Matrix Games Forums

My raiding TF executes a Death Blossom, sending sorties in every direction, and bags a few more prizes. [:D] Afternoon sorties were not as successful, misses and a torp hit on an LST that didn’t detonate.

Allies try another deliberate attack at Pagan. Odds still heavily in my favor, I suffer more squads disabled but kill off a couple guns and vehicles. With so much armor in his force, I don’t think I can hurt him too bad, but I think I can hold out as long as I have supply.

Time for my CVL Strike force to head for home. It’s been a good cruise, not only did I sink/damage a number of ships, I have disrupted the flow of his follow-on waves, hopefully buying some time for my defenders. Of course, I still have a ways to go to get home, and making it in one piece would be a bonus! [;)]

I stand down my TBs, putting them all on close-in ASW. I split off CA Chokai, with an aggressive commander, to chase the LST group and keep Al guessing whether I’m still in the area. I also have a Glen sub in the area that is scouting ahead to the south (and tracking the large transport convoy I saw last turn).

I’ve shifted some more search assets to the north to help detect his CVTFs if they do move north to intercept. Early on, I flew a slice of AvSpt up to Marcus Island, and I’ve used a couple DDs to shuttle some supplies there via Fast Transport. The Nells have been my ‘searchlight’, originally focused on Wake and now shifted north to cover the CVL’s route. The Irvings there are on random arcs for general coverage. I’ve shifted some more search assets to the north to help detect his CVTFs if they do move north to intercept. Early on, I flew a slice of AvSpt up to Marcus Island, and I’ve used a couple DDs to shuttle some supplies there via Fast Transport. The Nells have been my ‘searchlight’, originally focused on Wake and now shifted north to cover the CVL’s route. The Irvings there are on random arcs for general coverage. I also have a handful of planes at Pagan (don’t want to put too much there while it’s under attack).

23 JUNE

The turn opens with a scene from every JFB’s dreams… a couple cruisers loose in a sea of transports!!

But, it was not to be… Radar detection from both sides at long range, and both sides evade combat.

I was furious at the Japanese commander [:@] until I looked after the combat replay, and remembered that was a Fast Transport TF, not SCTF mode….[8|]

What a missed opportunity. However, the good news is I did not get any unloading messages, and the TF isn’t showing up near Tinian afterward, so I may at least have delayed his landing when he ran away.

North Pacific
Splitting the Chokai off paid dividends, I caught one of the straggler TFs and sunk a DD and an AO (heard the sinking sound afterward). CVLs moved NW and have no detection now, time to slip through the North Pacific. One of my subs is still tracking his APA convoy, and I’m moving a couple more to intercept.

I am assuming he will try to redirect that transport TF back to Tinian, maybe with a stronger escort. I think it’s time I commit my BBs – they are in position for a full-speed night run into Tinian. I am also going to position my CVs to strike if he does move the TF back in. I had the CV and CVL of CarDiv2 covering the BBs, I’m moving KB up as well. They will be 6 hexes away from Tinian, and I set my range to 6, I don’t want to tangle with his CVs offshore if I can help it.

To help mitigate his CAP/LRCAP, I moved a couple extra squadrons of ground-based Zeros onto Saipan and Guam, and am having them sweep first at 20K, as well as one of the CV squadrons. From my spotting, I only see one CVTF (CVL/CVE) 3 hexes east of Tinian. Last reported positions of his big CVTFs were to the east, one headed NE toward Marcus/Wake (hunting my CVLs I assume) and one heading SE toward Truk/Ponape. Of course, they may just be hiding in the weather ready to pounce, but I have to gamble in this scenario, and now seems as good a time as any.

For those reading the AAR, I'd like some feedback on format/organization. I tended to just move sequentially through the turn, but I've been trying to focus one post on each area, with a picture edited to summarize events throughout the turn in that area. Does that make it easier to follow, or is it more confusing? With the one pic per post restriction, it was taking too many posts to show the combat results, then the aftermath map in each area. Any comments?

24 JUNE

Things didn’t go quite like I planned, but overall I can’t complain too much about the results. He did move his transport TF back into Tinian, but somehow my BB TF missed them. My BB TF was set on full speed, so I think they went in at night, his TF wasn’t there yet, and headed back out before he arrived (fuel remaining shows they burned enough for a full-speed run). [8|]

My CVs were in range, however, and when day broke they found his landing TF. My escorts burned through his CAP and my Jills, Judys, and 4 straggler Vals found a target-rich environment! AGC and DE sunk outright, 9 more burning, over 2,000 ground casualties.

I never saw my sweep missions go in, I had set several of my squadrons to sweep at Tinian – I was trying to remember if I could sweep my own base? [&:] I’m used to sweeps at airfields going as stand-alone missions, so this one confused me a bit. Looking at the combat report afterward, however, it seems that the sweeping aircraft did go in with the strikes. I’m showing the full combat report, so you can see that they were included (which explains the high number of aircraft).

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tinian at 108,94
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 112 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Sen Baku x 16
A6M5 Zero x 65
B6N1 Jill x 26
D3A2 Val x 4
D4Y1 Judy x 30
Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 43
F6F-3N Hellcat x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Sen Baku: 2 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 5 destroyed
B6N1 Jill: 5 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 2 destroyed by flak
D4Y1 Judy: 7 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 4 destroyed
Allied Ships
DE Lyman, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
AGC Appalachian, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
APA Frederick Funston, Bomb hits 1, on fire
APA Bolivar, Bomb hits 1, on fire
APA Doyen, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AKA Almaack, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AKA Fomalhaut, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AKA Alhena
DE Acree, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAP Cape Douglas, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DE Lovering
AO Kaskaskia, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
LST-599, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
APA Sumter
APA Fremont, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
Allied ground losses:
2093 casualties reported [X(]
Squads: 41 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 57 destroyed, 50 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 63 (60 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 14 (13 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
16 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet
6 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
2 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
6 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
9 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet
1 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
7 x A6M2 Sen Baku sweeping at 15000 feet
3 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
10 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet
4 x D3A2 Val releasing from 1000' *
Naval Attack: 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
9 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
8 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
3 x A6M2 Sen Baku sweeping at 15000 feet
7 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
2 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 15000 feet
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VF-8 with F6F-3 Hellcat (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(27 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 24 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes
VF(N)-77 Det 1 with F6F-3N Hellcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 5 minutes
VF-14 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 12 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
VF-1 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 23 minutes

Massive explosion on AGC Appalachian
Magazine explodes on DE Lyman
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring APA Bolivar
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring LST-599

Then things started to get ugly. First, the Hiyo’s group went in without escorts and was decimated (checking afterward, I had left one of the Hiyo’s fighter groups at 20K altitude, that may have caused it). [&:] Somehow, without any hits, I still caused some casualties. Anyway, I lost a few more attack aircraft, and for some reason I didn’t fly any afternoon sorties. You can see the Hiyo afterward.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tinian at 108,94
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid detected at 76 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 28 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N2 Jill x 6
D3A2 Val x 16
Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 25
F6F-3N Hellcat x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2 Jill: 4 destroyed
D3A2 Val: 12 destroyed
No Allied losses
Allied ground losses:
40 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Now it was his turn. I mentioned last turn I had redirected a fast transport TF to Guam, with orders set to auto-disband. Unfortunately, it took too long for them to unload, so they were spotted at daybreak, and he sent multiple carrier strikes in. He was having coordination problems too, his sorties kept coming in without escorts. My CAP did pretty good, but having my two biggest squadrons at Guam on Sweep meant they weren’t available for CAP, so after multiple raids they didn’t put up much resistance.

Still, my CAs and DDs did a great job of dodging everything he threw at them, I took a few hits on CL Noshiro, and CA Chikuma finally took a couple bombs late in the day. There were five separate attacks, I only listed the first and the last as they were the only ones with hits.

Chikuma is actually not in bad shape, if she is left alone for a while she can be seaworthy again. Plenty of air losses for both sides, but the totals were in my favor, about 50 for him to 40 for me. In this scenario, any advantage for me is a good day.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Guam at 106,95
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid detected at 75 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 32 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1
A6M5 Zero x 13
Allied aircraft
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 18
TBM-1C Avenger x 15
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 6 destroyed, 10 damaged
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 destroyed by flak
TBM-1C Avenger: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Tone
CL Noshiro, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Hayanami
CA Chikuma

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Guam at 106,95
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Allied aircraft
SB2C-3 Helldiver x 22
Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-3 Helldiver: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CA Tone
DD Asashimo
CL Noshiro, on fire, heavy damage
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CA Chikuma

My Fast Transport DDs arrive with their precious cargo of Naval Support, bringing Iwo Jima to the magic number of 88 – I can reload my 20cm CAs now! [:D]

CVL Strike TF still headed back, currently under Extreme Overcast, which is fine with me. Al said he had picket ships out looking for my CV TF, but I haven’t spotted any yet this far north. I shift some search squadrons around, including a new group of Betty 2a that have radar out of Iwo to look down their path.

The Allied TF at Tinian unloads in the late-turn phase. Comparing our bombardment attacks with last turn, the only new unit was the 111th RCT. Total AV went up almost 60, but some of that may be recovering disruption.

Here’s the situation at the end of the turn. I’m sure he will be looking for my CVs now, but I am going to pull KB back to the NW, instead of running to rearm. They’ve only used one sortie, and if he concentrates his CVs to the south I may have a chance at that large amphib TF I was tracking last turn in the north, that seems headed to Pagan. I am also sending a couple CAs from Ulithi NW to join them, and I have another TF w/2CAs from Iwo that is hovering within strike range of Pagan.

However, I do want to disrupt his landing at Tinian. The BBs are still about 7 hexes W, so they are ordered to go in again tonight. If he leaves the undamaged ships at Tinian to unload, the heavy BBs shouldn’t have trouble finding targets. I also send the survivors of the raid at Guam (CA Tone and a couple DDs) into Tinian. We knew this mission was a one-way trip for most of the Combined Fleet, we have targets in our sights… Banzai! [:D]

CarDiv 2, with the defanged Hiyo, is going to head back to Pelielu, and see if I can pick up some more aircraft. (Junyo, by the way, has repaired a little system damage in port and I was able to get her fighters off). I send the scraps of land-based Jills and Judys I have left to Guam, range 2, to try and hit any remnants at Tinian.

25 JUNE

As usual, no plan survives contact with the enemy. [;)] The great Banzai! Charge of the Battleships didn’t happen, but on balance the turn went in my favor.

The opening move was as expected, CA Tone and 3 DDs caught transports at Tinian. However, most of his convoy had fled overnight, I only caught two ships, and sank them both. The BBs did arrive later, but there was nothing for them to fight.

Bombardment results show he unloaded more of the 111th RCT from the LSD before it sunk (no longer a fragment), but only about 20 more raw AV.

Ground combat at Tinian (108,94)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 13552 troops, 131 guns, 58 vehicles, Assault Value = 689
Defending force 17839 troops, 315 guns, 367 vehicles, Assault Value = 432
Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
56th Naval Guard Unit
I./135th Infantry Battalion
18th Indpt Tank Co
50th Infantry Regiment
14th Division
23rd Air Flotilla
20th JAAF AF Bn
7th Naval Construction Battalion
11th JNAF AF Unit
233rd Construction Battalion
12th JNAF AF Unit
Defending units:
27th Infantry Division
305th Regimental Combat Team
111th Regimental Combat Team
773rd Amphib Tractr Battalion
5th Amphib Tractor Battalion
III US Amphib Corps
236th USN Base Force

The Tone group ran back to Guam, but didn’t get into their coffins before daybreak, and were subjected to three waves of carrier strikes. Seeing his CV strikes from a range of 10 is still unnerving to me. Tone’s helmsman did a great job, avoiding almost everything he threw at them (another straggler strike of 4 Helldivers was shot down without attacking). One bomb hit, but it’s mostly system damage, so if I can get back to Bab/Pel I should be able to repair her.

After the turn, I decide to pull everything back. My BBTF is spotted (DL6) so I’m lucky his sorties didn’t go after them. He’s also hit a CA two turns in a row at Guam, so I’m probably due for a port strike. He’s got three CVTFs in the area, the lead one includes some BBs, so he may also be considering a bombardment. The SCTFs will pull back west, while KB continues around to the NE, to be prepared to get behind him if he concentrates too much to the south. I think the TF in the south (intel showing DDs and AOs) is the remnant of the original Tinian TF.

Meanwhile, my subs continue to track his APA convoy, which shifted a couple rows south last turn. I’m guessing it was originally intended for Pagan, and he is re-routing to Tinian after I hit the last convoy. But he could also be trying to avoid my CVLs, he knew they were to the north, but they are still unspotted as they return toward Iwo. I re-route my ‘wolfpack’ toward the two expected courses, with my glen sub in the middle. I also am going to try some night NavSearch out of Pagan, to see if that helps my subs react toward him.

26 JUNE

Quiet turn after all the recent action. The only air strike was a handful of Betties going after a TF near Pagan. I had set 2 small squadrons to attack, in case his APA convoy came back north toward Pagan, but they found a TF with a CVE instead. Must be flying LRCAP, or replacement squadron, because my Betties found no CAP, but no hits either. I tightened up the range to 12 for next turn, so they can just reach Pagan, but no further, that also lets my Zeros escort (w/drop tanks).

Other than that, no sorties, no sub attacks, very quiet. We exchange artillery fire on Tinian, but then Al tries a Shock Attack at Pagan. Strange results, my level 4 forts mean the attack comes off at 1-3, but I still suffer most of the casualties. I assume it’s because I have no anti-tank weapons. One thing I noticed, however, is the fragment of 111 RCT, the rest of that unit is at Tinian, so I’m guessing it’s not prepped for Pagan. Forts don’t fall, though, so I think I am safe for a little while longer.