Straight Into the Teeth: A Story of Logistics, Patience, and Firepower

[Lowpe]

Those were converted minesweepers and Momo class E I believe...not super Es.

They could have simply had good captains...I wouldn't change anything based on that one encounter.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
1943 is when the Japanese start to get the "Super E" escort vessels. Many Allied players have complained over the years that they are too effective compared to historical, but the game is not a simulator so it may be a balancing feature to have them for Japan.

Actually I would say this game IS a simulator. My current game in particular has been very balanced. A lot of the ahistoric trends I've seen in AARs like a rapid Chinese collapse are nowhere to be found here.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Interesting about the aircraft losses - the first 10 aircraft types are Japanese. You are doing well in the air war!

Thanks! I am definitely a conservative Allied player so I've been careful with my planes and trying to keep losses low.

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
Those were converted minesweepers and Momo class E I believe...not super Es.

They could have simply had good captains...I wouldn't change anything based on that one encounter.

It was also shallow water which I'm sure made an impact as well. Given how many patrols I have in shallow water I would think this would be more of a trend. But my subs by and large are staying afloat.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
Those were converted minesweepers and Momo class E I believe...not super Es.

They could have simply had good captains...I wouldn't change anything based on that one encounter.

It was also shallow water which I'm sure made an impact as well. Given how many patrols I have in shallow water I would think this would be more of a trend. But my subs by and large are staying afloat.

It is a function somewhat of how many squadrons are flying ASW, their settings, and their coordination with hunter/killer groups.

Japan should be able to punish you pretty reliably in coastal waters now -- if he wants to. It can be click heavy and easier to run heavily protected convoys for example.

[Sangeli]

November 15th

The Japanese SCTF was spotted in the Gilberts again. The BB fleet that was going to bombard Tarawa was ordered to instead intercept at Tarawa to fight off the Japanese. As it would happen, the Japanese wouldn't even reach them:

Sub attack near Makin at 135,125

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Hiei
CB Kasuga
CA Haguro
CA Myoko
DD Fubuki
DD Amagiri
DD Yugiri
DD Asagiri

Allied Ships
SS Cabrilla

And if that wasn't enough:

Sub attack near Tarawa at 135,127

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Haguro

Allied Ships
SS Pargo, hits 1

After 3 torpedoes I'd say most likely the CA Nach is down for the count.

Meanwhile down near Singapore my subs go at it with Japanese E vessels:

Sub attack near Singapore at 51,84

Japanese Ships
E Yanagi, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
E Karii

Allied Ships
SS Truant, hits 6

That was probably an interesting battle for both sides.

Dive bombers managed to catch a lone destroyer near Makin:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Makin at 135,125

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 6 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 34
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 18

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Yunagi, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk

The first attack at Koumac goes well enough:

Ground combat at Koumac (113,156)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20606 troops, 317 guns, 292 vehicles, Assault Value = 815

Defending force 11144 troops, 96 guns, 34 vehicles, Assault Value = 198

Allied adjusted assault: 1111

Japanese adjusted defense: 413

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 6)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 5

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

Japanese ground losses:
1096 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 73 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 22 disabled
Vehicles lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
189 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 35 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st Cavalry (Spec) Cavalry Division
33rd Infantry Division
XI US Corps
148th USA Base Force

Defending units:
53rd/A Division
25th Air Flotilla
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
93rd Base Force
17th JNAF AF Unit

Fort level knocked down a level with 2 to 1 odds. At this rate I should have the base after two more deliberates.

I am debating if I should launch a deliberate at Tarawa tomorrow. I could have 5 BBs bombarding the base at night and 100 bombers dropping bombs during the day. Here is the latest bombardment:

Ground combat at Tarawa (136,128)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 12609 troops, 459 guns, 235 vehicles, Assault Value = 364

Defending force 10308 troops, 201 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 133

Japanese ground losses:
52 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Assaulting units:
762nd Tank Battalion
3rd Marine Regiment
34th Infantry Regiment
21st Marine Regiment
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
168th Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Marine Defense Battalion
7th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
1st Sasebo Assault Division
85th Naval Guard Unit
24th Air Flotilla
7th JNAF Coy
5th Mortar Battalion
63rd Field AA Battalion
24th Special Base Force
1st ADU Coastal Gun Regiment
6th IJN AA Battalion

Is it too early to try to attack again? Keep in mind that the fort is level 6 and my infantry regiments still have large numbers of disabled rifle squads (everything else is in pretty good shape, however). I also have another fully prepped infantry regiment headed to Tarawa but I don't think it would be wise to land it until the fort is level 4 or below.

[Capt. Harlock]

Interesting about the aircraft losses - the first 10 aircraft types are Japanese. You are doing well in the air war!

+1

Achieving a 1.7:1 loss ratio by November '43 is no mean feat. I am interested that your C-47 losses are so high, and mostly from ops. Is that mostly flying "the Hump" or have you been supplying a number of other places?

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Interesting about the aircraft losses - the first 10 aircraft types are Japanese. You are doing well in the air war!

+1

Achieving a 1.7:1 loss ratio by November '43 is no mean feat. I am interested that your C-47 losses are so high, and mostly from ops. Is that mostly flying "the Hump" or have you been supplying a number of other places?

There was a time when I actually had nearly 2.0:1 loss ratio back in late 42 I believe. Result of careful bombing and timely CAP traps.

Yes, C-47 losses are really bad. I actually am not flying any missions over the hump currently. Most C-47 losses are supporting operations in Burma. Previously I was also supplying units just south of Darwin who advanced from the interior but with Darwin in my hands obviously that has discontinued.

[Sangeli]

And if you want to know why I was able to achieve such good K/D ratios with my planes, just take a look at the amazing B-17E squadron exactly a year ago from the current date:



That's not a mistake. Not a SINGLE plane lost in A2A or flak nor were any pilots lost either on their road to 50 kills. Have you evers seen a squadron with 50-0 kill to loss ratio....much less for a bomber squadron? Mind you this was November 1942 so this squadron had been operational for months. How did I do it? Night bombing! If there is one thing that is way out of whack in this game it's night bombing which is why we have house rules on it. Though recently night bombing has been more rare; even if survivability is better at night the damage done during the day is greater.

[BBfanboy]

At Tarawa I would not try a DA against level 6 forts with only 3:1 advantage in raw AV. The number of losses in that bombardment do not convince me the defenders are disrupted enough yet. A few more days with the naval bombardment and bombing you mentioned and it should be a different matter.

[Sangeli]

November 16th 1943

Thanks for your input BBFanboy. I did not order a deliberate at Tarawa.

Today my subs had yet another great day. How many days like this can the empire take? 20? 30?

Sub attack near Amami Oshima at 97,62

Japanese Ships
TK Kashara Maru, Torpedo hits 1
TB Chidori

Allied Ships
SS Steelhead


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Submarine attack near Kochi at 106,62

Japanese Ships
TK Shinan Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo


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Sub attack near Nagoya at 110,62

Japanese Ships
TK Nikkoku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PB Rumonoe Maru

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo

The Captain of SS Wahoo deserves a fist full of medals after putting torpedoes into two different tankers in the same day.

And it was almost even better:

Sub attack near Ailinglaplap at 131,117

Japanese Ships
CA Haguro

Allied Ships
SS Hoe

SS Hoe launches 4 torpedoes
Hoe diving deep ....
Sub escapes detection

Damn. Don't get many opportunities to fire on a Japanese CA without escort. Not sure why this opportunity arose.

Another deliberate at Koumac:

Ground combat at Koumac (113,156)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20456 troops, 317 guns, 293 vehicles, Assault Value = 784

Defending force 10410 troops, 96 guns, 33 vehicles, Assault Value = 130

Allied adjusted assault: 2182

Japanese adjusted defense: 675

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 5)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 4

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

Japanese ground losses:
183 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
81 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

No doubt the base should fall tomorrow.

[Capt. Harlock]

Ground combat at Koumac (113,156)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 20456 troops, 317 guns, 293 vehicles, Assault Value = 784

Defending force 10410 troops, 96 guns, 33 vehicles, Assault Value = 130

Allied adjusted assault: 2182

Japanese adjusted defense: 675

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 5)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 4

Slow and steady wins the race!

[Sangeli]

November 17th-20th 1943

Well it took two more deliberate attacks but Koumac fell easily enough.

And today I launched my invasion of Nauru. The Japanese did not do much to counter the invasion at first. Just some night naval attacks, subs, and a small destroyer squadron making a sortie. Yet they managed to get a few shots in:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Nauru Island at 126,127, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Fubuki, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Asagiri

Allied Ships
BB South Dakota, Torpedo hits 1
BB Massachusetts
BC Dunkerque
BC Strasbourg
DD Beale
DD Bradford
DD Dashiell
DD Eaton, Shell hits 1
DD Guest
DD Hazelwood
DD Ringgold
DD Strong
DD Duncan
DD Frankford
DD Reid
DD Clark
DMS Hamilton


Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 42% moonlight: 11,000 yards
Range closes to 27,000 yards...
Range closes to 25,000 yards...
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 21,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 15,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 15,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards

Gotta screen the fast BBs better than that.

And Japanese subs managed to find their mark as well:

Sub attack near Nauru Island at 127,128

Japanese Ships
SS RO-65, hits 2

Allied Ships
CVE Sangamon, Torpedo hits 1
CLAA San Juan
DE Wileman
DD John D. Ford
DD Alden
DD Balch
DD Case

And finally here was the attack at Nauru:

Ground combat at Nauru Island (127,128)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 24129 troops, 501 guns, 433 vehicles, Assault Value = 833

Defending force 16532 troops, 157 guns, 22 vehicles, Assault Value = 273

Allied adjusted assault: 47

Japanese adjusted defense: 197

Allied assault odds: 1 to 4 (fort level 6)

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

Japanese ground losses:
2343 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 186 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 50 (1 destroyed, 49 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
4426 casualties reported
Squads: 77 destroyed, 381 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 95 disabled
Engineers: 39 destroyed, 77 disabled
Guns lost 144 (12 destroyed, 132 disabled)
Vehicles lost 110 (35 destroyed, 75 disabled)

Assaulting units:
24th Marine Regiment
7th Infantry Div /11
19th Infantry Regiment
754th Tank Battalion
102nd Combat Engr Rgt /15
226th Field Artillery Battalion
7th Marine Defense Battalion
249th Field Artillery Battalion
9th Marine Def Bn /2

Defending units:
26th Ind.Mixed Brigade
88th Naval Guard Unit
90th Nav Gd /3
21st Air Flotilla
37th JNAF AF Unit
4th Fleet
2nd Naval Construction Battalion
32nd Special Base Force
40th JNAF AF Unit
1st IJN AA Battalion

Uggh. That was a rough attack. I had an amphibious HQ loaded on an AGC here was well. Was hoping that bringing a combat engineer regiment in addition to all that firepower would at least get me a fort drop on the landing. Looks like it's going to be another long battle here.

Now I'm not sure what I'll do next. I have more guys prepped for landings in the Marshalls but I'm also still mirred at Tarawa. Probably better to hit Tarawa again with all I've got and launch at least one deliberate before moving on to other targets. These atoll invasion are a slow process when you're faced with level 6 forts.

[zuluhour]

I read a little about that little island of hell since my own debacle, that place deserves to be bypassed. Sometimes I think
there is something "under the hood" effecting some of these little places. 

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour
I read a little about that little island of hell since my own debacle, that place deserves to be bypassed. Sometimes I think
there is something "under the hood" effecting some of these little places. 

Well Nauru is just one of those bases I feel like you have to take as the Allies in the Pacific because of the geography. But really I think its just a dice roll and I got a bad one here, like I did at Tarawa. On the other hand my first big invasion at Tabiteuea was a piece of cake and I took the base in a single day with light casualties knocking down two forts in the landing. Anyways I shouldn't complain too much...my atoll invasions are no more bloody on average than historical.

[BBfanboy]

Sangeli:
Ground combat at Nauru Island (127,128)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 24129 troops, 501 guns, 433 vehicles, Assault Value = 833

Defending force 16532 troops, 157 guns, 22 vehicles, Assault Value = 273

Allied adjusted assault: 47

Japanese adjusted defense: 197

Allied assault odds: 1 to 4 (fort level 6)

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

Japanese ground losses:
2343 casualties reported
Squads: 14 destroyed, 186 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 50 (1 destroyed, 49 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
4426 casualties reported
Squads: 77 destroyed, 381 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 95 disabled
Engineers: 39 destroyed, 77 disabled
Guns lost 144 (12 destroyed, 132 disabled)
Vehicles lost 110 (35 destroyed, 75 disabled)

Looks like you dropped a little over half your AV, but he dropped about 80% of his. Rest a day or two and try a DA. Bomb and bombard him in the meantime.

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Rest a day or two and try a DA. Bomb and bombard him in the meantime.

The real question is should I focus my firepower Nauru or Tarawa? Here is the latest bombardment at Tarawa as a point of reference:

Ground combat at Tarawa (136,128)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 12718 troops, 463 guns, 234 vehicles, Assault Value = 384

Defending force 10277 troops, 196 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 135

Japanese ground losses:
93 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
762nd Tank Battalion
34th Infantry Regiment
21st Marine Regiment
3rd Marine Regiment
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
2nd Marine Defense Battalion
168th Field Artillery Regiment
7th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
1st Sasebo Assault Division
85th Naval Guard Unit
82nd Nav Gd /2
7th JNAF Coy
24th Air Flotilla
1st ADU Coastal Gun Regiment
24th Special Base Force
63rd Field AA Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion
6th IJN AA Battalion

Not sure how I should play this. My initial plan was to leave Nauru alone while focusing everything on Tarawa which is closer to my rearmament ships. I also have fully prepped IR ready for Tarawa but I'm not sure when I should land that either. I'm thinking to wait until I get the fort down to level 4 then land the regiment to take the base outright with shock attack with the units already there.

[BBfanboy]

Yeah, it looks like you need to wrap up Tarawa first. I like the plan of not landing the IR until the forts are down a notch or two. Bombs away!

[Sangeli]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Yeah, it looks like you need to wrap up Tarawa first. I like the plan of not landing the IR until the forts are down a notch or two. Bombs away!

Actually I mulled this over last night and I decided Nauru needs to be priority #1 because it sits in 2x terrain and could be possibly reinforced from Truk. Getting stuck there for long could really throw a wrench in my plans while I can temporarily bypass Tarawa without issue.

So what I will do is bring forward all my ammunition ships to Ocean island (5 hexes from Nauru) and blast away until I take Nauru. With a dozen battleships and cruisers apeice on hand it should be a sight to behold.

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Yeah, it looks like you need to wrap up Tarawa first. I like the plan of not landing the IR until the forts are down a notch or two. Bombs away!

Actually I mulled this over last night and I decided Nauru needs to be priority #1 because it sits in 2x terrain and could be possibly reinforced from Truk. Getting stuck there for long could really throw a wrench in my plans while I can temporarily bypass Tarawa without issue.

So what I will do is bring forward all my ammunition ships to Ocean island (5 hexes from Nauru) and blast away until I take Nauru. With a dozen battleships and cruisers apeice on hand it should be a sight to behold.

Not only a sight to behold, but you won't need to take along any flashlights!

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Sangeli]

November 21st 1943

Another nice sub victory against a tanker:

Sub attack near Boela at 80,109

Japanese Ships
TK Samui Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PB Nunobiki Maru

Allied Ships
SS KXVI

Gave the troops at Nauru a real fireworks display in the night:

Night Naval bombardment of Nauru Island at 127,128 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

19 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB California, Shell hits 1
BB Pennsylvania
BB Oklahoma
BB Colorado
DD Le Hardi
DD Paulding
DD Gilmer
DD Stuart
DD Litchfield
DD Sterett
DD Fanning
DD Helm
DD Blue
DD Hammann
DD Laffey
DD Gwin
DD Taylor
DD Stanly
DD Sigsbee
DD DeHaven
DD Bullard

Japanese ground losses:
154 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Resources hits 1
Airbase hits 21
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 31
Port hits 31
Port fuel hits 8
Port supply hits 6


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Night Naval bombardment of Nauru Island at 127,128 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

13 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Massachusetts
BB Indiana
BB South Dakota
BB Montana
BC Strasbourg
BC Dunkerque
DD Clark
DD Reid
DD Frankford
DD Duncan
DD Strong
DD Ringgold
DD Hazelwood
DD Guest
DD Eaton
DD Dashiell
DD Bradford
DD Beale
DMS Hamilton

Japanese ground losses:
904 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Resources hits 1
Airbase hits 17
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 44
Port hits 17
Port fuel hits 5
Port supply hits 2


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Night Naval bombardment of Nauru Island at 127,128

Allied Ships
CA Frobisher
CA Northampton
CL Phoenix
CL Boise
CL Leander
DD Hatfield
DD Sands
DD Brooks
DD Stewart
DD Benham
DD Maury
DD Doyle
DD Farenholt

Japanese ground losses:
211 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 31 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 24
Port hits 10
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1


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Night Naval bombardment of Nauru Island at 127,128 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

8 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BC Repulse
DD Gridley
DD Caldwell
DD Claxton

Japanese ground losses:
106 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Port hits 1

And here is what Nauru looks like now:

Ground combat at Nauru Island (127,128)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 19414 troops, 503 guns, 391 vehicles, Assault Value = 352

Defending force 13775 troops, 158 guns, 21 vehicles, Assault Value = 106

Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
19th Infantry Regiment
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
754th Tank Battalion
24th Marine Regiment
7th Infantry Division
226th Field Artillery Battalion
249th Field Artillery Battalion
9th Marine Defense Battalion
7th Marine Defense Battalion

Defending units:
26th Ind.Mixed Brigade
88th Naval Guard Unit
1st IJN AA Battalion
4th Fleet
2nd Naval Construction Battalion
40th JNAF AF Unit
37th JNAF AF Unit
21st Air Flotilla
32nd Special Base Force
90th Nav Gd /3

Not a huge edge in AV but with those sorts of bombardments the Japanese defenders will crumble soon.

Meanwhile back at Tarawa it seems the Japanese were able to sneak in a naval guard battalion under my nose:

Ground combat at Tarawa (136,128)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 12751 troops, 463 guns, 234 vehicles, Assault Value = 387

Defending force 10987 troops, 203 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 169

Japanese ground losses:
126 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 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:
21st Marine Regiment
34th Infantry Regiment
762nd Tank Battalion
3rd Marine Regiment
3rd USMC Tank Battalion
168th Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Marine Defense Battalion
7th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
85th Naval Guard Unit
1st Sasebo Assault Division
82nd Nav Gd /2
5th Mortar Battalion
63rd Field AA Battalion
7th JNAF Coy
24th Air Flotilla
24th Special Base Force
1st ADU Coastal Gun Regiment
6th IJN AA Battalion

I had the Japanese AV down to about 120 before that so it looks like I missed a window. Bummer. Not going to waste shells and bombs here while I'm pressing Nauru hard.

[BBfanboy]

Looking good at Nauru!
He must be flying in that NG unit. Do you have any way of LRCAPing Tarawa?