Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Lowpe]

Dec 26th, 1943

We have rotated our offensive to the north side of Formosa, along the Chinese Coast with deathstar, CVE landing cover task force, 4th Marines already on ships at Tsinkiang ready to unload, along with an AE, while our troops are flying forward using flying boats and transports if the forward base can support them.

Only two small heavy cruiser SAGs and PT Boats to counter the IJN SAG raiders south of Formosa.

A screening Desron, protecting shipping south of Hong Kong fights off some Jills with the help of fighter bombers and some Lightnings.

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First of a handful of attacks, and the only one to get thru and bomb the ships to no effect:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Hong Kong at 77,62

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 78 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N1 Jill x 15

Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIf x 3
Beaufighter VIc x 3
Beaufighter TF.X x 3
P-38H Lightning x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N1 Jill: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
DD Harrison
DD Dyson
DD Frankford
DD Trathen

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x B6N1 Jill bombing from 4000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
3 x B6N1 Jill bombing from 2000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

[Lowpe]

Singapore starts the war with 70 HI though. The place is on its last legs HI-wise.

Good point....I guess those engineers did sabotage something.

As the Allies, what care I for HI though? Shipyards and to a lesser extent oil and refineries.

Manpower? Does that help with Chinese rebuilding? I am repairing Chinese Manpower on the assumption it does. Feels right.

I think that the HI gets cut in half every time that the base changes from one side to the other, even if there is no combat there. HI produces supplies while consuming fuel and resources. I don't think that the manpower is used by the Allies but the Japanese use it to expand their industries and to provide squad type devices. I am not an expert on the manpower usage, however.

If memory serves. I held on to Singers for quite a while...I don't think I ever bombed the industry there deliberately. Right now sweeping all the mines, there were hundreds yesterday, today I think they might all be gone. Good thing since ships are headed in for repairs.

TF 164 encounters mine field at Singapore (50,84)

Allied Ships
DMS Wasmuth
AM Carnatic
MMS-199
MMS-197

89 mines cleared

[Lowpe]

Tsinkiang can be built to a size 9 or 10 runway, sps 7 I think. 19 hexes to Nagasaki....so the challenge will be keeping it heavily supplied.

I checked really briefly, and it seems in this mod the B29s don't really show up until April? Scenario 30...

Some British heavy bombers have nice range...but we really want to get to Ningpo.

[CaptBeefheart]

Ningpo is key. That and the base just to the west. Even B-24s can harass Japan west of Tokyo from there. You are doing well, Grasshopper.

At the back of your mind are you worried he could concentrate large quantities of airpower at HK and Takao to interdict your supply lines, and then bring in large quantities of LCUs to roll you up in China?

I don't think manpower is a concern to the Allied player. I never repair captured or recaptured manpower.

Cheers,
CB

[Lowpe]

Ningpo is key. That and the base just to the west. Even B-24s can harass Japan west of Tokyo from there. You are doing well, Grasshopper.

At the back of your mind are you worried he could concentrate large quantities of airpower at HK and Takao to interdict your supply lines, and then bring in large quantities of LCUs to roll you up in China?

I don't think manpower is a concern to the Allied player. I never repair captured or recaptured manpower.

Cheers,
CB

I have bypassed and isolated 20+ IJA Divisions...so not too worried about him launching a counterattack.

Air strikes are always a concern, but it is tough coordinating a large strike, and I have done a good job in attriting the IJAAF and IJANF.

[BBfanboy]

RGC divisions are Chinese nationals fighting for Japan. Like the Chinese folks fighting for the Allies, they start with low morale, low experience, low % TOE and only light weapons. Good to eliminate them early before they grow up.

[RangerJoe]

RGC divisions are Chinese nationals fighting for Japan. Like the Chinese folks fighting for the Allies, they start with low morale, low experience, low % TOE and only light weapons. Good to eliminate them early before they grow up.

I had a tomcat that had that attitude towards puppies!

[Lowpe]

RGC divisions are Chinese nationals fighting for Japan. Like the Chinese folks fighting for the Allies, they start with low morale, low experience, low % TOE and only light weapons. Good to eliminate them early before they grow up.

Sounds good to me!

Waiting on the turn....I have the replay and posted a bit from that.

[Lowpe]

Just waiting on the turn....

rotated my shipping to concentrate on the Chinese Coastline north of Formosa....away from the IJN surface raiders. Will rely upon some PT boats, mines and cd guns to defend the small island bases.

[Lowpe]

Dec 28, 1943

Major fleet movement to the Chinese Coast. IJN pulled back their SAGs to Naha area, but the KB is somewhere in the East China Sea, and could threaten.

Really, Japan has to attempt to counter this move as we will only grow much stronger here with the development of bases and the capture of Foochow and Amoy looming. I think we will isolate Formosa now, bomb the 70 or so light industry there and come back to invade it for VPs later in the game once our position on the Chinese coast and adjacent islands is much stronger.

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[Lowpe]

Expecting some fireworks this turn...

[Lowpe]

Dec 29, 1943

Well, of our several aggressive ship raids only the Shanghai raid scored, entering the port and finding a huge task force of Sub Chasers:

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[Lowpe]

And then we found some more:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Shanghai at 92,55, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-65, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
SC CHa-70, Shell hits 12, and is sunk
SC CHa-72, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
SC CHa-73, Shell hits 1
SC CHa-78, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
SC CHa-89, Shell hits 6, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Conner
DD Converse
DD Kidd, Shell hits 1

Reduced visibility due to Thunderstorms with 7% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms and 7% moonlight: 2,000

Made good are retreat and ran into another during the day:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Ningpo at 92,57, Range 3,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-73, Shell hits 2, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Conner
DD Converse
DD Kidd

Low visibility due to Thunderstorms
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms: 3,000 yards

Plus another task force got some too:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Foochow at 87,60, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
SC CHa-62, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
SC CHa-74, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Wichita
DD Brownson
DD Bush
DD Foote
DD Renshaw

That is a lot of SC nailed.

[Lowpe]

We bombarded a lot of the Formosa/Chinese Coastline getting this nice result:

Night Naval bombardment of Taichu at 86,64

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Id Tony: 40 damaged
Ki-61-Id Tony: 2 destroyed on ground
A6M8 Zero: 9 damaged
A6M5b Zero: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Phoenix
CL Trenton
DD Chevalier
DD Bullard
DD Bennett
DD Bache

Japanese ground losses:
298 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 10
Runway hits 62
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

CL Phoenix firing at Taichu
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CL Trenton
CL Trenton firing at 30th Ind.Mixed Brigade
DD Chevalier firing at 30th Ind.Mixed Brigade

[Lowpe]

The Rabaul enemy forces, low of food, fixes bayonets and charges.


Ground combat at Rabaul (106,125)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 4873 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 59

Defending force 32141 troops, 360 guns, 604 vehicles, Assault Value = 413

Japanese adjusted assault: 0

Allied adjusted defense: 599

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 0)

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

Japanese ground losses:
1756 casualties reported
Squads: 48 destroyed, 54 disabled
Non Combat: 24 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

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

Defending units:
6th Infantry Division
3rd Base Maint Engineer Battalion
803rd Aviation Engineer Battalion
45th Const Rgt /4
15th Air Advn Base Force
5th US Naval Construction Battalion
214th Coast AA Regiment
Clark Field AAF Base Force
312th Base Group
I Marine Amphib Corps
1st Air Advn Base Force
3rd NZ Division
55th Base Maint Engineer Battalion
1881th Aviation Engineer Battalion
ComFleetAirWest
347th base Group /11
1913rd Aviation Engineer Battalion
18th Marine Defense Battalion
1st USMC AA Battalion
Sixth US Army
637th TD Bn /3

[Lowpe]

Sank 18 SC this day...

[RangerJoe]

Sank 18 SC this day...

I am sure that your submarine skippers and their crews are happy with that news!

[Lowpe]

Sank 18 SC this day...

I am sure that your submarine skippers and their crews are happy with that news!

I still have a ton of clicks to move the sub fleet from the SRA to the China Sea, Sea of Japan....I should have done it a month ago.

But twas a good day, most importantly lots of troops forward and unloaded, and busy engineers. Damage done to IJ bases all over to eat their supplies. Even fighters got in on the destruction (this on Luzon):
Morning Air attack on Naga , at 81,81

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 1,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Allied aircraft
A-36 Mustang x 12

Allied aircraft losses
A-36 Mustang: 1 damaged

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

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 10

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x A-36 Mustang bombing from 100 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb

[Lowpe]

I wonder if this is it....we will concentrate our subs 7-10 hexes away from our landings at Tsinkiang and get some night search over the area. Other than that we will organize our CVs defensively and keep building up our bases. We have got 500 AV unloaded with lots more there now, and also a day or two away.

Hong Kong is building up their air forces -- up to 60 bombers now.

Tsinkiang has 30% runway damage, so will staff it with 50 fighters. What I want to avoid is an alpha strike from the KB against Tsinkiang since Japan can also sweep heavily from multiple bases (but recon doesn't really show any major threats)....I have to count hexes. Of course we can stop unloading and pull everything out to sea into one big group of task forces in one hex and not fly fighters into Tsinkiang. That would allow the engineers to finish the runway repairs and move onto the port damage (which is 100%). Our ships are pretty will prepped with respect to fuel and ammo.

Decisions.

I am looking at the KB as an opportunity to shred several hundred IJNAF planes, and perhaps getting lucky with a sub shot or two. I really want to keep building up my Chinese bases and getting assets forward. In two weeks we will have all four bases along the coast, every hex will have American Subs, and lots of land based air power...

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[Lowpe]

Dec 30,1943

Japan pulls back....

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