A Glorious Way to Die: John 3rd vs. NY59Giants BTS: Lite

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
July 25-26, 1942

The first of three tightly packed veteran, full-strength Infantry Divisions pass by Singapore heading for Rangoon. Each of these Divisions has experience of 80+ and I intend to use them as a spear point to drive the Allies out of the Akyab--Cox's Bazar--Chittagong Region. Close behind these veterans comes the elite Japanese SNLF Paratrooper Brigade (Scen 1's SNLF Paras combined into one unit). They will join four TK Regiments waiting...

North Pacific
LOTS of Allied and Japanese SS activity and nothing else.

Central Pacific
Just had a Tanker and Supply convoy reach Pearl Harbor. Brought in 75,000 supply and 48,000 fuel. Got enough to go 3-4 months here without re-supply.

South Pacific
Suva
The Japanese CVE's and BC Ishitaka arrive here for some R&R. They smacked the Allies some WAY DOWN SOUTH and are now going to chill a bit. Detach 2 old CL and 4 DD to be a raiding force south of Tahiti.

Pago Pago
Pick-up an Air Flotilla and get ready to take it to Tahiti. I want Michael to feel like MORE stuff needs to be brought in to garrison the far southern islands. A few Torps on planes tends to accomplish that...

Air Bridge
Am now setting up several bases and want to take the AF to Lvl-1 so I have an air bridge from Pago Pago--Suva south. I can funnel planes back-and-forth with ease then and it allows me the opportunity to bring in Kates/Vals KNOWING I can pull the them out when the time comes. Also helps set-up Emily observation...

Planes
Tahiti
On the way to Lvl-3. Have two 18 plane Daitai of Zeros present and an equal amount of Kates. There are two Daitai of Betty waiting to move south from Pago Pago. These planes have 27 Zeros with them and a further reinforcement convoy of 48 Vals and 27 Zero on well on the way from the Home Islands.

Allied Activity
Appears Michael is landing troops and engineers to form a shield SE/SW of Tahiti. Splendid. This will take time and resources that are a LONG WAY from anything important. These moves provide opportunity for more Allied attrition. LIKE IT!

Australia
Busselton
This base falls.

Albany--Esperance will be mine within a week of time. Currently have two ID and two Brigades present in western Australia. Intend to deploy one ID at Kalgoorlie and one at Perth. The Brigades get Albany and Geraldton. Have an Army Para unit will hold Esperance.

Central Aussieland
Have Tennant Creek garrisoned by the 33rd ID. Have expanded the AFs at Katherine and Daly Waters to make supply flow to TC easier. Works fairly well. We've deployed three Armored Car units along all roads to warn of approaching Allied units...

Burma--India
Kalemyo
This base falls on the 25th. The move brings about a good result. As expected the suspected 8th Australian ID stops its advance on the hex between Cox's and Akyab. Michael knows of the Inf Div there but can only guess as to the other four units arriving. Should make him nervous...

Dimapur
The Japanese strike this AF without warning. A force 48 Fighters and over 100 bombers pummel this large, expanded base in two strikes. The field is crushed with 95 hits, the base takes another 37, and lots of supplies are destroyed. More relevantly 5 B-26 and 3 B-17 are destroyed and nearly SIXTY more are damaged...

Notice has been served...

[John 3rd]

July 27, 1942

Sorry for the lack of updates but I have been under the weather and busy at work while Michael has been INSANELY busy.



After ten days of peace and quiet, a large portion of the Kido Butai raise anchor and head for the primitive Port at Attu. All ships within this powerful Task Force are upgraded and completely filled out with aircraft. They head north while the other half of Kido Butai awaits Akagi--Kaga getting done with their upgrade. They also wait for the addition of the first Shokaku-Kai Class CV (due in ten days).

While the fight is hot along the Burma--India Coastline, Western China, and the deep South Pacific I remain convinced that Michael will attempt to stage an offensive operation in the Aleutians PRIOR to winter weather. This is what we plan for. Having ALL of the KB present should enable Japan to crush the American carrier fleet. Going here has an additional advantage--it is close to home. Fuel is not a problem.

Having he Fleet sit up here disbanded in a primitive Port will allow for Japan to continue prepositioning fuel at three locations in case the Americans try something else in the Central/South Pacific. Kwajalein--Pearl Harbor--Suva will be loaded with enough fuel to fuel the fleet two times over. The goal is three times, however, two is enough for operations in a pinch.

Here is the initial TF headed north:

[John 3rd]

Here is the lovely new addition we are waiting on. The 1st Shokaku Kai: Kaimon is due in 11 Days. In RA, BTS, and BTSL there is no Shinano, Taiho, or Unryus. These ships are replaced by 6 Sho Kai and 3 Aso-Class CVLs. There is nothing after that.

[John 3rd]

WE have reached August!

MISTER Tojo goes into production at a rate 175 planes a month. Let us see if that counters the CBI Issues...

[Justus2]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Here is the lovely new addition we are waiting on. The 1st Shokaku Kai: Kaimon is due in 11 Days. In RA, BTS, and BTSL there is no Shinano, Taiho, or Unryus. These ships are replaced by 6 Sho Kai and 3 Aso-Class CVLs. There is nothing after that.

I've never played RA/BTS, looks like a nice ship, but I was wondering about the 18 cruise speed - does the mod have any escorts that can maintain that cruise speed also? Otherwise it seems like it would be wasted. Similar to some of the Japanese xAPs they start with, that have cruise speeds of 20, but nothing to escort them.

[JocMeister]

John, could we see a "world map" please! [:)]

[John 3rd]

OK. Here you go Sir:

[John 3rd]

Got an expensive piece of Intel today. Michael still has a massive amount of ships dropping off troops forming an arc around Tahiti. The Tahiti base just got a an Air Flotilla and so I flew in two Daitai of Betty. A Strike Force of 36 Zero and 54 Betty were ready to attack anything within 14 hexes. On August 3rd they do and two strikes are flown. They encounter over 150+ F4F. YIKES! The first attack is eaten up pretty well but the second one sees four Betty get through and drop TTs at Yorktown. Unfortunately they miss. Bet Michael was poised for instant tears had they connected! Lost 40 planes to learn that all of the available US CVs are still down here.

My Fleet is long gone. Just disbanded the first portion of KB at Attu. Repairs proceed on several Japanese ships at Yokohoma. We'll send the balance of the Kido Butai up to Attu in about 7-10 days. We'll wait up there for an American move towards the Aleutians...

August 1st allowed for my two CAV to begin their conversion to Fleet Carriers. In 270 days we'll gain two (roughly) Soryu Class vessels. NICE!

[JocMeister]

Thank you!

[John 3rd]

Have been working on a revised task Force layout for Kido Butai. Looks like we'll be going with four TF acting together. Using any TWO will pack between 350-400 planes. Keeping all four together yields almost 800 aircraft.

Tentative Organization of Capital Ships:

KB-1 28 Knot Speed
Akagi--Amagi--Nisshin--Ryuho (90 Z--54 V--60 K--6 Recon: 210 Planes)
BC Ishitaka

KB-2 32 Knot Speed
Soryu--Hiryu--Ryukaku (68 Z--50 V--51 K: 169)
BC Kongo--Haruna

KB-3 25 Knot Speed
Junyo--Hiyo--Ryujo--Shoho (81 Z--42 V--58 K: 181)
BC Hiei--Kirishima

KB-5 32 Knot Speed
Shokaku--Zuikaku--Kaimon (84 Z--75 V--75 K--9 Recon: 243)
BC Kawachi--Kasuga

Figure 2 CA, 1 Agano-Kai CL, and 8 DD (2-3 Moon-Class DD+good AA Fubuki) per TF.

[John 3rd]

Turns have been very slow this week. Michael has been buried under work. I think we have done only two turns since Sunday. We got one in yesterday though and there was a nice, small success within it.

Combat Report
August 6, 1942
South Pacific

The submarine arm has done reasonably well through the campaign. When the American Navy arrived in the deep South Pacific Japanese subs scored early and often. The last week of game time has been more difficult with two SS getting sunk by ASW Forces. Not to be deterred, however, I-157 raises its periscope near Mangareva and spots a TF of happy, fat full tankers.

The Sub attacks on the SURFACE TWICE and plasters both TK Elsa and TK Hadnot with multiple Torps and Deck Gun hits. Scratch two targets. NICE! Sake is on me for the crew...

[John 3rd]

Sorry for no Posts last weekend. I was installing a vanilla copy of AE for my new match with Herbie and managed to totally screw up my Mods AE Folder. It SUCKED! My computer skills are marginal (at best) so it took nearly three days to get everything running again. This came on the heels of Michael only sending one turn last week due to heavy work schedule.

We appear to be on the way now so this is good.

Combat Report
August 8, 1942
Dastardly NOTE

I decided to do something similar to what Halsey was ordered to do by Chester Nimitz in mid-May 1942. A group of AOs was 'spotted' by an American SS and PBY on the 8th due west of Rarotonga Isle. The ships were about 14 hexes west of Tahiti. Michael KNOWS I only have AOs where my CVs are. I moved them in just close enough to make sure they were 'accidentally' spotted by the Americans. My opponent will now think that I have CVs way down SOUTH.

They aren't but it SHOULD help him decide to make a move on the Aleutians SOONER then LATER. This is a case of PsyOps at work. There are seven CVs at Attu with six more due within 7-10 days. If Michael comes west from Kodiak and Prince Rupert---it--will--be--BLOODY!

Course...I could be totally wrong but I do not think so....

[John 3rd]

Greetings.

I am recovering from a night basking in the GLORY of my Kansas City Royals World Series victory. Had to pull out my copy of the 1985 Kansas City Star's coverage of when they last won the BIG SERIES! Glorious.

Michael has had computer issues that took nearly two weeks to get corrected and now he is up and running on his laptop waiting for good deals over X-Mas for a new computer.

Haven't had much activity with Lew and I's other game so I spent time working on the AAR/Game with Herbie.

Our game date is September 11, 1942 and it looks like things about to get highly exciting in three theatres at once: Burma, North Pacific, and South Pacific. Michael loves to do things simultaneously so we;ll see what he has in mind. Will do a comprehensive update next Posting.

[John 3rd]

September 14, 1942
North Pacific
Planning

As stated for some time, I FEEL that Michael will try to launch an Allied Offensive up in the Aleutians. He always seems to come back here in games we've played/spoken about. I truly hope this tendency can be taken advantage of. The Winter Season is fast approaching and he MUST come soon if he comes at all.

For nearly six weeks the Kido Butai has sat at anchor at Attu. The pilots have been training and we've upgraded most of the Val Daitai to the newer model. The A6M5, Judy and Jill are just around the corner but right now we have the staples that started the war.

In anticipation of a major action, the Fleet sailed on September 10th. The composition is three CV TF and a STF. This is a mighty Fleet for September 1942: SEVEN Fleet Carriers, two medium carriers, and three light carriers with six BCs, 10 CA, 13 CL, and 26 DD. Backing them is the Fleet Train carrying 54,000 fuel. The TF are comprised in this fashion:

KB-1
CV: Akagi, Amagi, Hiryu, Soryu with 110 Zero, 80 Val, 80 Kate, and 6 Recon Kates
2 BC, 2 CA, 1 CL, and 6 DD

KB-2
CV: Shokaku, Zuikaku, Kaimon (new Shokaku-Kai) with 82 Zero, 72 Val, 72 Kate, and 6 Recon Kate
2 new BC, 2 CA, 1 CL, and 6 DD

KB-3
CV: Junyo, Hiyo, Ryukaku, Shoho, Nisshin with 99 Zero, 51 Val, and 55 kate
2 BC, 2 CA, 1 CL, and 6 DD

STF
4 CA, 5 CL, and 6 DD

Total Planes: 291 Zero, 203 Val, 207 Kate, and 12 Recon Kate

The TFs shall rendezvous in two days and top off their fuel. They will then drift slightly SE staying out of PBY Search Range and WAIT. They will stay up here for up to two weeks. If Michael is coming then he will by that point. If he does not then we head for Pearl Harbor.

The Aleutians are fully supplied, the men dug in behind Sz-4/Sz-5 Forts and nearly 300 aircraft wait for action. If Michael does come then it will be one heck of an ambush...

[John 3rd]

September 12, 1942
SE Pacific
Planning

This region of the ocean has been fairly calm as Michael has worked to build-up his bases and attempt to begin a push-back. There has been some back-and-forth but nothing too exciting. My I-Boat Glens picked up a set of TFs entering the board about a week ago. I-15 put a torp into AP Kota Radja causing 23 Casualties (so we know there are troops present) and then the following day (11th) she SANK DD Dunlap with two TTs. Nice work.

My I-Boat screen watched this set of 4-6 TFs move slowly west. There are carriers present.

The Japanese sortied their TF of CVL Ryujo and Zuiho plus CVE Taiyo, Ibuki, and Hosho. They have BC Ishitaka, 2 CA, 3 CL, and 8 DDs with them. All told, their plane complement is 87 Zero, 9 Val, and 36 Kate. Strong Fighters but weak everything else. Have 3 AOs with 15,000 Fuel there to keep them ready to go for a while.

My gut tells me that this is a ruse by Michael to make me THINK there is action here. He does love to stage action in multiple theatres however so this could be a secondary thrust testing my waters and seeking me to move assets to the wrong place. well...we play with what we have. Supporting the small CVs are about 150 planes flying out of Ua Huka and Tahiti. There are four bases with AF at 1 growing but won't be ready for at least two more weeks.

If he comes, we'll work to maximize damage while limiting risk. This theatre is soooooooo far from the primary concerns that I simply love him devoting time HERE instead of somewhere more vital.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
September 17, 1942
SoPac

The Allied Task Forces are taking FOREVER to reach some form of objective in the far SE Pacific. If there weren't so darned many of them I would call this a magnificent decoy.

In the time it has taken close the range, Japan has reinforced its SS component to the point that there are now 15 I-Boats and Ro-Boats here. The 18th witnesses no less then eight attacks against the Allied TF's. Six attacks are against DDs or APDs and they result in no damage. The OTHER TWO, however, are WONDERFUL!

I-29 hits HMS Prince of Wales TWICE with an engine hit included on the first Torp.
I-24 hits HMS Repulse TWICE also.

How about that??!!

BANZAI!

[John 3rd]

The screenshot shows it all.

I don't know how strong his air support is. Does he have the Allied Death Star? Is just some CVE? The presence of Prince of Wales and Repulse makes me doubt my Aleutian Offensive idea but we'll have to see.

Have 36 Zero, 36 Betty, and 18 Emily in the Marqueses NW of the Allied TFs. Set the Betty to Naval Strike with 40% Training and 30% Search, all Zeros on Escort. NEED to find out what his CAP is over those TFs but don't want to lose a bunch of planes. This MIGHT work...

Tahiti has 48 Zero, 72 Betty, and 48 Val ready to go if needed or useful.

The CVL/CVE TF carries 132 Planes: 87 Zero, 9 Val, and 36 Kate.


PLANNING
Until we find out just what he has here for CVs we are CAUTIOUS! The Empire shall bide its time and then try to nip at the enemy. The SS are doing well with hitting BB Prince of Wales, BC Repulse, sinking DD Dunlap, and hitting (maybe sinking) two AK.

We'll let the SS do their work and watch what happens this turn. A STF of 1 CL and 5 DD is hitting his shipping SE of Makemo this turn and another STF of 1 CL and 4 DDs swings out to the SE hoping to catch that Support TF.

If possible I would REALLY like a crack at his AO TF. If we could do some serious harm there ten he would have to worry about fuel. Could throw a serious wrench in his planning....

[John 3rd]

The Japanese continue to press an offensive into SE India that has yielded Kalemyo and--today--Imphal. The goal of this attack is to continue diverting troops away from the coast where the Allies are laying siege to Cox's Bazaar and--sort of--threaten Akyab.

Just north of Kalemyo is an Inf Div and TK Reg while two ID and 3 TK Reg are at Imphal. Both IDs are now moving to threaten the next base along that line. What is not seen is three Inf Div moving out from Myitkyina headed towards Ledo--Dimapur. It is our PROFOUND hope to achieve limited surprise with this move and, perhaps, take one of these aerial citadels that harbors 100s of Allied aircraft.

Michael--as expected--has massed nearly EVERYTHING in Burma--India. He has 4-500 fighters, 300+ 2EB, and nearly 150 B-17/B-24 operating from Calcutta--Dacca--Dimapur--Ledo. Japanese airpower does not stand chance against this and, even with Mister Tojo now, is facing a losing battle in air over this theatre.

[John 3rd]

September 25, 1942
South Pacific

The Allies storm ashore with a massed invasion of the SE Pacific. As planned the Japanese fight a delaying action designed to force the Americans to slow down, take time, and start WAY THE HELL FAR AWAY from anything vital. This is being accomplished beautifully.

The Americans have a BUNCH of Allied vessels here: BC Ranger, Strasbourg, Dunkerque, and Repulse along with BBs Warspite and Prince of Wales. It would APPEAR that a portion of the American CVs are present. The Japanese STF in the area joust a bit and the CVL--CVE TF makes a nice piece of work catching a TF of 3 APD and 5 AP sinking them and ALL 6,000+ men on board. NICE!

In the midst of all this, the Americans take the Marquesas using the 32nd ID and several Inf Regiments. All that was there was a naval guard and a base force. No big deal. Little do the Allies notice but a TF has slipped around the Allied rear. BC Ishitaka, a CA, and 4 DDs decided to 'retreat' from an approaching American TF when they were getting ready to bombard Mangareva. Instead of heading towards Tahiti they chose the most inconvenient direction to move (NE). STUPID! Making lemonade from lemons, I move the TF east and now am angling towards the Allied shipping. We plan to attack the Allied support shipping and then head towards Christmas Isle.

With the end of September rapidly approaching, the Kido Butai leaves its ambush position SE of the Aleutians and is approaching Pearl Harbor. We'll refuel and move south. I was certain that Michael would go after Cold Bay, Akutan, and Umnak but appear to be dead wrong. OK. We can admit that. The Fleet will refuel and move south to be ready for battle. At least I can potentially link-up with my CVLs down there and that is a good thing.

[John 3rd]

Here is a screenshot of the Victory Point page.

The war in the air has totally gone the Allies ways. Have to admit that Michael choosing NOT to fight at all in the air for the first six months was great boon to him. He rested and trained his pilots to a point they were in pretty good shape once the air war really began. Additionally, using the Allied plane early purchase system within our Mods, he has brought forward several large groups of superior airframes: read--P-38s! They have raised Hold HELL over Burma.

The situation at sea has been much more in Japan's favor. Here is the tally of lost Japanese and Allied major warships:

Japan: BB Hyuga, 2 CA, 1 new CL, 3 old CL, 22 DDs (10 of them the old Minekaze Class), and 10 SS.
Allies: CV's Yorktown, Illustrious, and Formidable, 4 CVL/CAV/CLV, 9 BB, 1 BC, 2 CA, 10 CL, 35 DD, and 18 SS.

Here is the screenshot: