Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Lowpe]

Nov 23, 1943

As expected Japan launches an invasion in the SRA....decided to counter with only submarines, pt boats and one desron....thunderstorms!

Day Time Surface Combat, near Donggala at 68,99, Range 5,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
F1M2 Pete: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 44, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 6
CA Atago, Shell hits 2
DD Shiranui
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Arashio, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Ariake
DD Akatsuki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Satsuki, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
DD Yamanagiri

Allied Ships
DD Aulick, Shell hits 6
DD Charles Ausburne, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Daly, Shell hits 6

Poor visibility due to Thunderstorms
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms: 6,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 5,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 5,000 yards
DD Daly launches Torpedoes at BB Mutsu at 5,000 yards
DD Charles Ausburne launches Torpedoes at BB Mutsu at 5,000 yards
DD Aulick launches Torpedoes at CA Chikuma at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Daly at 2,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Charles Ausburne at 2,000 yards
CA Chikuma engages DD Aulick at 2,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Satsuki at 2,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Daly at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Charles Ausburne at 3,000 yards
DD Satsuki engages DD Charles Ausburne at 3,000 yards
DD Satsuki engages DD Aulick at 3,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Yamanagiri at 3,000 yards
DD Arashio engages DD Aulick at 3,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages DD Charles Ausburne at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Charles Ausburne at 2,000 yards
CA Atago engages DD Charles Ausburne at 2,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Aulick at 2,000 yards
DD Ariake engages DD Charles Ausburne at 2,000 yards
DD Arashio engages DD Daly at 2,000 yards
DD Charles Ausburne engages DD Tokitsukaze at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 6,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Charles Ausburne at 6,000 yards
DD Charles Ausburne sunk by CA Atago at 6,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Aulick at 6,000 yards
DD Daly engages DD Yamanagiri at 6,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Daly at 6,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Shiranui at 6,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Daly at 8,000 yards
CA Atago engages DD Daly at 8,000 yards
DD Yamanagiri engages DD Aulick at 8,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
DD Ikazuchi engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
CA Atago engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
DD Ariake engages DD Aulick at 7,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
DD Yamanagiri engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages DD Aulick at 7,000 yards
DD Daly engages DD Arashio at 7,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
CA Atago engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
DD Daly engages DD Tokitsukaze at 7,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
CA Atago engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
DD Daly engages DD Arashio at 7,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Tokitsukaze at 7,000 yards
BB Mutsu engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
DD Yamanagiri engages DD Aulick at 7,000 yards
DD Daly engages DD Akatsuki at 7,000 yards
DD Tokitsukaze engages DD Aulick at 7,000 yards
Jukes, H.L. orders Allied TF to disengage
BB Mutsu engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
CA Atago engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
DD Akatsuki engages DD Daly at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
DD Daly engages DD Ariake at 12,000 yards
DD Aulick engages DD Tokitsukaze at 12,000 yards
Range increases to 17,000 yards
CA Atago engages DD Daly at 17,000 yards
CA Chikuma engages DD Daly at 17,000 yards
DD Satsuki engages DD Daly at 17,000 yard

[Lowpe]

And then more sub goodness:

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[Lowpe]

Hanoi is liberated, and our Tanks are in pursuit...

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[Lowpe]

Looks like from the replay, the Japanese retreated to the west from Hanoi and not to the east across the river....unfortunately, the 1st Armored Div, IJA, escaped across the river prior to todays attack....but the shattered 34th Division headed east....more will be known once the turn arrives.

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[RangerJoe]

Nov 23, 1943

As expected Japan launches an invasion in the SRA....decided to counter with only submarines, pt boats and one desron....thunderstorms!

Day Time Surface Combat, near Donggala at 68,99, Range 5,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
F1M2 Pete: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu, Shell hits 44, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 6
CA Atago, Shell hits 2
DD Shiranui
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Arashio, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Ariake
DD Akatsuki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Satsuki, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
DD Yamanagiri

Allied Ships
DD Aulick, Shell hits 6
DD Charles Ausburne, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Daly, Shell hits 6

I think that is a nice trade on your part. Then a sub torpedoing a CA besides! That is a problem that he has dancing in and out of your coverage area, he can lose more than he can gain.

[Lowpe]

Japan had a lot to think about this turn...with lots of his army bypassed, and a significant group of surface warships stuck in the SRA....

I probably should double check the status of the IJA 32nd INF division....is it one of the divisions I savaged on the way to Hanoi? Bombed it today pretty heavily, and we have AV parity there.

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[Lowpe]

Mutsu is truly gone...

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[Lowpe]

Maya is probably still afloat...but in a swarm of submarines.

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[Lowpe]

Hmmm: runway fine....but will probably use big flying boats to reinforce.

Amphibious Assault at Donggala (68,99)

TF 14 troops unloading over beach at Donggala, 68,99

Japanese ground losses:
783 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 105 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 13 (0 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (0 destroyed, 3 disabled)

17 troops of a IJA Engineer Squad lost from landing craft during unload of 18th Div /2
17 troops of a IJA Inf Squad accidentally lost during unload of 18th Div /4
15 Aviation Support troops lost overboard during unload of 23rd JAAF AF Bn /2

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[CaptBeefheart]

Happy New Year! I was Stateside a couple of weeks, where I was busy doing family stuff.

Some interesting doings afoot. I noticed on January 2 you had VRF-5F with F4F-4 Wildcats do an anemic interception. That's a reinforcement squadron, and I'm not sure they're very good at anything but training or reinforcing depleted USN squadrons of the same type (in that case F4F-4) in range. Someone else may have more practical knowledge on how they work for CAP, but I either keep them in a CV support role on CVEs or at a base near the front or at CONUS for pilot training.

I'm not sure what that IJ Donggala invasion was all about. Are you in trouble there?

Good luck with the Formosa landing. A lot happening there this week what with Taiwan's presidential election.

Cheers,
CB

[CaptBeefheart]

Is everything OK, Lowpe? I'm starting to go into withdrawal from not getting a Lowpe AAR fix.

Cheers,
CB

[Lowpe]

Dec 3, 1943

Not much happening of note....did take Rabaul yesterday. One division and one HQ fully prepped took the base in one attack.

Our Formosa invasion collecting today....heading in on approach.

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Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 8917 troops, 202 guns, 123 vehicles, Assault Value = 362

Defending force 12147 troops, 9 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 152

Allied adjusted assault: 658

Japanese adjusted defense: 51

Allied assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied forces CAPTURE Rabaul !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(+)

Japanese ground losses:
525 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
117 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
6th Infantry Division

Defending units:
4th Brigade
148th Infantry Regiment
1st Fleet
22nd Air Flotilla
4th Base Force
11th JAAF Base Force

[Lowpe]

Is everything OK, Lowpe? I'm starting to go into withdrawal from not getting a Lowpe AAR fix.

Cheers,
CB

I slipped and fell, and hit my head snow blowing in January. Been keeping up with a about a 2 to 3 day turnaround in the game, with no real accomplishments to speak of. Our subs sink about 4 ships a day in the SRA, and we get around four to five to one ratio in our favor in the air (plane losses).

Got another 6 inches of snow yesterday, and had to get back on the snowblower. Sorry about the absence...

[RangerJoe]

Is everything OK, Lowpe? I'm starting to go into withdrawal from not getting a Lowpe AAR fix.

Cheers,
CB

I slipped and fell, and hit my head snow blowing in January. Been keeping up with a about a 2 to 3 day turnaround in the game, with no real accomplishments to speak of. Our subs sink about 4 ships a day in the SRA, and we get around four to five to one ratio in our favor in the air (plane losses).

Got another 6 inches of snow yesterday, and had to get back on the snowblower. Sorry about the absence...

Please take care of yourself. If you need to do so, hire someone to clear your snow or wait until July to snowblow it away.

[CaptBeefheart]

Sorry to hear that, although glad to hear it wasn't serious enough to keep you from this game. No need to apologize to us.

That reminds me of a story. When I came back from college during freshman year for my first winter break I noticed a new snow blower in the garage. I asked my dad why he hadn't gotten a snow blower before. He said, "I didn't need one before."

Cheers,
CB

[Lowpe]

Dec 4, 1943

First invasion into somewhat tough air defenses, plus the IJN KB is lurking somewhere. I don't think he has Sams yet.

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[Lowpe]

Our second attack on Singers....with two full divisions in reserve. Drop forts so a good day.

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 65119 troops, 1395 guns, 810 vehicles, Assault Value = 2061

Defending force 44249 troops, 383 guns, 58 vehicles, Assault Value = 1218

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 4

Allied adjusted assault: 1611

Japanese adjusted defense: 4347

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 4)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2148 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 92 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 62 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 18 (2 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
3160 casualties reported
Squads: 24 destroyed, 383 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 32 disabled
Guns lost 116 (1 destroyed, 115 disabled)

Assaulting units:
11th (East African) Division
9th Australian Division
6th Australian/B Division
6th Australian/A Division
18th British Division
8th KGV Light Cav Regiment
5th Indian Division
6th Australian/C Division
6th Medium Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
205th Field Artillery Battalion
2/9th Field Regiment
6th Mixed A/T Mtr Regiment

Defending units:
16th Naval Guard Unit
9th Infantry Regiment
8th Malay Militia Regiment
35th Division
83rd Naval Guard Unit
II/124th Infantry Battalion
15th Naval Guard Unit
21st Infantry Regiment
Tanaka
25th Division
9th Malay Militia Regiment
8th JNAF Coy
12th JAAF Base Force
206th Ship Eng Coy
62nd JAAF AF Bn
6th JNAF Coy
23rd AA Regiment
38th Div /1
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
306th Ship Eng Coy
44th Field AA Battalion
39th Field Const Co
302nd Ship Eng Coy
94th JAAF AF Bn /4
51st Field AA Battalion
16th Recon Regiment
42nd Infantry Rgt /3

[Lowpe]

Dec 5,1943

Only have the replay, but I suspect Japan is struggling a bit with a response. Swatow is ripe for taking, with just one unit there (2k troops).

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[RangerJoe]

Maybe the problem is the "Oh chit!" factor of you doing something quite unexpected?

Especially with so much of his battle fleet stuck in the DEI?

[BBfanboy]

That base on the tip of Formosa is not connected by road and it takes forever to march overland to the road (2 miles a day IIRC)- time he can use to reinforce the rest of the island. I hope you have follow-up landings planned! I like to land at Taichu or Kagi if enemy air power in the area has been suppressed.