The Bitter End - Topeverest (A) vs Admiral Kamikaze (E)

[topeverest]

500 planes - how long can he do this?!

[topeverest]

AMMO STORAGE EXPLOSION Makes ship cripple. Wont get away.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Palm Island at 97,143

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 115 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
A6M5 Zero x 19
A6M5b Zero x 47
A6M5c Zero x 55
B6N2a Jill x 15
B7A2 Grace x 35
D4Y1 Judy x 25
D4Y3 Judy x 50

Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 29
Hellcat I x 12
F4U-1A Corsair x 332
F4U-1D Corsair x 124
F6F-5 Hellcat x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
A6M5b Zero: 2 destroyed
A6M5c Zero: 17 destroyed
B6N2a Jill: 10 destroyed
B7A2 Grace: 19 destroyed
B7A2 Grace: 1 destroyed by flak
D4Y1 Judy: 11 destroyed, 2 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 3 destroyed by flak
D4Y3 Judy: 31 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVE Battler, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CVE Shamrock Bay
CVE Steamer Bay
CVE Gambier Bay
CVE Kwajalein


Ammo storage explosion on CVE Battler

[topeverest]

death to the CVE - note didn't sink this turn...but allies left it behind.

[topeverest]

Note - empire has somewhat successfully used this long range tactic in the past, but because allies can put up so much CAP now that it is late war. Most of the CV strikes are uncoordinated and get little or nothing. This is the first allied CV platform lost in more than game 10 months.

Late war, even in this empire on steroids scenario, still is late war. I think the next iteration we are going to improve empire fighter airframes.

[topeverest]

This turn was one of the turns I point to why I never try to do a mid sea intercept with concentrated surface forces. Empire pulsed in 2 BB TF to hexes where he thought my CVE's would be, only I was already retiring southeast, escorting the two aforementioned TF's to Noumea. What resulted is one of the biggest naval CV attacks of the game, and one the EMpire surely laments.

I actually found myself wanting to cheer for the empire because the results were so devastating. hARD TO BELIEVE.

[topeverest]

I'll give captain Roscoe P Coletrane of CVE Battler. He actually evaded this surface attack and two others during the turn. I want that guy to command a fleet!

[topeverest]

Cant hardly believe this! See empire commander order disengagement!

Day Time Surface Combat, near Palm Island at 96,143, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
MTB G-550
MTB G-553
MTB G-842
MTB G-843
MTB G-846
MTB G-874
MGB G-875
MGB G-878
MTB G-884
MTB G-885
MGB G-888
MGB G-1005
MTB G-1006

Allied Ships
CVE Battler

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 16,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 6,000 yards
MTB G-1006 engages CVE Battler at 6,000 yards
Nagaishi C. orders Japanese TF to disengage



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Townsville at 97,144, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
MTB G-550
MTB G-553
MTB G-842
MTB G-843
MTB G-846
MTB G-874
MGB G-875
MGB G-878
MTB G-884
MTB G-885
MGB G-888
MGB G-1005
MTB G-1006

Allied Ships
CVE Battler

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 19,000 yards
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Nagaishi C. orders Japanese TF to disengage

[topeverest]

My esteemed opponent doesn't have the moniker "Admiral Kamikaze for nothing!

Yet another unsuccessful attack on Townsville, though I do believe he did that to occupy CAP and potentially divert any Naval air attacks I could launch from there. (I have no naval
attack planes there. It's basically a fighter base only.

Morning Air attack on Townsville , at 92,144

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 119 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 35 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Sen Baku x 18
A6M5b Zero x 48
A6M5c Zero x 25
D4Y3 Judy x 7
G4M1 Betty x 20
G4M3a Betty x 6
N1K1 Rex x 27
N1K2-J George x 54
P1Y2 Frances x 27
Ki-49-IIb Helen x 35
Ki-84a Frank x 11

Allied aircraft
Spitfire VIII x 20
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 132
F4U-1 Corsair x 36
F4U-1A Corsair x 90

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Sen Baku: 7 destroyed, 1 damaged
A6M2 Sen Baku: 1 destroyed by flak
A6M5b Zero: 4 destroyed
A6M5c Zero: 3 destroyed
D4Y3 Judy: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
G4M3a Betty: 3 destroyed
N1K1 Rex: 6 destroyed
N1K2-J George: 5 destroyed
P1Y2 Frances: 17 destroyed, 3 damaged
P1Y2 Frances: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 10 destroyed, 6 damaged
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D25 Thunderbolt: 9 damaged
P-47D25 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed on ground
F4U-1A Corsair: 1 damaged
A-26B Invader: 1 destroyed on ground
F-5E Lightning: 2 destroyed on ground
PB2Y-5 Coronado: 1 destroyed on ground
A-26C Invader: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Airbase hits 18
Runway hits 56

[topeverest]

engineers repaired Townsville to zero damage by the next turn.

[topeverest]

Magnificent results in this Morning combat

Morning Air attack on TF, near Deboyne Islands at 100,140

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 17
A6M5b Zero x 27
A6M5c Zero x 15

Allied aircraft
Avenger II x 33
TBM-1C Avenger x 160
TBM-3 Avenger x 16

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Avenger II: 3 damaged
Avenger II: 1 destroyed by flak
TBM-1C Avenger: 9 destroyed, 22 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 2 destroyed by flak
TBM-3 Avenger: 2 damaged
TBM-3 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk
BB Pigwa San, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk
BB Kyushu, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk
BB Iokan, Torpedo hits 7, and is sunk
CA Aoba, Torpedo hits 1
BB Mutsu, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
DD Uruwashii #1, Torpedo hits 1
CL Abukuma
CA Gifu
CA Chokai, Torpedo hits 2
CA Haguro
CA Myoko

[topeverest]

in the afternoon

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Milne Bay at 99,140

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 8
A6M5c Zero x 7

Allied aircraft
Avenger II x 9
TBM-1C Avenger x 79

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Avenger II: 2 damaged
Avenger II: 1 destroyed by flak
TBM-1C Avenger: 10 destroyed, 22 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Torpedo hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nagato, Torpedo hits 6, and is sunk
DD Kiri, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Momi, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Ume
DD Giri #1
DD Bi #3

[topeverest]

and this final attack

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Deboyne Islands at 100,140

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
A6M5b Zero x 27
A6M5c Zero x 15

Allied aircraft
Avenger II x 23
TBM-1C Avenger x 61
TBM-3 Avenger x 20

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Avenger II: 8 destroyed, 4 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 19 destroyed, 11 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 2 destroyed by flak
TBM-3 Avenger: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
CL Abukuma
DD Asuka #1
CA Myoko
CA Gifu
CA Chokai, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
DD Pigwa #2
DD Uruwashii #1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CA Haguro
DD Uruwashii #3

[topeverest]

Here is the map for that turn.

[topeverest]

Driving it home

[topeverest]

Now the somewhat bad news. As can be seen in the above maps, the allies retired east and south towards Noumea 5 hexes. I set my cap to 0 hexes CAP 50. I really didn't foresee another day of combat and accidentally didn't change my torpedo airframes in the CVE TF. end result, my mistake allowed me to attack and maul 6BB and 2CA. despite having his CAP 6 hexes away, he was able to get more than 150 of those unescorted avengers.

Still I'd do that trade any day of the week. had he moved his CV's in closer, the empire would have shot down all those planes - and I would have been a real idiot.

ironic that I made a massive mistake and did not have to pay for it.

[topeverest]

The end of this empire force as effective force

Ground combat at 89,145 (near Hughenden)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 94991 troops, 1959 guns, 6859 vehicles, Assault Value = 3928

Defending force 12842 troops, 230 guns, 203 vehicles, Assault Value = 227

Allied adjusted assault: 2644

Japanese adjusted defense: 27

Allied assault odds: 97 to 1

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

Japanese ground losses:
7204 casualties reported
Squads: 455 destroyed, 62 disabled
Non Combat: 310 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 25 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 132 (111 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 226 (223 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Units destroyed 2

Allied ground losses:
203 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Vehicles lost 41 (2 destroyed, 39 disabled)

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
Q Alexandra's (Mtd) Regiment
Otago (Mtd) Rifles Regiment
627th Tank Destroyer Battalion
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
4th USMC Tank Battalion
3rd Infantry Division
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
757th Tank Battalion
6th Armoured Division
710th Tank Battalion
44th Infantry Division
1st USMC Tank Battalion
Manawatu's (Mtd) Regiment
13th Armoured Division
640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
7th Mot Infantry Division
5th Armoured Division
104th Mech Cavalry Regiment
1st USMC Corps Tank Battalion
Waikito (Mtd) Rifle Regiment
151st Combat Engineer Regiment
716th Tank Battalion
766th Tank Battalion
767th Tank Battalion
41st Infantry Division
Well'n's East (Mtd) Regiment
Americal Infantry Division
Nth Auckland (Mtd) Regiment
1st USMC Amphb Tank Battalion
44th Tank Battalion
775th Tank Battalion
641st Towed Tank Destroyer Battalion
3rd NZ Armoured Sqn
7th Infantry Division
Alaska Defense Cmd
I US Corps
Sixth US Army
XIV US Corps
X US Corps
Tenth US Army
IX US Corps

Defending units:
7th Tank Division
288th Division
98th Division
11th/C Division
144th Division
131st Naval Construction Battalion
19th JNAF AF Unit

[topeverest]

Took 4 more torpedoes. Wow

Navies otherwise have disengaged

[topeverest]

Another 113 empire airframes destroyed at Townsville at a cost of 10 allied. Supremacy is here to stay

[topeverest]

Not sure what you mean. Should I be using it or him?

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

one acronym........LRCAP

[BBfanboy]

WOW! That was one horrific slaughter for the IJN! Six BBs and 2 CAs sunk and one more BB certain to follow! The Japanese
SC superiority just disappeared. You may have been lucky on your mistake, but he made a really big one, knowing you had your
buzz saw in the area. Well done! [&o][&o]