted there, with APDs in it. Something moved along the coast last night, between Portland Roads and Horn Island.
Supply continues to unload from a few xAKs at Tulagi. The big convoy with lots of support units arrives at Lunga and will start unloading tonight. A strong cruiser force is guarding. The runway at Lunga is now repaired enough for use, so a P-40 squadron is sent there to CAP.
Kukong was the enemy target of choice today in China.
The Japanese continue to bombard with artillery at Bataan.
Allied troops at Lunga bombarded with artillery today. Americal on Tulagi will attack tomorrow.
An elite P-40 unit will sweep Portland Roads. No bombing today, but B-17s are at Charter Towers and bombing will begin soon, hitting Portland Roads and the troops headed south from there. All clear terrain south of Portland Roads, so it's time to make the most of home field advantage in northeastern Australia.
The enemy cruiser force is now back at Horn Island from Port Moresby. Another cruiser force is spotted there, with APDs in it. Something moved along the coast last night, between Portland Roads and Horn Island.
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RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
26 Aug 42
APD Stewart hit a mine at Kusaie Island and sank soon after. Stewart was part of a dozen APD fast transport task force delivering supply to Kusaie. Supply is now over 1,000. I'll suspend deliveries until the mines are swept. A small sweeper is en route.
Comilla, east of Chittagong, got an enemy bombing today. This is new. Comilla is the next inland base on the rail line from Chittagong. There's just a few recon based there.
Sian got the daily mass bombing. Henyang was attacked also.
The elite P-40 squadron swept Portland Roads, finding 27 A6M2 Zeros. The Warhawks did well, downing 11 Zeros for the loss of 2 of their own. Unfortunately, ace pilot Cpt. R.A. Sloan was KIA. Lt. R.T. Hanson got 3 kills for a total of 5, becoming a new ace. This squadron has a number of aces.
The enemy attacked a retreating corp in China. The Chinese will move out of the hex in a day or two and should survive.
Ground combat at 83,39 (near Sian)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14934 troops, 122 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 438
Defending force 11276 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 217
Japanese adjusted assault: 184
Allied adjusted defense: 439
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
149 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Allied ground losses:
297 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Assaulting units:
9th Division
Defending units:
35th Chinese Corps
Tulagi was captured.
Ground combat at Tulagi (114,137)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 7812 troops, 164 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 331
Defending force 3999 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55
Allied adjusted assault: 287
Japanese adjusted defense: 64
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Tulagi !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
514 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1
Allied ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
Americal Infantry Division
Defending units:
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
82nd Naval Guard Unit
Bandasan SNLF
5th Naval Construction Battalion
55th JNAF AF Unit
B-17s from Charter Towers will bomb Portland Roads, without escort or sweepers. A squadron will hit the enemy troops that are moving south of Portland Roads.
There's now 2 squadrons of fighters at Lunga, as well as an SBD squadron, which is temporarily on ASW duty, to deal with all of the subs in the area, and maybe appear that US carriers are still in the area.
APD Stewart hit a mine at Kusaie Island and sank soon after. Stewart was part of a dozen APD fast transport task force delivering supply to Kusaie. Supply is now over 1,000. I'll suspend deliveries until the mines are swept. A small sweeper is en route.
Comilla, east of Chittagong, got an enemy bombing today. This is new. Comilla is the next inland base on the rail line from Chittagong. There's just a few recon based there.
Sian got the daily mass bombing. Henyang was attacked also.
The elite P-40 squadron swept Portland Roads, finding 27 A6M2 Zeros. The Warhawks did well, downing 11 Zeros for the loss of 2 of their own. Unfortunately, ace pilot Cpt. R.A. Sloan was KIA. Lt. R.T. Hanson got 3 kills for a total of 5, becoming a new ace. This squadron has a number of aces.
The enemy attacked a retreating corp in China. The Chinese will move out of the hex in a day or two and should survive.
Ground combat at 83,39 (near Sian)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14934 troops, 122 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 438
Defending force 11276 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 217
Japanese adjusted assault: 184
Allied adjusted defense: 439
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
149 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 32 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Allied ground losses:
297 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Assaulting units:
9th Division
Defending units:
35th Chinese Corps
Tulagi was captured.
Ground combat at Tulagi (114,137)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 7812 troops, 164 guns, 70 vehicles, Assault Value = 331
Defending force 3999 troops, 28 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 55
Allied adjusted assault: 287
Japanese adjusted defense: 64
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Tulagi !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
514 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1
Allied ground losses:
70 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
Americal Infantry Division
Defending units:
1st Indpt SNLF Coy
82nd Naval Guard Unit
Bandasan SNLF
5th Naval Construction Battalion
55th JNAF AF Unit
B-17s from Charter Towers will bomb Portland Roads, without escort or sweepers. A squadron will hit the enemy troops that are moving south of Portland Roads.
There's now 2 squadrons of fighters at Lunga, as well as an SBD squadron, which is temporarily on ASW duty, to deal with all of the subs in the area, and maybe appear that US carriers are still in the area.
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RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
27 Aug 42
I-25 is hit by 2 depth charges from KV Dawson near Enderbury Island. There's a lot of subs west and south of Canton Island.
B-17s hit the airfield at Portland Roads, finding no CAP. One A6M2 Zero is destroyed on the ground, and there's minor damage to the airfield now. 6 B-17s hit the 4th Division/B on the trail going south from Portland Roads. 114 casualties in the clear terrain. Time for some payback with hitting troops in the clear terrain. More squadrons are assigned to the same missions tomorrow.
Bataan finally is lost.
Ground combat at Bataan (78,77)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 37476 troops, 385 guns, 235 vehicles, Assault Value = 1123
Defending force 17134 troops, 113 guns, 20 vehicles, Assault Value = 207
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Japanese adjusted assault: 557
Allied adjusted defense: 111
Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Bataan !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
796 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 53 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
24413 casualties reported
Squads: 453 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1595 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 129 (129 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 28 (28 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 22
Assaulting units:
24th Infantry Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
21st Division
38th Division
2nd Engineer Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
1st Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
1st Constabulary Regiment
45th PS Infantry Regiment
4th Marine Regiment
31st Infantry Regiment
57th PS Infantry Regiment
4th Constabulary Regiment
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
Far East USAAF
III/Prov'nl SPM Grp
194th Tank Battalion
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
35th Avn Sup
Clark Field AAF Base Force
US Forces Far East
Asiatic Fleet
Bataan USN Base Force
Manila Bay Defenses
24th PS FA Regiment
24th Avn Sup
II/Prov'nl SPM Grp
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
301st PA Field Artillery Regiment
Bataan held until the end of August 1942. OPilot chose to bypass Luzon early on. This strategy worked for him because I chose not to try some type of mission to rescue or reinforce Luzon. I did think about it. I decided that it's just too far and too risky. It would take incredible luck to get there unspotted, and even in that case, getting to safety afterwards would be very difficult. I thought that such a mission would be too costly. It would probably have been a carrier-losing operation. Instead, the troops on Luzon are lost as expected.
3 Philippine divisions are in the jungles of northern Luzon. They sit there, with no supply, forcing OPilot to go off-road to clean them out. He could just ignore them. We'll see what he does.
Cleanup attacks continue on Lunga and Tulagi. Some troops on Tulagi were wiped out by attrition today. Base support for Tulagi start to load at Luganville.
Allied carriers get to Sydney. 2 US carriers go into a 10 day upgrade. British carrier Formidable withdraws. Many ships will repair very minor SYS damage.
I-25 is hit by 2 depth charges from KV Dawson near Enderbury Island. There's a lot of subs west and south of Canton Island.
B-17s hit the airfield at Portland Roads, finding no CAP. One A6M2 Zero is destroyed on the ground, and there's minor damage to the airfield now. 6 B-17s hit the 4th Division/B on the trail going south from Portland Roads. 114 casualties in the clear terrain. Time for some payback with hitting troops in the clear terrain. More squadrons are assigned to the same missions tomorrow.
Bataan finally is lost.
Ground combat at Bataan (78,77)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 37476 troops, 385 guns, 235 vehicles, Assault Value = 1123
Defending force 17134 troops, 113 guns, 20 vehicles, Assault Value = 207
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 2
Japanese adjusted assault: 557
Allied adjusted defense: 111
Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Bataan !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
796 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 53 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Guns lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
24413 casualties reported
Squads: 453 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1595 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 129 (129 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 28 (28 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 22
Assaulting units:
24th Infantry Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
21st Division
38th Division
2nd Engineer Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
1st Ind Engineer Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
17th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
1st Constabulary Regiment
45th PS Infantry Regiment
4th Marine Regiment
31st Infantry Regiment
57th PS Infantry Regiment
4th Constabulary Regiment
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
Far East USAAF
III/Prov'nl SPM Grp
194th Tank Battalion
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
35th Avn Sup
Clark Field AAF Base Force
US Forces Far East
Asiatic Fleet
Bataan USN Base Force
Manila Bay Defenses
24th PS FA Regiment
24th Avn Sup
II/Prov'nl SPM Grp
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
301st PA Field Artillery Regiment
Bataan held until the end of August 1942. OPilot chose to bypass Luzon early on. This strategy worked for him because I chose not to try some type of mission to rescue or reinforce Luzon. I did think about it. I decided that it's just too far and too risky. It would take incredible luck to get there unspotted, and even in that case, getting to safety afterwards would be very difficult. I thought that such a mission would be too costly. It would probably have been a carrier-losing operation. Instead, the troops on Luzon are lost as expected.
3 Philippine divisions are in the jungles of northern Luzon. They sit there, with no supply, forcing OPilot to go off-road to clean them out. He could just ignore them. We'll see what he does.
Cleanup attacks continue on Lunga and Tulagi. Some troops on Tulagi were wiped out by attrition today. Base support for Tulagi start to load at Luganville.
Allied carriers get to Sydney. 2 US carriers go into a 10 day upgrade. British carrier Formidable withdraws. Many ships will repair very minor SYS damage.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
The Bastards of Bataan held on a few months longer, did his minimal Luzon offensive benefit him?
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
In my opinion, he gained the opportunity to accomplish something earlier but squandered the opportunity getting bogged down at Bandoeng on Java.
I still feel like there's more offensive left in the enemy though. There's been multiple heavy activity reports at Koepang on Timor, and there's a sub off the coast of Perth for the first time. There was a Glen-sub watching Diego Garcia.
I think that Darwin is about to get hit, but I thought that earlier in the war too.
I'm hoping that my Gilberts and Solomons campaigns have OPilot thinking defensively. Those troops on Java and now on Luzon will go somewhere, I just don't know where that will be.
My gut feeling says that some will go to Hanoi and strike north into western China. It's slow going, but practically undefended. The Chinese don't have the troops to make another front there. Both OPilot and I have recently read a book about the Flying Tigers, so he is aware of the role those western bases played. And he does daily recon of those western China bases even now.
I still feel like there's more offensive left in the enemy though. There's been multiple heavy activity reports at Koepang on Timor, and there's a sub off the coast of Perth for the first time. There was a Glen-sub watching Diego Garcia.
I think that Darwin is about to get hit, but I thought that earlier in the war too.
I'm hoping that my Gilberts and Solomons campaigns have OPilot thinking defensively. Those troops on Java and now on Luzon will go somewhere, I just don't know where that will be.
My gut feeling says that some will go to Hanoi and strike north into western China. It's slow going, but practically undefended. The Chinese don't have the troops to make another front there. Both OPilot and I have recently read a book about the Flying Tigers, so he is aware of the role those western bases played. And he does daily recon of those western China bases even now.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
28 Aug 42
Many enemy minesweepers clear mine at Bataan, and finish clearing the field.
Sian gets hit hard again. Over 100 enemy fighters on escort and sweep. I'm starting to second-guess my plan for holding Sian. This upcoming big fight is occuring just when the supply status in China is becoming a crisis. Sian has little supply and wants over 15,000 of it. Half of the defenders are low on supply. Maybe it would be better to just move out into the wooded terrain and defend there, with or without supply. I do fear the enemy's offensive, though, when Sian can pull in and supply all the enemy's units in the area. Right now, the supply train is long for the enemy north of Sian.
6 B-17s hit Milne Bay and 6 LB-30s hit Tagula Island. Both targets are level 1 airfields and didn't have CAP today. Just a nuisance raid or two. 5 B-17s hit the 1/3 of the 4th Division south of Portland Roads again, causing 85 casualties today. A small armor unit is at Coen now, with about 25 tanks and nothing else.
Another attack by the Americal Division at Tulagi gets 4 to 1 odds and causes 136 enemy casualties, and no losses for the attacker. We'll keep finishing them off. Same for Lunga, with rest here and there.
I'm starting to move troops for a coastal offensive south of Chittagong. I will show a flanking maneuver inland, in the jungle, and threaten the big enemy stack. Both sides have sizable forces there, but neither side can gain an advantage in the jungle. I'm bring a US division, a Brit division, and a huge Chinese corp (once it gets its components back together). I'll stack the battle hex to the limit and flank to the east.
I don't expect a big win there, but I want to start fighting back into Burma. If nothing else, make the enemy commit more troops and supply there. And maybe get some of the enemy aircraft out of China.
Many enemy minesweepers clear mine at Bataan, and finish clearing the field.
Sian gets hit hard again. Over 100 enemy fighters on escort and sweep. I'm starting to second-guess my plan for holding Sian. This upcoming big fight is occuring just when the supply status in China is becoming a crisis. Sian has little supply and wants over 15,000 of it. Half of the defenders are low on supply. Maybe it would be better to just move out into the wooded terrain and defend there, with or without supply. I do fear the enemy's offensive, though, when Sian can pull in and supply all the enemy's units in the area. Right now, the supply train is long for the enemy north of Sian.
6 B-17s hit Milne Bay and 6 LB-30s hit Tagula Island. Both targets are level 1 airfields and didn't have CAP today. Just a nuisance raid or two. 5 B-17s hit the 1/3 of the 4th Division south of Portland Roads again, causing 85 casualties today. A small armor unit is at Coen now, with about 25 tanks and nothing else.
Another attack by the Americal Division at Tulagi gets 4 to 1 odds and causes 136 enemy casualties, and no losses for the attacker. We'll keep finishing them off. Same for Lunga, with rest here and there.
I'm starting to move troops for a coastal offensive south of Chittagong. I will show a flanking maneuver inland, in the jungle, and threaten the big enemy stack. Both sides have sizable forces there, but neither side can gain an advantage in the jungle. I'm bring a US division, a Brit division, and a huge Chinese corp (once it gets its components back together). I'll stack the battle hex to the limit and flank to the east.
I don't expect a big win there, but I want to start fighting back into Burma. If nothing else, make the enemy commit more troops and supply there. And maybe get some of the enemy aircraft out of China.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
29 Aug 42
Enemy minesweepers clear out all of the mines at Manila, opening up the port to be able to ship units out. AM Matai is slowing clearing enemy mines at Kusaie Island.
An enemy task force at Ponape is now headed to Truk.
A patrol boat hit S-40 with a depth charge just outside of Port Moresby. Damage is moderate and the sub will head to Brisbane for repairs.
Seadragon spotted DD Akizuki and CM Ukishima just north of Kavieng. The first attack missed the destroyer with 2 torpedoes. One later in the day hit the minelayer with a torpedo but it was a dud.
Catalinas were moved to Ontong Java, well north of Tulagi, and a support ship will arrive there today. The island was never captured by the enemy. This will provide better coverage north and northwest of Tulagi.
I reiterate the importance of having so many Catalinas available at the start of the war, with no Pearl Harbor attack. I think it is very important for the Japanese to destroy as many as possible at Pearl Harbor. It certainly isn't as flashy as hitting battleships, but the Cats can make a big difference. Early on, OPilot sent his carriers southeast into the Gilberts, long before the Allies had any troops in the area. It looked like a raid towards Pago Pago or the vicinity. I had 4 sets of Catalinas with support ships scattered in the Gilberts, and KB was spotted repeatedly. With surprise lost, they retreated back towards Truk, having burned fuel and accomplished nothing.
The big air groups that hit Sian every day hit Changsha today, for something different. I noticed that they are all based at Nanyang, which is now a level 8 airfield and not on a rail line. I'd love to hit the base with a bunch of B-17s. OPilot is extremely diligent at using recon. Many Chinese bases get recon every day, including many behind the lines. There's no sneaking planes in without being noticed. Changsha is really the only place to base B-17s anyhow, and he looks at that every day. I'm tempted though. Maybe soon.
B-17s hit Portland Roads and the infantry south of it at Coen. Airfield damage was moderate to severe at Portland Roads, in clear weather and no CAP. 165 enemy casualties to the 4th Infantry Divison at Coen.
Americal attacked again at Tulagi, and continue to clean up the enemy stragglers left in the jungle, where another enemy unit was wiped out by attrition today. The Allies did an artillery attack at Lunga and will deliberately attack today.
B-26s were brought into Lunga to hit enemy troops at Munda. B-24s will make their first appearance flying from Tarawa to hit Kwajalein's port. 2 squadrons of them.
I'm starting to send troops out of Sian to the west. They are moving into a hex that has a limit of 35,000 so the troops will retreat in stages.
Enemy minesweepers clear out all of the mines at Manila, opening up the port to be able to ship units out. AM Matai is slowing clearing enemy mines at Kusaie Island.
An enemy task force at Ponape is now headed to Truk.
A patrol boat hit S-40 with a depth charge just outside of Port Moresby. Damage is moderate and the sub will head to Brisbane for repairs.
Seadragon spotted DD Akizuki and CM Ukishima just north of Kavieng. The first attack missed the destroyer with 2 torpedoes. One later in the day hit the minelayer with a torpedo but it was a dud.
Catalinas were moved to Ontong Java, well north of Tulagi, and a support ship will arrive there today. The island was never captured by the enemy. This will provide better coverage north and northwest of Tulagi.
I reiterate the importance of having so many Catalinas available at the start of the war, with no Pearl Harbor attack. I think it is very important for the Japanese to destroy as many as possible at Pearl Harbor. It certainly isn't as flashy as hitting battleships, but the Cats can make a big difference. Early on, OPilot sent his carriers southeast into the Gilberts, long before the Allies had any troops in the area. It looked like a raid towards Pago Pago or the vicinity. I had 4 sets of Catalinas with support ships scattered in the Gilberts, and KB was spotted repeatedly. With surprise lost, they retreated back towards Truk, having burned fuel and accomplished nothing.
The big air groups that hit Sian every day hit Changsha today, for something different. I noticed that they are all based at Nanyang, which is now a level 8 airfield and not on a rail line. I'd love to hit the base with a bunch of B-17s. OPilot is extremely diligent at using recon. Many Chinese bases get recon every day, including many behind the lines. There's no sneaking planes in without being noticed. Changsha is really the only place to base B-17s anyhow, and he looks at that every day. I'm tempted though. Maybe soon.
B-17s hit Portland Roads and the infantry south of it at Coen. Airfield damage was moderate to severe at Portland Roads, in clear weather and no CAP. 165 enemy casualties to the 4th Infantry Divison at Coen.
Americal attacked again at Tulagi, and continue to clean up the enemy stragglers left in the jungle, where another enemy unit was wiped out by attrition today. The Allies did an artillery attack at Lunga and will deliberately attack today.
B-26s were brought into Lunga to hit enemy troops at Munda. B-24s will make their first appearance flying from Tarawa to hit Kwajalein's port. 2 squadrons of them.
I'm starting to send troops out of Sian to the west. They are moving into a hex that has a limit of 35,000 so the troops will retreat in stages.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
30 Aug 42
Enemy mines are finally cleared from Kusaie Island. 11 APDs went to Tabiteuea for supply, and start to head towards Kusaie. They had been running from Nauru, but I knew I had some time to clear the mines, so I sent them to the bigger base this time.
However, enemy CVEs are spotted 2 hexes northwest of Ponape again, and this time there is a battleship group with them. They are 10 hexes from Kusaie, so too far for a night bombardment and withdraw to Ponape. But they are (probably) coming.
I-32 is prowling the edge of the map near the exit to Aden. It spots an xAP and destroyer Griffin, and Griffin hits the sub with a depth charge.
Enemy landing at Busuanga, southwest of Manila. More cleanup.
Pickerel fired 2 torpedoes at PB Kamitsu Maru near Port Moresby. One hit but it was a dud. Pickerel got multiple dud hits on damaged cruiser Kinugasa in March, and a dud hit on I-173 in July. Nothing else to show for Pickerel so far.
I-4 is 3 hexes southeast of Sydney, and spotted a big cargo task force inbound to Sydney. It didn't get a shot, and the escort didn't hit the sub either. More ships are assigned to hunt this sub down, and a bomber squadron is assigned to ASW duty out of Sydney.
Back to the usual bombing at Sian.
B-17s bomb troops at Coen again, causing 194 casualties to the 4th Division/B.
12 LB-30s hit Portland Road's airfield, doing little damage in bad weather.
A squadron of B-26s from Normanton hit the 1st Ind. Tank Co at Coen, causing 28 casualties, destroying 7 vehicles and disabling 16 in this small unit.
B-26s from Lunga hit troops at Munda, discovering that the unit there is III/19th Naval Guard Unit, another small unit. There is no enemy base at Munda.
B-17s from Tabiteuea hit the 48th Naval Guard Unit at Majuro. Another recon by force.
We attack at Lunga again. The enemy is being destroyed, and is now out of supply. Still over 10,000 enemy troops there in the jungle.
Ground combat at Lunga (114,138)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 27173 troops, 504 guns, 432 vehicles, Assault Value = 802
Defending force 9955 troops, 67 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 52
Allied adjusted assault: 242
Japanese adjusted defense: 59
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1472 casualties reported
Squads: 33 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 55 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 15 (11 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
96 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Assaulting units:
41st Infantry Division
754th Tank Battalion
2nd Marine Division
193rd Tank Battalion
2nd RAA Med Arty Regiment
1st Marine Defense Battalion
29th RNZA Lt AA Regiment
94th Coast AA Regiment
43rd Base Group
97th Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
6th Port Maint Engineer Battalion
II US Fighter Cmnd
Defending units:
88th Naval Guard Unit
Kure 3rd SNLF
83rd Naval Guard Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
6th Indpt SNLF Coy
43rd JNAF AF Unit
13th Naval Construction Battalion
38th JNAF AF Unit
17th Naval Construction Battalion
23rd Air Flotilla
46th JNAF AF Unit
Americal cleans up the remaining enemy on Tulagi, eliminating the 55th JNAF AF Unit. Fragments of Americal will head to Tulagi from Rennell Island and Noumea. Base support and engineers are already on the way to Tulagi.
Interesting note: Katherine got enemy recon. Darwin gets it every day. First time for Katherine. Recon is coming from Timor. Darwin, and the whole northern Australian coast, is practically undefended, and has been for months.
Another note: Haiphong has been built to a level 6 airfield. This is the area that the enemy could use units from Luzon, and push north into western China. Or support a move north from Canton.
Enemy mines are finally cleared from Kusaie Island. 11 APDs went to Tabiteuea for supply, and start to head towards Kusaie. They had been running from Nauru, but I knew I had some time to clear the mines, so I sent them to the bigger base this time.
However, enemy CVEs are spotted 2 hexes northwest of Ponape again, and this time there is a battleship group with them. They are 10 hexes from Kusaie, so too far for a night bombardment and withdraw to Ponape. But they are (probably) coming.
I-32 is prowling the edge of the map near the exit to Aden. It spots an xAP and destroyer Griffin, and Griffin hits the sub with a depth charge.
Enemy landing at Busuanga, southwest of Manila. More cleanup.
Pickerel fired 2 torpedoes at PB Kamitsu Maru near Port Moresby. One hit but it was a dud. Pickerel got multiple dud hits on damaged cruiser Kinugasa in March, and a dud hit on I-173 in July. Nothing else to show for Pickerel so far.
I-4 is 3 hexes southeast of Sydney, and spotted a big cargo task force inbound to Sydney. It didn't get a shot, and the escort didn't hit the sub either. More ships are assigned to hunt this sub down, and a bomber squadron is assigned to ASW duty out of Sydney.
Back to the usual bombing at Sian.
B-17s bomb troops at Coen again, causing 194 casualties to the 4th Division/B.
12 LB-30s hit Portland Road's airfield, doing little damage in bad weather.
A squadron of B-26s from Normanton hit the 1st Ind. Tank Co at Coen, causing 28 casualties, destroying 7 vehicles and disabling 16 in this small unit.
B-26s from Lunga hit troops at Munda, discovering that the unit there is III/19th Naval Guard Unit, another small unit. There is no enemy base at Munda.
B-17s from Tabiteuea hit the 48th Naval Guard Unit at Majuro. Another recon by force.
We attack at Lunga again. The enemy is being destroyed, and is now out of supply. Still over 10,000 enemy troops there in the jungle.
Ground combat at Lunga (114,138)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 27173 troops, 504 guns, 432 vehicles, Assault Value = 802
Defending force 9955 troops, 67 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 52
Allied adjusted assault: 242
Japanese adjusted defense: 59
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1472 casualties reported
Squads: 33 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 55 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 15 (11 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
96 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Assaulting units:
41st Infantry Division
754th Tank Battalion
2nd Marine Division
193rd Tank Battalion
2nd RAA Med Arty Regiment
1st Marine Defense Battalion
29th RNZA Lt AA Regiment
94th Coast AA Regiment
43rd Base Group
97th Field Artillery Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
6th Port Maint Engineer Battalion
II US Fighter Cmnd
Defending units:
88th Naval Guard Unit
Kure 3rd SNLF
83rd Naval Guard Unit
87th Naval Guard Unit
6th Indpt SNLF Coy
43rd JNAF AF Unit
13th Naval Construction Battalion
38th JNAF AF Unit
17th Naval Construction Battalion
23rd Air Flotilla
46th JNAF AF Unit
Americal cleans up the remaining enemy on Tulagi, eliminating the 55th JNAF AF Unit. Fragments of Americal will head to Tulagi from Rennell Island and Noumea. Base support and engineers are already on the way to Tulagi.
Interesting note: Katherine got enemy recon. Darwin gets it every day. First time for Katherine. Recon is coming from Timor. Darwin, and the whole northern Australian coast, is practically undefended, and has been for months.
Another note: Haiphong has been built to a level 6 airfield. This is the area that the enemy could use units from Luzon, and push north into western China. Or support a move north from Canton.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
Very much agree about the Catalinas; they are more precious than gold. Recon is absolutely vital, especially during the critical period when the Allies are so weak.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
31 Aug 42
I-24 spotted xAK Mana headed south from Guadalcanal. 2 torpedoes were fired and one hit. A bit later in the morning, I-24 attacked again and hit Mana with 2 more torpedoes, sinking the ship. It was empty headed back to Sydney.
2 US destroyer ASW task forces are hunting subs that have been consistently due southwest of Pearl Harbor. Walke found I-17 and hit it with a depth charge.
Sian bombed heavily.
US bombers hit Portland Roads, doing more damage to the airfield and port. Repairs here are slow to non-existent. Most importantly, the infantry and armor at Coen was hit again today, very effectively in the clear terrain, and the units have turned around and are headed back to Portland Roads.
B-24s finally fly from Tarawa to hit Kwajalein, making their first combat appearance in the war. Surprise was complete as the bombers hit the port.
Morning Air attack on Kwajalein Island , at 132,115
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 22 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 13
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
DMS W-4, Bomb hits 1
xAKL Kaito Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PB Chokai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PB Yahada Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AKE Burma Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AD Shintoku Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CM Tokiwa, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
AG Uji Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
DMS W-3, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AS Yasukuni Maru, Bomb hits 1
Port hits 2
Massive explosion on DMS W-4
and
Morning Air attack on Kwajalein Island , at 132,115
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 23 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 7
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
DMS W-3, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AG Daido Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
CM Tokiwa, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS I-26, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AD Shintoku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PB Yahada Maru, and is sunk
It's always nice to hit valuable support ships.
The enemy finally moves inland in Borneo and clears out Melak, finishing off the starving Dutch battalion there.
Enemy CVEs and battleships move to a point 3 hexes west of Ponape, with something following them by a hex. This move keeps them 10 hexes from Kusaie, so I'm not sure what their intentions are. All that is in their way are submarines.
A new month, moving into September 1942. Lots of ship upgrades, mostly cargo ships. I see a Fletcher class destroyer has appeared in Panama. This may be my first one. Battleship South Dakota appeared yesterday and is headed from Panama to Pearl Harbor. Battleship Washington appears tomorrow and will do the same.
Enemy troops are now starting to move up a trail southwest of Sian, into the woods. Another flanking move. I should have enough with the terrain there. OPilot is moving into hexes with lower stacking limits as he goes into the woods.
I-24 spotted xAK Mana headed south from Guadalcanal. 2 torpedoes were fired and one hit. A bit later in the morning, I-24 attacked again and hit Mana with 2 more torpedoes, sinking the ship. It was empty headed back to Sydney.
2 US destroyer ASW task forces are hunting subs that have been consistently due southwest of Pearl Harbor. Walke found I-17 and hit it with a depth charge.
Sian bombed heavily.
US bombers hit Portland Roads, doing more damage to the airfield and port. Repairs here are slow to non-existent. Most importantly, the infantry and armor at Coen was hit again today, very effectively in the clear terrain, and the units have turned around and are headed back to Portland Roads.
B-24s finally fly from Tarawa to hit Kwajalein, making their first combat appearance in the war. Surprise was complete as the bombers hit the port.
Morning Air attack on Kwajalein Island , at 132,115
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 22 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 13
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
DMS W-4, Bomb hits 1
xAKL Kaito Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PB Chokai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PB Yahada Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AKE Burma Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AD Shintoku Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CM Tokiwa, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
AG Uji Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
DMS W-3, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AS Yasukuni Maru, Bomb hits 1
Port hits 2
Massive explosion on DMS W-4
and
Morning Air attack on Kwajalein Island , at 132,115
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 23 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 7
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
DMS W-3, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AG Daido Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
CM Tokiwa, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
SS I-26, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AD Shintoku Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PB Yahada Maru, and is sunk
It's always nice to hit valuable support ships.
The enemy finally moves inland in Borneo and clears out Melak, finishing off the starving Dutch battalion there.
Enemy CVEs and battleships move to a point 3 hexes west of Ponape, with something following them by a hex. This move keeps them 10 hexes from Kusaie, so I'm not sure what their intentions are. All that is in their way are submarines.
A new month, moving into September 1942. Lots of ship upgrades, mostly cargo ships. I see a Fletcher class destroyer has appeared in Panama. This may be my first one. Battleship South Dakota appeared yesterday and is headed from Panama to Pearl Harbor. Battleship Washington appears tomorrow and will do the same.
Enemy troops are now starting to move up a trail southwest of Sian, into the woods. Another flanking move. I should have enough with the terrain there. OPilot is moving into hexes with lower stacking limits as he goes into the woods.
RE: Did You Know I Used to Drive a Rollercoaster?: Apbarog(A) vs OPilot(J)
1 Sep 42
Sub Grampus spotted battleship Hyuga and escorts just southeast of Truk. Grampus fired 4 torpedoes at light cruiser Natori, and one hit, and it wasn't a dud! This breaks a streak of 14 consecutive dud torpedoes by US subs with Mark 14 torpedoes. For the war, Mark 14's have hit 44 times with 38 of those being duds, which is 86%.
Sian attacked heavily, with a total of 103 bombers and 102 fighters, including about 40 Tojos. Remember this is a PDU OFF game, so there won't be many Tojo units. This is the only one I've seen. OPilot is pushing hard in the north, and I'm struggling to hold a line. Supply is critical, with units here and there low on supply. OPilot doesn't know that yet though.
US bombers hit Portland Roads and troops retreating north at Coen, both to good effect. The small enemy tank company may cease to exist soon.
I'm considering invading Wake Island just before an invasion of Milne Bay and islands near Milne Bay. The original defenders of Wake were mostly extracted before the island was lost, and these would be the same troops to take it back. They are fully prepped and upgraded. 2 US carriers are in refit at Pearl Harbor and could be used in a few weeks, as well as 2 CVEs that will be at Pearl. I wouldn't expect enemy carriers there, but I may be able to draw them in that direction with an invasion, helping out my bigger move to New Guinea. Just a thought at this point.
Sub Grampus spotted battleship Hyuga and escorts just southeast of Truk. Grampus fired 4 torpedoes at light cruiser Natori, and one hit, and it wasn't a dud! This breaks a streak of 14 consecutive dud torpedoes by US subs with Mark 14 torpedoes. For the war, Mark 14's have hit 44 times with 38 of those being duds, which is 86%.
Sian attacked heavily, with a total of 103 bombers and 102 fighters, including about 40 Tojos. Remember this is a PDU OFF game, so there won't be many Tojo units. This is the only one I've seen. OPilot is pushing hard in the north, and I'm struggling to hold a line. Supply is critical, with units here and there low on supply. OPilot doesn't know that yet though.
US bombers hit Portland Roads and troops retreating north at Coen, both to good effect. The small enemy tank company may cease to exist soon.
I'm considering invading Wake Island just before an invasion of Milne Bay and islands near Milne Bay. The original defenders of Wake were mostly extracted before the island was lost, and these would be the same troops to take it back. They are fully prepped and upgraded. 2 US carriers are in refit at Pearl Harbor and could be used in a few weeks, as well as 2 CVEs that will be at Pearl. I wouldn't expect enemy carriers there, but I may be able to draw them in that direction with an invasion, helping out my bigger move to New Guinea. Just a thought at this point.