Focus Pacific Scen 78 Allies

[btd64]

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

I know everyone is waiting for this, here is CV Lexington after 2 torpedoes.

Looks like she'll make it....GP

[BillBrown]

I see Wingcmdr started his own AAR, that is good. He is out of town for a day or two. He expects to send me a turn Friday Night.

In the meantime, some musings.

I am going to try and establish a line of bases in the South Pacific, probably the ones most people use.
Noumea, Nadi, Suva, Pago Pago, Christmas Island and then Hawaii. It probably depends on who get there first.

I want to note that I will not talk about how I do my logistics. I really do not want to tell the world how I operate
since I might play a game against someone reading this AAR.

As always, I will defend India but not Burma. The troops in Burma are terrible, badly led, terrible morale, really bad
experience, and their weapons are not good. At this point the India troops are not a lot better, but time will fix that.

The Chinese are not the pushovers that they are in stock scenarios. I get 1050 squad replacements per month and I have
5000 Daily supply, most of which are in Chungking and Chentu. Heavy Weapons production is larger that stock also.
I will pull back into +3 and some +2 terrain and set up defense. I will also move a few( 6-8) corps to India for refit.
I plan on using some corps to try and move around some of his forces and cut them off from supply. I need to keep his
troops busy in China as long as I can.

The one thing about logistics that I will talk about, is that I will use every means I can to get as much supply and fuel
to Australia, New Zealand and the SoPac Islands as fast as I can.

In this scenario Tahiti is a major base. Here is a picture of it from tracker.
Note the size 25 repair shipyard, the large SPS for port and airfield. The aircraft factories.
It obviously is high on the list for reinforcements and building.

[Bif1961]

It seems as this is Focus Pacific that many Allied bases would be stouter than historic or stock. Getting your search planes cats out on these bases as soon as possible and having an over lapping search fans will be step one and may help you decide which bases to go to first and with what. I am assuming the MK-14 torps are still horrible and therefore I would use as many fleet subs as possible to lay mines then go on patrol at bases you are most interested in defending along your main line of supply. You also know his Kb took far too many fighter plane loses over PH and he will have to go to a base to rebuild those depleted squadrons. That might give you a respite as he may feel vulnerable now and not consider sending part or the whole KB cruising off the west coast trolling for cpnvoys or damaged vessels you might want to send their for repairs and upgrading.

[CaptBeefheart]

That Tahiti yard is a double-edged sword. I dabbled in this mod a while ago and I think Noumea also had a yard. They are great to have, but also great targets for the IJ player to capture and use as forward repair stations. What other non-stock yards do you have in this version?

Cheers,
CB

[HansBolter]

I presume the presence of a Naval shipyard means that French ships are under construction here.

If so, this increases the value as a target for Japan and the need to defend it for the Allies.

[BillBrown]

Dec 9, 1941

Another day and more ships lost, see the picture.
A bad day in the air for the Allies, but again I shot down some KB A6M2s.
He did 5 sweeps of Pearl Harbor but no bombing.
He did a port attack on Lahina, but there are no ships there, the ones that did not
sink are at Pearl Harbor.

It probably will not sink, but Marine DBs from cebu put a 1000 lb bomb into
CVL Chitose off Mindanao.

and the Beasts stationed at Clark field put 2 torps into CL Natori and sank
2 SCs off of Vigan.

Bases lost today were Kota Bharu, Miri, Tarawa, and Talaud-eilanden

KB is now 3 hexes East of Hilo, not sure where he is bound.

I put my first BB Iowa Build Hull into conversion to a CVB. It will be ready June 8, 1943

[BillBrown]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

I presume the presence of a Naval shipyard means that French ships are under construction here.

If so, this increases the value as a target for Japan and the need to defend it for the Allies.

In this game/mod I will use Tahiti as my drop point for units moving from the West coast.
They will then be moved to the front using smaller xAPs and xAKLs. So there will be a
fairly large defense force there.

[Bif1961]

He is burning through his KB Zeros. He might be vulnerable if you can cobble together 5 or 6 carriers.

[Bearcat2]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

I presume the presence of a Naval shipyard means that French ships are under construction here.

If so, this increases the value as a target for Japan and the need to defend it for the Allies.

They get 1 CV & 1 CL appearing in Tahiti; also get 4 ARD's 55,000t capacity each.

Truk is a major asset for the Japanese in this scenario; it starts with a 25 Shipyard, which I would expand to 50, has the resources and light industry to make it self sufficient and is a lvl6 fort.

With no Russian activation, I would seriously contemplate an invasion of the US; as the US, would make sure all US bases have a garrison, an early invasion of the Aleutians in strength would be an indicator.

[BillBrown]

Dec 10, 1941

Not a lot happening. Lost a few more ships and he again sent KB on sweeps against Pearl Harbor.
I am happy to trade my 40-50 experience pilots and somewhat obsolete aircraft for killing some of
his KB elite A6M2 pilots.

KB has moved 3 hexes SSW of Kona. It appears that hi might be moving to the West now.

I lost Aparri and Laoag this turn.

Mostly right now I am waiting. I have lots of ships in motion, most are some kind of logistics ships.
I still need to know where he is going to go next. With a CV taking torpedoes, I am a bit limited on
any action using CVs at this time. I have surface forces in various locations, but he has not gotten
within range yet.

[BillBrown]

One thing I do not understand is why this CVTF has been hanging around here. Notice all the ships fleeting the PI going by.

[BillBrown]

ORIGINAL: Bearcat2

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

I presume the presence of a Naval shipyard means that French ships are under construction here.

If so, this increases the value as a target for Japan and the need to defend it for the Allies.

They get 1 CV & 1 CL appearing in Tahiti; also get 4 ARD's 55,000t capacity each.

Truk is a major asset for the Japanese in this scenario; it starts with a 25 Shipyard, which I would expand to 50, has the resources and light industry to make it self sufficient and is a lvl6 fort.

With no Russian activation, I would seriously contemplate an invasion of the US; as the US, would make sure all US bases have a garrison, an early invasion of the Aleutians in strength would be an indicator.

I have armor and inf regiments going or in Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angles and San Diego.
Not to mention AA and ART units.
I also have a large number of aircraft units in the USA that are training. I think it would be a mistake for him
to try to attack the USA.

[btd64]

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

One thing I do not understand is why this CVTF has been hanging around here. Notice all the ships fleeting the PI going by.

Doesn't make any sense. He must know your there....GP

[BillBrown]

Dec 11, 1941

Lost a few more ships today. but we hit back with this

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Dadjangas at 79,93

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 3 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 20
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 16

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 1 destroyed
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CVL Chitose, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CVL Mizuho, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
----------------------------------------------------------
there were landings everywhere.
Atiimonan
Brunei
Dadjangas
Davao
Green Island
Guam
Kuantan
Manokwari
Manus
Sidate
Sorong

Bases Lost this turn: Green Island, Manus, Hwaiyin, Kweiteh
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A rare Mk-14 explosion
Sub attack near Babeldaob at 92,93

Japanese Ships
CM Wakataka, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Seal
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He again sent 4 sweeps over Pearl Harbor, I lost 11 aircraft to his reported 2.
I just had a very good USMC Fighter group arrive at PH, with 21 ready aircraft
and good pilots. becasue he is not sending the bombers, I am able to repair
the runway and facilities and more and more aircraft are coming on line.
I do not know if he intends to do an invasion, but I doubt it will succed.
I have turned on replacements for all units as of Dec 8,1941. The CD unit
is very good and there are a lot of AA and CD guns available.

KB is now 5 hexes SW of Pearl Harbor

Given the air losses for Japanese ground, I feel that both CVLs have sunk.

[BillBrown]

Dec 12, 1941

Again not too much happening. I lost a few more ships
and some aircraft. Most of the Air losses were the French
Float fighters trying to escort the French float torpedo planes
that got caught in some CAP and no hits scored.

KB has moved slightly South and East to 179,113, 4 hexes Sw of Kona.

I am going to try something I have never done before. I have a lot of
DBs at Pearl Harbor and I have set them to night Naval Attack and I have
one squadron of PBYs on night Naval Search. Might be interesting.
Moonlight is only 28%, so I do not expect much, but you never know.

Other than that I am still waiting to see just what he has planned.

Bases lost today: Dadjangas, Alor Star, Kuantan, Manokwari, and Sidate.
-------------------------------------------------------
Another rare Mk-14 explosion
Sub attack near Wake Island at 135,99

Japanese Ships
AMC Hotaka Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Aratama Maru
APD -106

Allied Ships
SS Trout

Japanese ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
------------------------------------------------------
The Vindicators are stil doing good work in the PI
No troops lost, but some supply should have gone
up in smoke.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Naga at 81,81

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
A6M2-N Rufe x 2

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 17
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 18

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F2A-3 Buffalo: 3 destroyed
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Ohio Maru, Bomb hits 1
xAK Matsukawa Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
AKL Kurama Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Bif1961]

CVL Chitose, the ship that goes CRUNCH!

[BillBrown]

Dec 13, 1941

Lost SS KXI at Patani

but, CL Adelaide found a small TF at Finschafen

Day Time Surface Combat, near Finschhafen at 100,126, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Toshi Maru #3, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PB Tama Maru #8, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
AKL Kaijo Maru #2, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
AKL Tateyama Maru, Shell hits 8, and is sunk

No troops killed, so just some supply and the ships
--------------------------------------------------------------

Bases lost toaday: Guam, Naga, Vigan, Calayan, Finschafen, Hollandia

---------------------------------------------------------------
Again he swept Pearl Harbor with KB A6M2s I wonder if he is thinking
of invading Pearl Harbor? I do think it would be a mistake, but why is
KB hanging out around Hawaii?

BTW, none of my DBs set for night naval attack flew.

Also, it appears that he has split KB. There is a TF with at least
Cv Kaga in it SE of Midway, 7 hexex away. Another TF with
unnknown composition is 10 hexes SE of Midway.

KB appears to be stationed 7 hexes South of Pearl Harbor.
Even though it does say there are aircraft there, the sweeps came from the
South, and that is the only TF in sight there.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The DBs at Cebu were effective again

Morning Air attack on TF, near Atimonan at 80,79

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 16

Allied aircraft losses
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
APD -100, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Fuyukaze
xAP Rakuyo Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
230 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Got a few troops that time
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[btd64]

Do you have the DB's set with navsearch? Also try setting a search arc....GP

[BillBrown]

ORIGINAL: btd64

Do you have the DB's set with navsearch? Also try setting a search arc....GP

I had a PBY unit on night naval search with search arc set to cover. Moonlight was done to 17%.

[btd64]

Try the DB's as well. 20% with an arc.[;)]....GP