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Hokkaido

With the western allies bogged down in Korea, the Soviets have stepped up and seized their chance for glory.

With the aid of the USN which has provided carrier support and amphibs, 4 Soviet divs have landed on Hokkaido but have quickly become bogged down. I launched an immediate counter attack but achieved little. More Soviets will be on the way but Hokkaido will be a very tough nut to crack.

Happy to be fighting them where I have supply, armour and arty.

- Mike asked permission for the USN to support the Soviets which I was more than happy to give. I want to kill more of them whilst I still have supply [:D]

Hokkaido is further away than Fusan, so yes, fighting there is good for you.

9/45 he gets, what will appear to be, unlimited P51H and B17 due to VE. Get ready for it because it is a whole, new level of destruction. He is likely expending P47 and B24 pools knowing this is coming soon to augment.

Thanks Pax, I can't wait [&:]

Massive turn as the Soviets launch an invasion of Sapporo and thanks to USN carriers get ashore in relatively good order.

Mosquito fleet sorties but unfortunately achieves little damage except for a couple of anxious moments for Mike.

USN airstrikes plaster all Japanese shipping around Hokkaido as he moves to seal it off.

There still plentiful CAP and whilst the strikes succeed they are savaged.

KB's revenge

Knowing that the nastier elements of the USN were up North, I decided it was time to unleash KB once more. I intended to go after some troublesome Fletchers and CLs which had been very effective in clearing my lighter surface forces.

Whilst pilot quality is mediocre at best, KB through all of its various elements can still muster 800+ aircraft.

In a rare stroke of luck, I stumbled upon an isolated USN CV taskforce making its way up North to join its colleagues.

KB reacted in the afternoon and various strike packages were sent- critically no morning strikes though[:@]

The sight of a burning Essex always brings me great joy in 45 because it is such a rare event.

A good day and the promise of more carnage tomorrow as Mike scrambles to save some of the others.

I intend to keep the pressure up now against the USN as I sense it is really starting to hurt. [:)]

I should have added that the DBs did a fantastic job both the Judys 2 and 3.

The performance from the Jills delivering torpedoes was absolutely woeful. When employed as kamikazes they were excellent.

Torpedo bombing (unless against cripples or APs/AKs etc) against naval shipping is a complete waste of time in 45.

Unlike in real life where USS Franklin also suffered terrible damage off the coast of Japan and survived due to sheer heroism, this time there is no escape for Mike's digital sailors. Finally scratch one USS flat top, just another 50 to go [8|]

ORIGINAL: njp72

Torpedo bombing (unless against cripples or APs/AKs etc) against naval shipping is a complete waste of time in 45.

+1

I would agree ... and as you note they are good kamis ...

ORIGINAL: njp72

KB's revenge

Knowing that the nastier elements of the USN were up North, I decided it was time to unleash KB once more. I intended to go after some troublesome Fletchers and CLs which had been very effective in clearing my lighter surface forces.

Whilst pilot quality is mediocre at best, KB through all of its various elements can still muster 800+ aircraft.

In a rare stroke of luck, I stumbled upon an isolated USN CV taskforce making its way up North to join its colleagues.

KB reacted in the afternoon and various strike packages were sent- critically no morning strikes though[:@]

Nice!! [8D]

Still going strong. That'll mean a lot more VPs need to be earned to get that fat lady warmed up in Tokyo Bay. [:)]

Nice!! [8D]

Still going strong. That'll mean a lot more VPs need to be earned to get that fat lady warmed up in Tokyo Bay. [:)]
[/quote]


Thanks Obvert I appreciate your comments and feedback. Yourself, Pax, Crackaces and Lowpe (I apologise for missing someone) have been great sources of feedback and commentary during the journey.

I fear it is drawing to an end [:(]

Int Screen

Sheer carnage is the only words for it. Mike won't step backwards and I have literally ran out of ships and men on the ground have been thinned out. I still have plenty of aircraft left![:)]

Check out the losses especially in the land and air and behold the slaughter of 44 and 45.

And yet there still seems to be enough supply to keep this carnage going for at least another month or two.

The 30K difference in victory points will unfortunately not last too long as Mike starts really going for my throat. Invasions of the HI are imminent.

What I desperately need right now......

- More vehicle points. Gone through thousands of type 3 tanks and need a stack more.

- HA 33 engines. Failed to appreciate the upgraded versions of the Judy, the A6M8 and Tony 100 need them.

- Ran out of surface combatants. No more operational CAs/CLs or BBs. Plenty of CVs though.


After resisting his sweeps for so long, the P47N is a mass killer which is causing significant grief and morale problems amongst my digital heroes.

The usual slaughter in the air this turn as Mike batters Kyushu in preparation for invasion. Very methodical in his approach here ensuring I don't slip any DDs into vulnerable shipping by hiding them in ports.

Sweeps especially P47Ns take their toll, but there are too many Japanese aircraft stacked at different altitudes to stop them all and sure enough I get in amongst his strike packages and inflict some nasty damage. Most of his losses are borne by his escort fighters which he still seems to have quite a few of. Still he can't keep sustaining these losses (I have been saying this since the start of 45 and I'm sure he is saying the same about me) [:D]

New Soviet types have entered the battle and they perform far better than the earlier models. Appear to be on par with my best airframes though my pilots seem to have the edge in experience which usually means I win. For the Empire the Sam is slowly trickling into a couple of Sendais but nothing significant at all.

A quieter turn today only 700+ bombers (I basically gave up counting at 700) hit Hiroshima's airfields.[X(]

300 a/c destroyed on the ground but the majority were obsolete trainers. Casualties for both sides in this duel:

Japan 572 (majority destroyed on the ground)

Allies 220 (majority destroyed in the air)

Below is wave 1 of about 20

God those air attacks are bloody. I don't think I could send my bombers at an air base like that through such heavy CAP. Pains me too much to replace those 150+ pilots the Allies must have lost.

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

God those air attacks are bloody. I don't think I could send my bombers at an air base like that through such heavy CAP. Pains me too much to replace those 150+ pilots the Allies must have lost.

LOL, yep they are. [:D]

Two boxers in the centre of the ring now slogging it out and waiting for the other to drop. I can see myself losing over 55K of aircraft and the Allies 35K before this is over.

Let's see who blinks first[;)]

After many previous failures, this particular A6M2 kamikaze group decided to prove me wrong about its usual lacklustre performance.

Anything around 6 hexes from the coastline of Japan is always a dangerous place to be, especially for CVEs[:D]