NOT JUST Submarines in the Pacific: FDRLincoln (Japan) vs. Bakerman (Allies)

[FDRLincoln]

Despite the neutralization of Force Z, I am not complacent in this theatre. None of his CAs were present in this battle, and both the Dutch fleet and United States Asiatic Fleet cruisers are unaccounted for. I can't afford to leave any invasion fleets unprotected. Haruna is damaged and will have to run the gauntlet of Dutch subs to get back to a safe harbor. Kongo and most of the cruisers exhausted their ammunition in the battle and are already heading back to base. I have to be careful here and avoid Victory Disease.

The next major operations are landings at Davao and various points in the Celebes. This is covered by mini-KB and my Main Battle Fleet of six BBs led by Nagato. I am not overly concerned about a surface action, but I am nervous about his US carriers...will they make an appearance here? I think they are back in Hawaii, but I'm not certain of that. After this set of landings is complete, the Main Battle Fleet will redeploy to the west to cover landings at either Mersing or Palembang, depending on what recon tells me is the weaker point.

[FDRLincoln]

I am tempted to let KB loose in the DEI in early January and sink everything they can find...but the one time I tried that in a PBEM, I ended up losing Kaga, Hiryu and Shokaku in one three-day stretch due to a combination of Dutch submarines and lucky air strikes from crap land-based units.

[FDRLincoln]

Thankfully US torpedoes suck...

ASW attack near Cam Ranh Bay at 63,75

Japanese Ships
DD Nowaki
CA Kumano
CA Suzuya
CA Mikuma
CA Mogami
CA Ashigara
CL Kuma
DD Maikaze
DD Arashio
DD Arashi

Allied Ships
SS Permit



SS Permit launches 4 torpedoes at DD Nowaki
Permit diving deep ....
DD Arashio fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Arashi fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Arashi fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Arashi fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Arashi fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Arashi fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Arashi fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

[FDRLincoln]

Sub attack near Samah at 68,65

Japanese Ships
PB Tatsumiya Maru
SC Ch 9

Allied Ships
SS Tarpon



SS Tarpon launches 2 torpedoes at PB Tatsumiya Maru
PB Tatsumiya Maru fails to find sub and abandons search
SC Ch 9 attacking submerged sub ....
SC Ch 9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 9 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

[FDRLincoln]

December 22nd:

Submarine attack near Tjepoe at 56,100

Japanese Ships
SS I-155

Allied Ships
TK Semiramis, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage



TK Semiramis is sighted by SS I-155
SS I-155 attacking TK Semiramis on the surface
TK Semiramis sinks
4610 tons

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: FDRLincoln

I am tempted to let KB loose in the DEI in early January and sink everything they can find...but the one time I tried that in a PBEM, I ended up losing Kaga, Hiryu and Shokaku in one three-day stretch due to a combination of Dutch submarines and lucky air strikes from crap land-based units.

There is also one other downfall in my opinion..... each operation carries with it a risk of operational losses even if they hit undefended targets. Slowly the KB is attrited. In my game the KB was changed after smacking Darwin and Colombo "just to sink" ships. AA and limited fighter support took thier toll. No CV losses but about 70 aircraft and whatever pilots ..7 months later the KB is not the uber threat it once was .. just a thought ...

[FDRLincoln]

Crackaces: Yes, I agree. Preserving my pilots and, to a lesser extent, the airframes is high in my mind.

I should mention that I was right about him moving stuff towards Wake Island. My landing force is approaching and KB search aircraft have spotted (allegedly) some cruisers, destroyers, and cargo ships in the area. However, KB didn't fly any strikes...bad weather. Heavy radio activity continues at Pearl. I'm hoping the weather will clear and I can sink whatever this task force is.

Will we have a carrier battle next turn? Stay tuned.

[EUBanana]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces
No CV losses but about 70 aircraft and whatever pilots ..7 months later the KB is not the uber threat it once was .. just a thought ...

Surely after 7 months though you have mostly made good those losses?

It only takes 3 months to train a fighter pilot to air skill 70 after all, and thats the main thing. Experience seems to be a lesser factor.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: EUBanana

ORIGINAL: Crackaces
No CV losses but about 70 aircraft and whatever pilots ..7 months later the KB is not the uber threat it once was .. just a thought ...

Surely after 7 months though you have mostly made good those losses?

It only takes 3 months to train a fighter pilot to air skill 70 after all, and thats the main thing. Experience seems to be a lesser factor.

Not to hijack this thread .. but in relavence to this thread .. First I am the Allies in my game .. my observations are from that viewpoint .. second there is a huge factor of experince in terms of operational losses. Lower experinced pilots crash ... but there is also huge difference between exp 80 skilled 80 pilots and exp 50 skill 70 ... others can comment, but it has been my experience the experience and morale die rolls happen before the actual skill die roll for the particular mission .. but maybe it is worth just throwing airframes and pilots down the toilet "to sink something" that has very little to do with the overall strategic goal .. I do not know .... I do know I do not play the game that way ... If I am going to spend 70 airframes & pilots it had better forward the overall strategic goal ..


Ok back to rooting for the submarines ..[;)]

[FDRLincoln]

KB is a decisive weapon early in the war and I don't want to fritter it away. But, well, this may sound strange but I'm not quite sure what to do with it. The main thrust of my offensive right now is in the DEI and I'm not doing much in the Central and South Pacific at this point other than taking Wake and (next) Rabaul. My plan was to use KB to prevent allied CV interference with these operations and (hopefully) snare a carrier and preserve KB until the spring push in the South Pacific...but what if his carriers are actually in the DEI? His CVs are enough to smash mini-KB, surface action groups, and amphibious forces if real KB isn't there to intervene, and I am not at all impressed with the anti-ship performance of my land-based air groups so far in the game...my Nells and Betties haven't hit a damn thing yet.

Of course, I know these are the dilemmas that every Japanese player confronts. I think my best idea is to stick with my original plan. Changing things on the fly usually works out badly for me.

Anyway, my overall strategy is to focus on the DEI/China/Burma and only seize as much of the Central and South Pacific as I need to secure my flank and set up bases from which to launch raiding strikes against his communications with Australia. I want to avoid being drawn into a Guadalcanal-style attrition meatgrinder. Of course all that may change depending on what he does.

[FDRLincoln]

Nothing submariny happened today. KB found a freighter near Wake and crushed it beneath a wave of Vals, but the rest of their task force ran away to the northeast. I will not pursue. Instead, KB will hang around Wake and support the landing, which ran into more trouble...those US Marines are tough and I may lose another SNLF trying to take this stupid piece of rock.

Meanwhile, I found his US cruisers near the Phillipines and it looks like they are going to try to disrupt the Davao landing next turn. Does he know I have 6 BBs escorting this convoy, plus mini-KB in the area?

[FDRLincoln]

December 24, 1941, an active-but-frustrating day for submarine commanders.

I-123 fires two torpedoes at USS Paul Jones near Tarakan but misses.
USS Shark fires four torpedoes at minelayer Yaeyama near Peleliu. Two hit but fail to detonate
USS Searaven fires two torpedoes at destroyer Tatsuyuke near Kochi. Both hit but fail to detonate

[FDRLincoln]

In other news:

A non-typical surface combat at Pakhoi along the Chinese coast. Six small refugee Allied freighters which had somehow evaded previous searches were spotted by my search aircraft last turn. I dispatched a scratch surface squadron consisting of the torpedo boat Otori, four minesweepers, and three subchasers to hunt them down. Results:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Pakhoi at 72,58, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
TB Otori
DMS W-1
DMS W-2
DMS W-3
DMS W-5
SC Ch 7
SC Ch 8
SC Ch 9

Allied Ships
xAKL Chengtu, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Joan Moller, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAKL Kanchow, Shell hits 4, on fire
xAKL Soochow
xAKL Yat Shing
xAKL Halldor, Shell hits 11, and is sunk



Low visibility due to Thunderstorms with 32% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms and 32% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 3,000 yards...
Range closes to 2,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 2,000 yards
Japanese open fire on surprised Allied ships at 2,000 yards
TB Otori launches Torpedoes at xAKL Halldor at 2,000 yards
SC Ch 9 fires at xAKL Halldor at 2,000 yards
SC Ch 7 fires at xAKL Kanchow at 2,000 yards
DMS W-5 fires at xAKL Joan Moller at 2,000 yards
DMS W-5 fires at xAKL Chengtu at 2,000 yards
DMS W-1 fires at xAKL Chengtu at 2,000 yards
DMS W-5 engages xAKL Halldor at 2,000 yards
DMS W-5 engages xAKL Chengtu at 2,000 yards
DMS W-5 engages xAKL Chengtu at 2,000 yards
DMS W-2 engages xAKL Chengtu at 2,000 yards
DMS W-1 engages xAKL Chengtu at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
TB Otori engages xAKL Joan Moller at 4,000 yards
DMS W-3 engages xAKL Chengtu at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
TB Otori engages xAKL Chengtu at 3,000 yards
xAKL Halldor sunk by DMS W-3 at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
TB Otori engages xAKL Kanchow at 2,000 yards
SC Ch 9 engages xAKL Chengtu at 2,000 yards
DMS W-5 engages xAKL Joan Moller at 2,000 yards
Allied Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...

Subchaser CH9 gained about 20 points of experience from this action. It will be interesting to see if she is more effective at hunting subs.

[FDRLincoln]

Day Time Surface Combat, near Pakhoi at 72,58, Range 3,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
TB Otori
DMS W-1
DMS W-2
DMS W-3
DMS W-5
SC Ch 7
SC Ch 8
SC Ch 9

Allied Ships
xAKL Soochow, Shell hits 4, on fire
xAKL Yat Shing, Shell hits 14, and is sunk



Reduced visibility due to Thunderstorms
Maximum visibility in Thunderstorms: 3,000 yards
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
Range closes to 13,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 3,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 3,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 3,000 yards
DMS W-1 engages xAKL Yat Shing at 3,000 yards
TB Otori engages xAKL Yat Shing at 3,000 yards
DMS W-3 engages xAKL Yat Shing at 3,000 yards
DMS W-1 engages xAKL Yat Shing at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
DMS W-1 engages xAKL Yat Shing at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
DMS W-2 engages xAKL Yat Shing at 3,000 yards
DMS W-5 engages xAKL Yat Shing at 3,000 yards
DMS W-3 engages xAKL Yat Shing at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
TB Otori engages xAKL Yat Shing at 4,000 yards
DMS W-1 engages xAKL Yat Shing at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
DMS W-2 engages xAKL Yat Shing at 5,000 yards
xAKL Yat Shing sunk by DMS W-1 at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
TB Otori engages xAKL Soochow at 4,000 yards
DMS W-1 engages xAKL Soochow at 4,000 yards
Range increases to 7,000 yards
DMS W-2 engages xAKL Soochow at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 9,000 yards
TB Otori engages xAKL Soochow at 9,000 yards
DMS W-1 engages xAKL Soochow at 9,000 yards
Task forces break off...

[FDRLincoln]

Air recon indicated the last few turns that there were no Chinese forces present at Pucheng. Sensing an opportunity, I decided to land some paratroopers there and cut their supply lines to Wenchow.

Air recon was wrong.

Ground combat at Pucheng (86,57)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 434 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 35

Defending force 7946 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 276

Japanese adjusted assault: 5

Allied adjusted defense: 115

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 23 (fort level 2)

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

Japanese ground losses:
215 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


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


Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 1st SNLF /1
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF /2

Defending units:
86th Chinese Corps
32nd Group Army

Oops.

[Captain Cruft]

Always worth doing a Ground Attack of some sort on a base before sending in the paras if possible just to see if there's anything there.

[FDRLincoln]

Cruft: Yeah, I was being too clever here. I was trying to cut the road to Wenchow by taking Pucheng with the paratroops while other ground forces converged on Wenchow. It was a gamble. I was betting on the recon and lost. My fault.

[Captain Cruft]

I very nearly did exactly the self-same thing early on in my Hive game but thought better of it.

ORIGINAL: Captain Cruft

Always worth doing a Ground Attack of some sort on a base before sending in the paras if possible just to see if there's anything there.

This BTW is one reason the Sonia is such a useful aircraft. Totally expendable and it has a camera.

[FDRLincoln]

December 24, 1941...a dark day for Imperial Japan...and a wonderful Christmas for the Allies

The Dutch fleet makes an appearance, slaughtering a transport group near Southwest Borneo. Fortunately the troops had already disembarked, but these ships are valuable. My SAGs that normally protect convoys had retired to Vietnam due to low ammunition levels.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 56,88, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Yugiri, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
DMS W-4, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Chosa Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Eiko Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
CM Hatsutaka, Shell hits 7, on fire
xAK Kansai Maru, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
xAK Kashii Maru, Shell hits 7, heavy fires
xAK Aobasan Maru, Shell hits 17, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Asosan Maru, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
LSD Shinshu Maru, Shell hits 3
xAP Hakusan Maru, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Kobe Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Naminoue Maru, Shell hits 7, on fire

Allied Ships
CL Java
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp
DD Alden, Shell hits 1
DD Whipple
DD Banckert
DD Van Nes
DD Witte de With
DD Evertsen
DD Kortenaer
DD Piet Hein
DD Van Ghent

[FDRLincoln]

Then during the daytime they find another convoy, this one that WAS loaded with troops.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Pontianak at 55,89, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E Saga, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
xAK Osaka Maru, Shell hits 35, and is sunk
xAK Rokko Maru, Shell hits 16, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Atago Maru, Shell hits 36, and is sunk
xAK Meiyo Maru, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Hakonesan Maru, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
xAK Hakubasan Maru, Shell hits 26, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Java
CL De Ruyter
CL Tromp, Shell hits 1
DD Alden
DD Whipple
DD Banckert, Shell hits 1
DD Van Nes, Shell hits 1
DD Witte de With
DD Evertsen
DD Kortenaer
DD Piet Hein
DD Van Ghent

Japanese ground losses:
2843 casualties reported
Squads: 55 destroyed, 106 disabled
Non Combat: 94 destroyed, 91 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 50 (28 destroyed, 22 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 disabled)