Speedy vs Fabertong - time to smack back the Penguin

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: khyberbill

The average EXP of my CV VF's is 70 so a mix of pilots above and below.

I should have been clearer, none of my squadrons that are doing well have pilots with exp less than 70, in fact, on my CV's most are in the 80's and a few in the 90's in late Sept 43. Pilots with less exp are on CVE's training and mopping up bypassed bases-when they get above 70 they go to a CV/CVL. I have one squadron that has 154 kills to 13 losses. I mainly fly Hellcats at 31k.

You say "exp" but from the numbers I figure you mean "air skill"?

[khyberbill]

You say "exp" but from the numbers I figure you mean "air skill"?

NO, I meant EXP, the first column to the right of Kills. Air skill levels tend to just be in the 70's with my most experienced pilots, usually about 10 to 15 points less than EXP. I wish I knew how to do screen shots and I would capture one and post. With fighter pilots, I have found EXP to be most important. And for F6F-3's, above 70 is vital because they are usually going up against very good pilots.

I didn't mean to hijack your thread Speedy, I have always enjoyed reading yours here and on WITP.

[witpqs]

I have absolutely no idea how you are getting so many pilots with experience in the 80's, let alone any with experience in the 90's. [X(]

[Speedysteve]

NP khyberbill. Discussion is always welcome [:)]
 
Interesting. Maybe I should hand pick my VF pilots in that case. Having said that I don't believe I have a shed load of Navy pilots over the map at +70 EXP?!?

[khyberbill]

I have absolutely no idea how you are getting so many pilots with experience in the 80's, let alone any with experience in the 90's

I start training at 100% as soon as they arrive and until I think battle is near. There have been lots of battles-in one fierce battle over two days, my pilots gained lots of exp. About once a week I will micromanage the pilots.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

A fairly quiet 10 days with my CV's heading back to PH and the only action to note being a few Japanese air raids in China, Allied 4E keeping Port Hedland closed for now (until next Operation is headed off towards Christmas Island) and as usual my redoubtable subs.....

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CentPac -

CV Lexington/Saratoga reached PH on the 17th refuelled and took on a couple of replacement planes before heading back to San Fran for relatively minor repairs repairs to Lexington, Washington, Quincy and a DD.

CV Hornet/Enterprise reached PH safely on the 20th. Hornet has been stable on the journey back with no additional flooding/damage. They're now heading back to Seattle for extensive repairs to Hornet.

BB SoDak (the most heavily damaged of my ships from the recent CV Battle) has just passed Wake Island returning to PH. Damage has also remained constant and unless an enemy sub finds her I think she'll be safe. She will remain at PH and await shipyard space (Yorktown + 2 x BB are repairing/refitting there).

CV Essex has entered the fray and is heading to PH through the Panama Canal [:)]

Depending on how long Lexington takes to repair I will either wait for her or send Saratoga, Enterprise and Essex to Aus for use in the next operations down there.

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Submarine Warfare -

Been a good period for my subs in particular against enemy TK's...........

8 dud/missed attacks.

SS Tarpon got off to a good start by reportedly sinking TK Kuremente Maru off Brunei on the 11th.

SS O20 left TK Mirii Maru heavily burning with a torpedo hit off Cam Ranh Bay.

SS Lapon reportedly sank TK Sanraku Maru off Babeldaob on the 14th.

SS S-34 broke AKL Unyo Maru in half off Toyohara.

SS Sculpin damaged TK San Clemente Maru with a torpedo.

SS Whale blew up PB Wa 9 off Wakkanai.

SS Tullibee left AK Otori Maru dead in the water on the 17th and located another convoy on the 20th sinking AK Nissen Maru #3 before being damaged by DD Hokaze. She's returning to PH.

SS S-27 sank PB Taijin Maru off Toyohara.

On the 19th SS Kingfish damaged AK Taibun Maru with a torpedo.

SS Bowfin located CL Sendai off Pagan returning from the Mariana's to Japan and reported sinking her with a torpedo.

SS Snook reported sinking TK Chiyoda Maru with 2 torpedoes off Laoag.

On the other side.....Japanese subs sank 2 fuel loaded AO's at Marcus Island (AO Tallulah and AO Ramapo by SS I-16 and SS I-18). Both subs were reported located and sunk by the escorts. Nonetheless the area is too hot with enemy subs and the fuel not critical there so my convoy withdrew to PH.

[witpqs]

If a new BB like SoDak is hurt bad then she will take a dog's age and a half to repair at Pearl. Recommend you send here to wait on the biggest west coast port you got. Barring that, send her to the Canal and all the way to the big yard on the east coast.

[Speedysteve]

Good idea witpqs. She's heading to the East Coast now...however I may change that idea now based on what's happened to Hornet....quick update before bigger one in 2 days game time....I'm absolutely shocked and baffled as Hornet sank on the 28th May just off the WC. Baffled as her flooding and SYS were as before then all of a sudden in 1 days I received 6 "flooding increases" messages and she sank just like that. Baffled and annoyed as hell.....[&:]

[Smeulders]

Never send ships with high system damage on long journeys if it can be avoided. A port like Pearl, with lots of naval support, will be able to repair a lot of systems and minor flooding damage very fast in pierside mode. If you do this first and then send them to places with large shipyards you'll save a number of ships.

[Speedysteve]

Err. Still seems odd to me. FLT was down to 15! She can sail all the way from Marcus Island and then go under in sight of the Good Old US of A[X(]

[anarchyintheuk]

I have a feeling that there's a fu program in the game. Just when you start feeling good about your game it kicks in.

[Speedysteve]

It would certailny tie in with the past 10 days I've had:
 
£650 on car insurance.
£2,300 on new boiler.
£250 on new oven.
£1,300 on yearly maintenance fee for flat.
 
Not had much luck recently IRL and now it seems in AE [;)]

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

Err. Still seems odd to me. FLT was down to 15! She can sail all the way from Marcus Island and then go under in sight of the Good Old US of A[X(]

There is always a slight chance that any damaged ship can experience catastrophic damage and sink. It is very slight but you are proof that it happens. It can represent any sort of accident that could happen when a damaged ship is moves and I think historically correct. From temporary bulkheads failing, or a critical system breakdown such as losing the plant and therefore the pumps, or even just running into the occasional big storm that might do in a weakened hull. I like it and think it is a great design feature-as long as it does not happen to me.[:-]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

End of month report......other than the VETY FRUSTRATING loss of Hornet not a lot to report. Most of my ships are in port repairing (CV Yorktown/Lexington/Enterprise) or upgrading.

Looks as though Faber is starting something potentially in China again. Not a real problem right now as supply is ok and forts are pretty high everywhere. This is due to a lot of inactivity by the Japanese for about 9 months now.

Wuchow was taken by the Japanese on the 29th. I have over 1000 additional AV moving down to counter this. I could send 2000 more down if needed.

No action in CentPac, Aus or Burma so the main action is again by my Submarines.

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Submarine Warfare -

10 x dud/missed attacks!

SS Cisco damaged TK Otowasan Maru off Formosa with a torpedo.

SS Whale blew up PB Wa 6 off Toyohara on the 26th May.

SS Cisco was in action again on the 28th heavily damaging TK Amagi Maru #2.

SS Kingfish left the Fuel laden TK Goyo Maru heavily burning off Balikpapan with a torpedo.

SS Perch sank AK Tsuyama Maru with 2 torpedoes off Davao on the 31st.

On the other side..........

SS Porpoise was detected by a Military TF off Bandjermasin and sunk with all hands lost.

SS I-170 found my PH bound AO convoy and sank AO Millicoma. In return she was sunk by the escorts.

SS I-172 sank SC-700 from my ASW TF looking for her west of PH.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

A fairly quiet month which is unsurprising post a large CV Battle. Most of my major ships spent time heading back to ports for R&R. Hornet sank (grrrr) on it's way back but everything else is ok so far.

The rest of the Theatre's were fairly quiet with forces preparing for upcoming invasions.

Toweards the end of May Faber started another offensive in SW China which took Wuchow and is heading to Kweilin.

June sees the arrival of more P40E/N FG's, several C46A Transports at Ledo and the production of P38H's, P39N1's, B25G's and a plethora of other less significant aircraft [:)] 93 ships arrive this month including CVL Independence, 2 x CVE, 3 x Fleet Subs and oodles of transports, freighters, escorts and a couple of cruisers. On land 70th USA Inf Div and 1st Cavalry (spec) Div arrive.

---------------------------------

Points:

Allies: +735 points
Japanese: +655 points


Bases:

Allies: -4 (+126 points)
Japanese: +4 (+19 points)


Planes:

Allies: +183 lost
Japanese: +106 lost


Troops:

Allies: +27 lost
Japanese: +5 lost


Ships:

Allies: +6 (+426 points mainly from CV Hornet [:(])
Japanese: +27 (+984 points. Must be a mixture of ships sinking from the CV battle and sub losses)

-------------------------------------

Sub Kills:

21 of 41 attacks were successful. Maintaining the roughly 50% success rate.

Dutch Boats:

PB - 4 (1 mine)
AK - 28 (+1)
TK - 4
CM - 3
DD - 4
TB - 1
DMS - 3
E - 1
APD - 1
ACM - 1

---------------------------------

British Boats:

DD - 1 (1 mine)
AK - 4 (1 mine) (+1)
SC - 1
PB - 1
TK - 1
AO - 1

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Fleet Boats:

AK - 82 (+6)
SC - 6
AP - 2
PB - 14 (+2)
TK - 10 (+3)
AKE - 1
CM - 3
ACM - 2
E - 1
APD - 1
DD - 3
CL - 3 (Kashima, Oi, Sendai) (+1)

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S-Boats:
AK - 15 (+1)
AP - 2
CM - 1
PB - 4 (+1)
DMS - 1
SC - 3
TK - 1

Total = 214 ships = 44.21% of reported ships sunk total.

[crsutton]

I am surprised that Faber has such a weak position in China. It is the one theater where Japan is really the master of its fate and the Allied player has little control over. If he has sat quiet for 9 months then your Chinese forces should be way too strong for him to move very far. I think this is much more critical than his losses in the Pacific as you are in an excellent position for offensive moves in China and to start pounding his industry at a very early stage from foward Chinese air bases.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

crsutton - agreed. I have a pretty strong position in China now and I've stated in mails to Faber that I'd be surprised if he can make a lot of progress now without reinforcement from other areas. Over the past 10 days the Chinese have fought back using some of my 3000 reserve troop AV. The Japanese, after taking Wuchow, advanced NW towards Kweilin. Chinese forces had moved SE from Kweilin to meet them. The Japanese launched an ambitious and over-confident attack on the 8th with the vanguard of their force:

Ground combat at 76,55

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 11804 troops, 102 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 409

Defending force 32531 troops, 342 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1259

Japanese adjusted assault: 1

Allied adjusted defense: 3019

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 3019

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

Japanese ground losses:
6644 casualties reported
Squads: 97 destroyed, 354 disabled
Non Combat: 11 destroyed, 216 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 40 disabled


Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
116th Division
23rd Army

Defending units:
69th Chinese Corps
25th Chinese Corps
14th Chinese Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
57th AT Gun Regiment
16th Group Army
56th AT Gun Regiment

The Chinese obviously advanced solidly the next day and routed 116th Division. We now advance back to Wuchow:

Ground combat at 76,55

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 31720 troops, 342 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1252

Defending force 7503 troops, 102 guns, 60 vehicles, Assault Value = 17

Allied adjusted assault: 503

Japanese adjusted defense: 55

Allied assault odds: 9 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
2766 casualties reported
Squads: 109 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 80 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 18 (8 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Vehicles lost 25 (11 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Units retreated 2


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


The Japanese thought they could take Kanshien and used a Tk Division. They failed and I pushed them back 3 days later:

Ground combat at Kanhsien (81,57)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 22099 troops, 222 guns, 626 vehicles, Assault Value = 848

Defending force 24493 troops, 221 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 923

Japanese adjusted assault: 558

Allied adjusted defense: 840

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 5)

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

Japanese ground losses:
6454 casualties reported
Squads: 132 destroyed, 120 disabled
Non Combat: 60 destroyed, 277 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 8 disabled
Vehicles lost 48 (1 destroyed, 47 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
453 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 45 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled


Assaulting units:
19th Ind.Mixed Brigade
62nd Infantry Brigade
3rd Tank Division
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade

Defending units:
49th Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese Corps
63rd Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps
18th Chinese Base Force

---------------------------------------------

Other areas -

Been fairly quiet overall as my major ships repair in port. Ironically the last CV Battle we had, despite being a clear Allied Victory, will have delayed my upcoming offensives in SwPac by upto 3 months as I need CV's to cover the landings! As such it wll likely mean when they kick off it will be a manic time as as soon as they're done CentPac offensives will begin using the same CV's and an offensive from India will be launched as well...........ETA October/November 1943.

---------------------------------------------

Submarine Warfare -

9 Dud/missed attacks.

SS Haddock started the month off well damaging AK Siraha Maru and sinking AK Sikisan Maru near Okinawa.

SS Tarpon sank the small TK Yamazuru Maru off Jesselton on the 3rd.

SS Pike sank AKL Nagaragawa Maru SE of Shanghai.

SS Tautog reported blowing up AKL Shoryu Maru south of Tokyo.

SS Greenling sank PB Okuyo Maru #2 with 2 torpedoes SE of Takao on the 7th.

SS Salmon damaged AO Toei Maru off Wakkanai with a torpedo. In return my sub was damaged by an E Class escort.

SS Sculpin sank SC CHa-17 off Sapporo on the 10th.

On the other side SS I-1 sank AP President Polk with 3 torpedoes SW of PH. My galant ship had been repairing damage at Wake and had bravely limped all the way back to PH before being sunk.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

USN -

Repairs are coming along nicely on my CV's.

Enterprise - due back in 14 days
Lexington - 25 days
Yorktown - 40 days

Quiet elsewhere....the Sitzkreig continues.

----------------------------

China -

Stalemate NE of Wuchow.

Chinese advancing towards 4 enemy units SE of Kanshien.

Pretty stable elsewhere.

-----------------------------

Submarine Warfare -

5 Dud/missed attacks.

SS Hake sank AK Kizan Maru off Kanoya on the 11th.

SS Peto reported sinking AK Midori Maru off Dadjangas on the 12th. The next day she damaged AP Horai Maru off Davao.

SS Shad, patrolling in the same area as Peto, located a Tanker convoy and sank TK Kuroshio Maru with 3 torpedoes.

SS Barb damaged AK Pacific Maru off Balikpapan on the 14th. She tracked the ship and finished her off on the 15th. Later in the day she sank PB Takunan Maru #8 escorting the original convoy.

SS Peto damaged TK Bokuei Maru off Balikpapan on the 16th.

SS Albacore reported in sinking PB Musashi Maru near Truk on the 18th.

[USSAmerica]

Wow, Speedy, those Chinese defensive stands and counter attacks should have really hurt Faber's troops and supply levels in China.  Well done!

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Hi Mike - I hope it has! I got a bit over-ambitious with the Chinese in the past 10 days as my force heading SE of Kanshien reached strong Japanese defensive positions in good terrain. I attacked, got a bloody nose (4000 vs 800 casualties) and started to withdraw to Kanshien. My boys did well though in rebuffing a Japanese counter-attack (situation screenshot below).

I also attacked NE of Wuchow on the 29th. Another miserable failure. I must remember not to be offensive with the Chinese:

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 55958 troops, 472 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2313

Defending force 23619 troops, 150 guns, 186 vehicles, Assault Value = 835

Allied adjusted assault: 1343

Japanese adjusted defense: 2206

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2

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

Japanese ground losses:
587 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 47 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 27 (1 destroyed, 26 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
6817 casualties reported
Squads: 19 destroyed, 554 disabled
Non Combat: 12 destroyed, 285 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 27 disabled


I want to thank my patient readers! Things have been very quiet of late as not much is happening with my major ships repairing. This process is ending now though and will be complete by the end of July. We'll then start to move and commence more operations so the readers don't fall asleep [;)]

----------------------------

Submarine warfare -

The happy time continues.........

7 dud/missed attacks:

SS Haddock, patrolling SW of Japan sank AK Erie Maru on the 21st.

SS Runner damaged TK Huzisan Maru with a torpedo off Manado on the 22nd.

The good efforts continued on the 22nd by SS Trigger damaging AO Shiriya off Toyohara.

SS Sargo also reported in heavily damaging TK Gosyu Maru with a torpedo off Sapporo.

On the 22nd SS Runner was back in action sinking AK Kuwayama Maru with 3 torpedoes.

SS Sunfish also reported sinking AK Kamogawa Maru with 2 torpedoes off Makkasar.

On the 23rd SS Blackfish reported sinking TK Kyokuyo Maru with 2 torpedoes off Jolo.

SS KXVII left DD Oyashio heavily damaged with a torpedo off Donggala.

SS Sculpin tagged CL Kashii off Toyohara and later in the day put another torpedo into her....she wasn't finished yet though.............!

On the next day SS Pickerel found the limping CL Kashii and put another torpedo into her! She must have sunk (strangely reported on the ships sunk screen as being sunk by a 6" shell! WTF. Must remember to add her to my sub list!)

SS Lapon damaged AK Koki Maru with a torpedo off the Palau's..........

On the 25th SS Seadragon heavily damaged AK Kansai Maru off Soerabaja. In return she was damaged by escorts and returned to Aus for repair.

On the next day SS Amberjack found ther same convoy and left AK Teimei Maru heavily listing.

SS Sargo reported sinking AKL Zuiho Maru off Toyohara.

SS Pickerel sunk AKL Korei Maru with a torpedo off Wakkanai on the 27th.

SS Pargo sank AK Taifuku Maru off Orchid Island.

Later in the day SS Muskallunge blew up TK Akebono Maru with 3 torpedoes off Jesselton.

On the 30th SS Seal damaged AO Naruto with a torpedo off Balikpapan. The escorts launched a heavy search and left SS Seal heavily damaged limping to Aus.

A good 10 day period, in summary:

Sunk ships (estimated) - 9
Damaged ships (estimated) - 8
Subs damaged - 2