For Andy - Demolishing the Evil Empire - Downfall

[JeffroK]

Trying out the Downfall Scenario designed by AndyMac.

Great work, some little probs as listed, some have been fixed for v3.

As mentioned, far too many ships in some ports such as PH & SF.
Palau needs to be a bigger port if the BPF starts there.
Obsolete aircraft on both USN & RN Carriers and I think, but am not sure, that some of the CV (maybe other ships too) are in early war configuration.
Ships are due for removal, but arent on map, so I keep losing PP and therefore cant replace those LtCol in charge of Divisions.
I've had the night combat report problem too.
Picky, iff 10th Australian Div arrives, 7th & 9th should be withdrawn as they and 6th Div (offmap) provided the men for the new Division.

If I see any other probs I'll list them.

Sept 1, 1945
Allied forces get the all clear to proceed with further offensive action against Japan. But MAGIC(I played a couple of first weeks [:D]before this) has picked up orders for a major air offensive by the IJAAF against Allied positions.
Day 1 therefore saw USAAF, USMC, USN, RAAF & RAF fighters being put on CAP to defend against this.
8th Army started prepping its troops for Formosa, an early invasion would go into Kaki with the intention of basing Tiger Force & USAAF Heavies once secure.
The IJAAF attacks came on in strength, hundreds shot down but they kept coming. This offensive would continue (Andy, can the AI be scripted to stop this after x% of losses?) but the USAAF could start offensive attacks with it fighter force


By 10 Sept, 3 Marine Divs hit the beaches of Kaki and immediately secured a bridgehead, in the next week they moved on to Takao and surprisingly (after 3 weeks of air attack and 2 SCTF bombardments) cleared the town in 1 day and captured its L8 airfield.

The Marines and 2 Army Divs then moved back through Kaki and took Taichu and moved on towards Taokaku(sp?). Then Andys sneaky AI moved across the island to assault Taichu but found 11th Airborne which was being airlifted from Clark Field and a fresh US Army Infantry Div and were thrown back easily.

The biggest surprise was when I sent 2 x CVTF (Each 3CV, 1CVL, 1BB, 1CB, 2CA, 2CL, 2CLAA & 13DD) northwards to test the waters (and air) off Tokyo.

I believe they were hit by in excess of 1000 sorties which in raid after raid managed to swamp the CAP and hit the Carriers.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Torishima at 112,68

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 160 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 53 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 3
A6M5 Zero x 15
A6M8 Zero x 27
B6N2 Jill x 18
J2M5 Jack x 27
N1K5-J George x 24
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 5
Ki-84a Frank x 11
Ki-84r Frank x 21



Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 16
F6F-5 Hellcat x 43


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2-N Rufe: 2 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 2 destroyed
A6M8 Zero: 1 destroyed
B6N2 Jill: 9 destroyed
J2M5 Jack: 5 destroyed
N1K5-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Ki-84r Frank: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-5 Hellcat: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Hornet, Kamikaze hits 2
CV Ticonderoga, Kamikaze hits 1
CV Yorktown, Kamikaze hits 2
CVL Cowpens
BB Wisconsin, Kamikaze hits 1
DD Waldron

Morning Air attack on TF, near Torishima at 112,68

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 160 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 48 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y4 Judy x 27
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 10
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 5
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 12
Ki-61-Id Tony x 6
Ki-84a Frank x 21
Ki-84r Frank x 33



Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 1
F6F-5 Hellcat x 3


Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y4 Judy: 14 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-5 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Hornet, on fire
BB Wisconsin
CV Ticonderoga, on fire
CVL Cowpens, Kamikaze hits 1
CV Yorktown, on fire
CL Cleveland
CA Canberra II, Kamikaze hits 1
CL Vicksburg



Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Ki-43-IIIa Oscar sweeping at 8000 feet
5 x Ki-43-IIa Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
2 x Ki-43-IIa Oscar sweeping at 13000 feet
5 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 13000 feet
6 x Ki-61-Id Tony sweeping at 13000 feet *
2 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 13000 feet
5 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 9000 feet
5 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 13000 feet
19 x Ki-84r Frank sweeping at 7000 feet
3 x Ki-43-IIIa Oscar sweeping at 13000 feet
3 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 9000 feet
16 x D4Y4 Judy flying as kamikaze *
Kamikaze: 1 x 500 kg GP Bomb

Surprisingly, after A LOT of chewing of fingernails, not one USN CV was sunk, though I scuttled Cowpens as it had 99flot damage.

I'm pulling in my horns a bit, I'll clear Formosa and the islands south of Kyushu plus relocate a lot of LCU & air units. I'm thinking of an attack near Sendai, and increase my support for non-base landings and am thinking of landings around Tsushima and maybe on islands in the Sea of Japan.

At the end of Sept, Japan has lost 3861 aircraft to 1362 Allied, 126 ships to 26 (mostly SS & AK/LST from amphib attack.)

[CaptBeefheart]

Jeff: Do any of your CVs have F8Fs on deck?

Cheers,
CC

[JeffroK]

CC

I have a few units with the Bearcat, I'm a bit of a Corsair fan and have replaced some Hellcats with the F4U, I prefer the 6 x 50cal of the Corsair over the 4 x 50cal of the Bearcat. Tha RAF has just got the Tempest and I want to see the effect of a good fighter with 4 x 20mm.

Back in the game, another week with Formosa being cleared, now down to one baseon the east coast in Japanese hands, problem is they retreat in one turn and it takes forever to follow them into a mountainous hex.

I assaulted an island just off Kyushu with 503 PIR, using them as bait and running LRCAP out of Okinawa. Finally got a landing craft group to resupply and land some CB's, now awaiting a Regiment and base forces to build it up. (This fleet has an escort of 9+ CV and lots of LRCAP, I've been burned once)

Lots of transport fleets are repositioning troops and airunits, I have part of Tiger Force at Apparri running milk runs into Formosa to gain some experience (for the cream of Bomber Command they are pretty green)

As NAVAM mentioned, the IJA seems brittle, especially after a fortnight of heavy air attack and 2-3 bombardments, maybe those big numbers defending the Home Islands are not as tough as they first look??

Allied sweeps fro Iwo Jima are chewing into the Tokyo CAP, maybe time to swap to Osaka or Nagoya

Morning Air attack on Tokyo , at 114,60
 
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 160 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 46 minutes
 
Japanese aircraft
      A6M5 Zero x 11
      A6M8 Zero x 12
      Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 3
      Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 21
      Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 5
      Ki-43-IV Oscar x 20
      Ki-45 KAIc Nick x 4
      Ki-84a Frank x 1
      Ki-100-I Tony x 3
      Ki-100-II Tony x 5
Allied aircraft
      P-47N Thunderbolt x 18
      P-51D Mustang x 41
      P-51H Mustang x 60
Japanese aircraft losses
      A6M5 Zero: 3 destroyed
      A6M8 Zero: 4 destroyed
      Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 4 destroyed
      Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 2 destroyed
      Ki-43-IV Oscar: 3 destroyed
      Ki-45 KAIc Nick: 1 destroyed
      Ki-100-I Tony: 1 destroyed
      Ki-100-II Tony: 2 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
      33 x P-51H Mustang sweeping at 30000 feet *
       8 x P-47N Thunderbolt sweeping at 30000 feet *
      12 x P-51H Mustang sweeping at 30000 feet *
       7 x P-51D Mustang sweeping at 30000 feet *

Morning Air attack on Tokyo , at 114,60
 
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 160 NM, estimated altitude 36,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 46 minutes
Japanese aircraft
      A6M5 Zero x 30
      A6M8 Zero x 32
      N1K5-J George x 16
      Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 3
      Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 47
      Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 7
      Ki-43-IV Oscar x 8
      Ki-45 KAIc Nick x 12
      Ki-84a Frank x 5
      Ki-84b Frank x 9
      Ki-100-I Tony x 3
      Ki-100-II Tony x 6
Allied aircraft
      P-51D Mustang x 15
      P-51H Mustang x 88
Japanese aircraft losses
      A6M5 Zero: 3 destroyed
      A6M8 Zero: 5 destroyed
      N1K5-J George: 1 destroyed
      Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed
      Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
      Ki-43-IV Oscar: 1 destroyed
      Ki-45 KAIc Nick: 1 destroyed
      Ki-84b Frank: 1 destroyed
      Ki-100-I Tony: 1 destroyed
      Ki-100-II Tony: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
      P-51D Mustang: 1 destroyed
      P-51H Mustang: 1 destroyed
 
 

[JeffroK]

Its now late October 45, US land forces ayre closing on the last base on Formosa, but its veeery slow. A spoiling attack by 2 IJA Bdes on Taikoku reset the movement earned. The 8+ Divs easily repulsed them and are back onto the attack. A smaller force (2+ Divs) is moving up from the south and 1tth Airborne is trying to cross the mountains.

My foothold on Tanegeshima, 1 hex off Kyushu, has been reinforced, and drew out the enemy air in big numbers. Over 3 days I would guess more than 3000 sorties, for a bomb hit on a CV, a torp into a CVE and a kami hit on an AP. Once an airfield is up the USMC will move in and plaster Kyushu.  I have about 8 Divs prepping for it and the Formosa force will be the 2nd wave.  The Australians will get Anami Shima, 2 Divs + should clean up the island.

At the same time the Iwo Jima based P51 & P47 are moving around the Central Honshu airbases and regularly claiming 30+ victories against 1-2 losses.

An IJN CVTF has been hovering around Tsushima, both sides have been sending small, underescorted strikes which have achieved nil, soon to change as a CVTF based on USS Midway is on its way!

At 21/10/45, Japanese air losses are at 6771 against 1926 Allied.

[NAVMAN]

Hi Jeff,
I have not yet committed my CVs to action. I'm witholding them till I start the invasion
"proper" and am using CVLs and CVEs to support the amphips and supply convoys at this point. I have not yet decided on the best way to use the CVs, probably use them
in support of the landings outside of Tokyo. The landings on the s. islands can be covered
by lba.

Thx.

[JeffroK]

Where ever you send the CV's, send them in big numbers. Japanese air has the potential to swamp them and get hits when your CAP wears out.

[JeffroK]

"Something's wrong with our ships today, steer the Carley Float 2 points closer to the enemy!!"

The RN TF was at Singapore with reaction set at 6.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Singapore at 50,84, Range 12,000 Yards
 
Japanese Ships
      CA Takao, Shell hits 1
      DD Kiri
      DD Sawakaze, Shell hits 1
      DD Yukaze, Shell hits 1
      DD Murakaze, Shell hits 2,  on fire
 
Allied Ships
      BB Queen Elizabeth, Shell hits 43, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
      CL Tromp, Shell hits 21,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      CLAA Van Heemskerck, Shell hits 17, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
      DD Volage, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
      DD Myngs, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
      DD Tartar
      DD Armada, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
      DD Camperdown
      DD Hogue, Shell hits 12,  on fire
      DD Trafalgar, Shell hits 51, and is sunk
      DD Carysfort, Shell hits 2,  on fire
      DD Cassandra, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
 
 
 
Reduced sighting due to 10% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 10% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Allied ships attempt to get underway
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 12,000 yards
BB Queen Elizabeth engages CA Takao at 12,000 yards
CLAA Van Heemskerck engages DD Yukaze at 12,000 yards
DD Sawakaze engages DD Cassandra at 12,000 yards
DD Kiri engages BB Queen Elizabeth at 12,000 yards
DD Murakaze engages DD Trafalgar at 12,000 yards
DD Sawakaze engages DD Myngs at 12,000 yards
DD Murakaze engages DD Volage at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 6,000 yards
BB Queen Elizabeth engages CA Takao at 6,000 yards
DD Murakaze engages CL Tromp at 6,000 yards
DD Yukaze engages DD Volage at 6,000 yards
DD Cassandra engages DD Sawakaze at 6,000 yards
DD Kiri engages DD Cassandra at 6,000 yards
DD Sawakaze engages DD Trafalgar at 6,000 yards
DD Sawakaze engages DD Volage at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards
BB Queen Elizabeth engages CA Takao at 4,000 yards
DD Cassandra sunk by DD Murakaze at 4,000 yards
CLAA Van Heemskerck engages CA Takao at 4,000 yards
DD Kiri engages DD Carysfort at 4,000 yards
DD Armada engages DD Murakaze at 4,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CA Takao engages BB Queen Elizabeth at 2,000 yards
CA Takao engages CL Tromp at 2,000 yards
DD Yukaze engages DD Trafalgar at 2,000 yards
DD Volage sunk by DD Sawakaze at 2,000 yards
DD Murakaze engages DD Trafalgar at 2,000 yards
DD Murakaze engages DD Hogue at 2,000 yards
DD Armada sunk by DD Murakaze at 2,000 yards
DD Myngs sunk by DD Yukaze at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
CA Takao engages BB Queen Elizabeth at 3,000 yards
DD Yukaze engages DD Trafalgar at 3,000 yards
DD Sawakaze engages DD Trafalgar at 3,000 yards
DD Tartar engages DD Murakaze at 3,000 yards
BB Queen Elizabeth engages CA Takao at 3,000 yards
CLAA Van Heemskerck sunk by CA Takao at 3,000 yards
DD Carysfort engages DD Sawakaze at 3,000 yards
DD Trafalgar sunk by DD Murakaze at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CA Takao engages CL Tromp at 2,000 yards
DD Murakaze engages DD Carysfort at 2,000 yards
DD Kiri engages DD Hogue at 2,000 yards
DD Sawakaze engages DD Tartar at 2,000 yards
DD Tartar engages DD Sawakaze at 2,000 yards
 orders Allied TF to disengage
Range increases to 4,000 yards
CA Takao engages CL Tromp at 4,000 yards
DD Carysfort engages DD Murakaze at 4,000 yards
DD Murakaze engages DD Hogue at 4,000 yards
DD Tartar engages DD Murakaze at 4,000 yards
Omi, I. orders Japanese TF to disengage
Range increases to 5,000 yards
CL Tromp engages CA Takao at 5,000 yards
DD Carysfort engages DD Kiri at 5,000 yards
DD Hogue engages DD Kiri at 5,000 yards
DD Sawakaze engages DD Carysfort at 5,000 yards
DD Hogue engages DD Kiri at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
CA Takao engages CL Tromp at 12,000 yards
DD Carysfort engages DD Kiri at 12,000 yards
DD Hogue engages DD Yukaze at 12,000 yards
DD Sawakaze engages DD Carysfort at 12,000 yards
DD Tartar engages DD Yukaze at 12,000 yards
Task forces break off...

[JeffroK]

The above battle was a bit of excitement in a period where the Allies are still shuffling troops into position for an assault on Kanoya. At the moment I have 12 Divisions being prepped plus relevant support.

Formosa fell easily, the biggest problem was moving around the island, I think the overwhelming air & sea attacks degraded the ability for the japanese to defend. I hope that a similar assault on the Kyushu bases brings similar results.

7th Australian Div took Ishikagi(?) in the sakishima retto, all the effort I made in pulling them from Borneo, loading them, air attack and bombardments saw them walk ashore onto an empty island!!
Another airbase is now building.

Tanegashima has held, and the airbase kept open despite hundreds of sorties against it, I now have another island in the retto and have APD TF loaded and on the way to pick up 2 more.

My big plan is to land at Kanoya, swing around anti clockwise and isolate the island before taking Kagoshima. I will then try a push onto Honshu and see how it develops, in the interim I'll prep for Sendai (and another base nearby) and plan to land the second invasion there. (I have an Armd Div approaching Manila and another about to arrive, I want to see what these can do.


NOTE FOR ANDY.
Many USA & USMC tank bns have M3 Light and M3 Mediums rather than the M4 or even M26.
Infantry & Marine Divs mostly have the 37mm AT Gun.
There aren't and never will be, enough APA & AKA to do everything you want[:D]
A thought, make it a 9 mth game (or less), I feel 12mths allows the Allies plenty of time, shorten it and add some pressure.

TO EVERYONE ELSE
This is a great scenario, I think even a JFB would enjoy it if the Allied AI works OK.
Before starting, TURN OFF WITHDRAWALS........

[Andy Mac]

Thanks Jeff I will pick up the M3 Issue on the next run through I think I will leave the Australian Divs as is I removed 6th to compensate for 10th but I think a player may just need the other two ----- after all you dont have the soviets...

[JeffroK]

Time flies,(I'm home with a cold so I get a lot of turns in) its now 30 November and we are 3 months into the campaign against the Japanese Home Islands. Apart from minor exceptions like the USN CV raid which met thousands of Kamikaze and 2 sneaky IJN raids on Singapore which used as yet undisclosed weapons to sink the British Pacific Fleet and to smash a TK TF which was readying to resup Takao, it has been a one way street for the Allies.

Indeed their major problems have been organizing their Air Forces into position and having enough Aviation Support to maximize their numbers and similarly moving their Assault Divisions into bases closer to their targets. After the “relatively” easy invasion of Formosa, the major assault ports became Legaspi, Manila & Takao.

Once Formosa fell around the end of October major portions of Tiger Force & 8th AF moved into Nthn Phillipine & Formosan Bases and with the B29 force from Clark Field & the Marianas hit Kyushan bases. Because of the combat report bug its hard to say exactly what damage they caused, but in conjunction with fighter sweeps from Okinawa & Tanegeshima saw fewer defending fighters rise each day.

By 20 November it was time to move.
About 12 assaulting Divs were prepped about 50 for Kanoya, I decided that if I waited for 100 I wouldn’t be attacking until 1946 and thought that Allied firepower plus maybe a Japanese brittleness would get me through.

6 Amphib TF carrying over 300,000 men, 2 Bombardment TF with 3 BB each, 1 CVE TF for close air support and 6 CV TF with about 16 CV and 9 CVL, were formed at the above bases, RV’d off Batan Is and set sail for Kanoya. They then RV’d 1 hex off Kanoya (for 2 days cos 1 TF decided to dawdle!) , on that day air losses were 524 Japan to 52 Allied, and on 28 November 1945 landed troops from the US Army, USMC and the 9th Division of the Australian Army.

Planning to take the almost obligatory banzai attack, the Allied force hunkered down for the first night but only suffered scattered artillery attack. Next morning, Field Marshall JK gave the order to “Get of this beach, start killing the SOB and start marching on Tokyo!!!)

Kanoya fell 29 November, the end of the end of the beginning had ended, it was now the start of the beginning of the end.

Air losses have been 3149 Allied to 11420 claims against the Japanese. The USAAF 58th Fighter Group at Nago is the top scorer with 823 claims, with 5 pilots with between 20-25 claims now flying the P-51H (I think they started with the P47N)

1/11/45 Typical IJAAF sweep.
Morning Air attack on Tenth Army Combat Engineer Regiment, at 102,62 (Tanegashima)
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 21 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 3
A6M2 Zero x 14
A6M5 Zero x 18
A6M7 Zero x 10
A6M8 Zero x 28
D4Y2-C Judy x 1
Ki-27b Nate x 9
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 71
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 2
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 41
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 78
Ki-45 KAIc Nick x 2
Ki-61-Id Tony x 9
Ki-61-II KAI Tony x 22
Ki-79a Nate x 6
Ki-84a Frank x 15
Ki-84b Frank x 57
Allied aircraft
P-38L Lightning x 50
P-47N Thunderbolt x 35
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 2 destroyed
D4Y2-C Judy: 1 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IV Oscar: 5 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIc Nick: 1 destroyed
Ki-61-II KAI Tony: 1 destroyed
Ki-79a Nate: 2 destroyed
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-47N Thunderbolt: 4 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x A6M8 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet *
2 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet
4 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 13000 feet *
7 x Ki-43-IIa Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet *
2 x Ki-43-IV Oscar sweeping at 12000 feet *
10 x Ki-43-IIIa Oscar sweeping at 14000 feet *
7 x Ki-43-IV Oscar sweeping at 8000 feet *
17 x Ki-43-IIa Oscar sweeping at 12000 feet *
16 x Ki-84b Frank sweeping at 7000 feet *
12 x Ki-84b Frank sweeping at 8000 feet *
3 x Ki-43-IV Oscar sweeping at 9000 feet *
5 x Ki-43-IIIa Oscar sweeping at 12000 feet *
2 x Ki-43-IIIa Oscar sweeping at 7000 feet *
5 x Ki-27b Nate sweeping at 14000 feet
1 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 7000 feet
4 x Ki-43-IIIa Oscar sweeping at 10000 feet *
2 x Ki-43-IIa Oscar sweeping at 12000 feet
5 x Ki-43-IIa Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
6 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 12000 feet *
3 x Ki-43-IIIa Oscar sweeping at 9000 feet *
4 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 6000 feet *
6 x A6M8 Zero sweeping at 7000 feet
8 x A6M7 Zero sweeping at 10000 feet *
3 x Ki-43-IV Oscar sweeping at 12000 feet
10 x Ki-43-IV Oscar sweeping at 10000 feet *
13 x Ki-61-II KAI Tony sweeping at 8000 feet
3 x Ki-43-IV Oscar sweeping at 13000 feet
11 x Ki-43-IV Oscar sweeping at 8000 feet *
3 x Ki-43-IIa Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
2 x Ki-84a Frank sweeping at 6000 feet *

28/11/45 – Japanese air attacks on the Invasion fleet
Morning Air attack on TF, near Kanoya at 102,61
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 72 minutes
Japanese aircraft
B6N2 Jill x 21
B7A2 Grace x 27
E7K2 Alf x 27
G4M1-L Betty x 5
N1K5-J George x 6
Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 15
Corsair IV x 120
Firefly F.I x 2
Hellcat F.II x 11
Seafire L.III x 64
Seafire F.XV x 33
FM-1 Wildcat x 43
FM-2 Wildcat x 25
F4U-1D Corsair x 195
F4U-4 Corsair x 155
F6F-3N Hellcat x 6
F6F-5 Hellcat x 259
F8F-1 Bearcat x 56
Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2 Jill: 11 destroyed
B7A2 Grace: 19 destroyed
E7K2 Alf: 7 destroyed
G4M1-L Betty: 2 destroyed
N1K5-J George: 2 destroyed


29/11/45 Kanoya captured

Ground combat at Kanoya (102,61)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 14235 troops, 249 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 346
Defending force 124807 troops, 1509 guns, 3163 vehicles, Assault Value = 3930
Japanese ground losses:
29 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Assaulting units:
212th Division
216th Division
5th Shin'yo
2nd Air Fleet
173rd JAAF AF Bn
Kyushu JNAF Base Force

Defending units:
37th Infantry Div /8
95th Infantry Division
716th Tank Battalion
785th Tank Battalion
Eighth Army Combat Engineer Regiment
779th Tank Battalion
9th Australian Division
32nd Infantry Division
24th Infantry Div /8
5th Marine Div /45
31st Infantry Division
44th Tank Battalion
763rd Tank Battalion
104th Infantry Division
X Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
VII Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
V Corps Combat Engr Rgt /29
822/828 EAB /1
204th USAAF Base Force /2
I Australian Corps
206th USAAF Base Force /1
197th USAAF Base Force /2
2nd Medium Regiment
X Corps Artillery /1
Eighth Army EAB /1
X US Corps /1
202nd USAAF Base Force /2
3rd Eng Amph Bde /4


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground combat at Kanoya (102,61)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 66991 troops, 977 guns, 2156 vehicles, Assault Value = 3930
Defending force 19493 troops, 314 guns, 53 vehicles, Assault Value = 345
Allied adjusted assault: 1682
Japanese adjusted defense: 145
Allied assault odds: 11 to 1 (fort level 4)
Allied forces CAPTURE Kanoya !!!
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
8450 casualties reported
Squads: 222 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 322 destroyed, 45 disabled
Engineers: 42 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 156 (155 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 42 (41 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Allied ground losses:
612 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 82 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 33 (7 destroyed, 26 disabled)
Assaulting units:
31st Infantry Division
5th Marine Div /45
32nd Infantry Division
VII Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
44th Tank Battalion
37th Infantry Div /8
Eighth Army Combat Engineer Regiment
X Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
24th Infantry Div /8
785th Tank Battalion
763rd Tank Battalion
9th Australian Division
716th Tank Battalion
95th Infantry Division
104th Infantry Division
779th Tank Battalion
V Corps Combat Engr Rgt /29
X US Corps /1
2nd Medium Regiment
202nd USAAF Base Force /2
822/828 EAB /1
X Corps Artillery /1
204th USAAF Base Force /2
206th USAAF Base Force /1
Eighth Army EAB /1
I Australian Corps
197th USAAF Base Force /2
3rd Eng Amph Bde /4

Defending units:
216th Division
212th Division
5th Shin'yo
173rd JAAF AF Bn
2nd Air Fleet
Kyushu JNAF Base Force


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5th Shin'yo Wiped Out at Kanoya by attrition!!!

[NAVMAN]

Hi Jeff,
I'm somewhat surprised at how "easy" Kanoya fell. I'm prepping my guys now,
but I may invade on a wider front, providing shipping is available.

[JeffroK]

I did a lot of Recce work to find the weakest point on Kyushu, then took a 20ld hammer to break the walnut. A lot of prep air bombardment hit the base plus, I think, its not on the railway so maybe resupply was slow. The 2 defending Divs were 210th & 212th, maybe they aren't top class?

But it took another month to take Kagoshima, 12 Infantry & 2 Armd Div plus lots of arty. I took the base north of Kagoshima as well (Kumanato), 3 Marine Divs crossed the mountains and kicked out the defenders and held against 2-3 counterattacks.
I no have a firm base though each base will take a while to clean up, AE land combat & movement reminds me of Napoleomic war, screen a base while your main force runs a siege, capture it and move on to the next siege!
28/12/45
Ground combat at Kagoshima (102,60)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 146466 troops, 2551 guns, 5201 vehicles, Assault Value = 5816
Defending force 25893 troops, 511 guns, 29 vehicles, Assault Value = 242
Allied adjusted assault: 1690
Japanese adjusted defense: 82
Allied assault odds: 20 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
      3274 casualties reported
         Squads: 299 destroyed, 32 disabled
         Non Combat: 245 destroyed, 120 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
      Guns lost 11 (0 destroyed, 11 disabled)
      Vehicles lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
      244 casualties reported
         Squads: 1 destroyed, 24 disabled
         Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled
         Engineers: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
      Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
      Vehicles lost 16 (2 destroyed, 14 disabled)
Assaulting units:
    640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
    31st Infantry Division
    102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
    X Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
    4th USMC Tank Battalion
    13th Armored Division
    1st Cavalry Division
    34th Combat Engineer Regiment
    32nd Infantry Division
    24th Infantry Division
    131st Combat Engineer Regiment
    37th Infantry Division
    6th Infantry Division
    V Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
    40th Infantry Division
    8th Infantry Division
    20th Armored Division
    95th Infantry Division
    104th Infantry Division
    38th Infantry Division
    97th Infantry Division
    Eighth Army Combat Engineer Regiment
    193rd Tank Battalion
    V US Corps Arty
    6th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
    165th Field Artillery Battalion
    X Corps Artillery
    XI US Corps /4
    XIV Corps Artillery
    X US Corps
    147th Field Artillery Regiment
    9th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
    151st USA Base Force /1
    I Corps Artillery
    462nd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
    I US Corps /4
Defending units:
    19th Division
    156th Division
    146th Division
    212th Division
    107th Ind.Mixed Brigade
    216th Division
    2nd Shin'yo
    26th JNAF AF Unit
    42nd Air Defense AA Battalion
    44th Ind. Hvy.Art. Battalion
    2nd Air Fleet
    173rd JAAF AF Bn
    23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
    Kyushu JNAF Base Force
 
 
29/12/45
Ground combat at Kagoshima (102,60)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 162144 troops, 2697 guns, 5560 vehicles, Assault Value = 5797
Defending force 15952 troops, 276 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 68
Allied adjusted assault: 2582
Japanese adjusted defense: 7
Allied assault odds: 368 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
 experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
      28370 casualties reported
         Squads: 986 destroyed, 201 disabled
         Non Combat: 1511 destroyed, 725 disabled
         Engineers: 51 destroyed, 20 disabled
      Guns lost 535 (432 destroyed, 103 disabled)
      Vehicles lost 21 (9 destroyed, 12 disabled)
      Units destroyed 4
Allied ground losses:
      219 casualties reported
         Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
         Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 31 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
      Vehicles lost 12 (2 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Assaulting units:
    4th USMC Tank Battalion
    34th Combat Engineer Regiment
    V Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
    24th Infantry Division
    1st Cavalry Division
    Eighth Army Combat Engineer Regiment
    40th Infantry Division
    37th Infantry Division
    102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
    20th Armored Division
    13th Armored Division
    X Corps Combat Engineer Regiment
    640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
    97th Infantry Division
    6th Infantry Division
    32nd Infantry Division
    95th Infantry Division
    104th Infantry Division
    8th Infantry Division
    131st Combat Engineer Regiment
    31st Infantry Division
    38th Infantry Division
    193rd Tank Battalion
    X US Corps
    147th Field Artillery Regiment
    462nd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
    165th Field Artillery Battalion
    XIV Corps Artillery
    6th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
    151st USA Base Force
    I Corps Artillery
    V US Corps Arty
    9th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
    X Corps Artillery
    XI US Corps /4
    I US Corps /4
Defending units:
    146th Division
    19th Division
    216th Division
    2nd Air Fleet
    173rd JAAF AF Bn
    26th JNAF AF Unit
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Ground combat at Kumamoto (102,59)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 34320 troops, 503 guns, 336 vehicles, Assault Value = 1561
Defending force 13963 troops, 102 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 415
Allied adjusted assault: 1118
Japanese adjusted defense: 82
Allied assault odds: 13 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
      6265 casualties reported
         Squads: 193 destroyed, 21 disabled
         Non Combat: 189 destroyed, 0 disabled
         Engineers: 11 destroyed, 9 disabled
      Guns lost 20 (9 destroyed, 11 disabled)
      Units retreated 2
Allied ground losses:
      465 casualties reported
         Squads: 1 destroyed, 37 disabled
         Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 33 disabled
         Engineers: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
      Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)
 
 Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

[JeffroK]

I've become disenchanted with the Bearcat & Fireball. The waters off Kanoya were Kamikaze city and I lost 5 x CVE. Didnt seem to knock enough out of the sky whereas CV TF with F6F-5 & F4U-4 seem to knock down more.

So I'm dropping off the speedsters with 4 x 50cal and putting on the bent wing bird which is almost as fast and has 6 x 50cal. (I might mod the scen and give the Bearcat 4 x 20mm)

I've also moved up some RAF squadrons with Tempest II (4 x 20m) and RAAF squadrons with Spitfire XIV (2x20mm & 4 x .303)

[Andy Mac]

How is the Jap AI doing is it running raids into your ports or using mini subs on defence

[Andy Mac]

p.s. how much damage did the shi'yo do ??

[Wirraway_Ace]

Thanks for doing an AAR on this Scenario JeffK.  Very interesting.

[JeffroK]

Dont know Andy, I didnt suffer too much in the landings at Kanoya and didnt notice them?  I'll look through loss reasons and see if anything's been hit.

I suspect the IJN based out of Palembang has something special, the RN is continually beaten up despite superior odds. Palembang port is now rubble but another IJN raid caused heavy losses again.

I'm now fighting for Nthn Kyushu, its a slog and because of the ship withdrawal bug  have no VP to release the restricted units, I'm now relocating any unit with AV pts so I can move the short ranged aircraft onto Kyushu and pull up the '29s to Formosa bases. I think some of the comment about the "weak" B29 in AE is because they are flying from extra long range and suffers heavy Ops losses. I dont know how well my Heavy Bomber force is going because of the "Combat Report" bug, but what I've seen looks very effective.

My CV have been licking their wounds, many suffered small levels of damage and I'm swapping out all Bearcats and FM's from my CV & CVE, very soon the USN & BPF are going to visit Tokyo again, with better LBA CAP from Chichi Jima and the islands closer to Japan if I can get them soon.

The game makes a change for an AFB, I think the Japanese are just speedhumps, your quality and numbers will win, but getting those Divisions and Squadrons and Task Forces into the right place and same time are 75% of the battle. Wherever you choose to land, given you take the right force, you should succeed.

But dont let your guard down, a Betty Kamikaze strike will still hit at long range (route your resup TFs well south of Iwo Jima) ans my CVE TF with 10 x CVE carrying over 200 Bearcats got its CAP worn out and 5 CVE lost over 2 days. At another time my APD force lost 3-4 APD when the CAP couldnt cover everything and in conjunction with the cloud cover allowed some Kamikazes through. I also had LCU trying to cut off one of my thrusts on Kyushu, moving from Kumanato to the hex NE of Kanoya, held me for a day as 4 USMC & Aust Divs moved in, they retreated into Kagoshima which made the battle for that city take longer, the Marines moved onto Kumanato which was weakened by the offensive and easily taken, they also had to hold off counterattacks on Kumanato once they had captured it.

[Grit]

I'm flying B29 missions from the original bases as I'm only about 6-8 turns into the game. I'm playing V3 with the fix posted by Michael. The Combat Reports from the night B29 missions look very good. I'm not having a lot of operational losses despite flying close to maximum distance to Tokyo and Kobe.

Playing Downfall is the most fun I've had in the game so far.

Edit: I've been targeting Manpower but have changed about half of the planes to Oil Refinery Tokyo for my next turn.

[JeffroK]

Andy,

I peeked at the japanese side[:D]

The shi'yo claimed to sink 2 x DD, 1 x AK and about a dozen LCI(G). It was funny at the time as an air raid came across and scored no hits but about a dozen LCI sank, I thought the crews got cold feet!!

Kaiten seemed to be my nemesis at Singapore, at least 1 x CA and 2 x CL were sunk plus a number of "unknown"'s.

Grit, I started to get a lot of bad weather, I wonder if OPs losses went up then??

[Grit]

ORIGINAL: JeffK



Grit, I started to get a lot of bad weather, I wonder if OPs losses went up then??

Could be, I'll keep a look out for it and let you know.