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Downfall - Cruft vs. Acepylut

Long-time viewers may remember that I tried a game of this rather densely packed and fascinating scenario around a year ago.

tm.asp?m=2721076

Unfortunately, it didn't last very long. This time hopefully we can play the thing out. Certainly Acepylut seems keen.

I am of course playing as the Evil Type 91 Torpedo-Wielding Empire.

House Rules (really simple):-

1) Nothing flies above 28,000ft
2) City Attacks on Manpower only (may extend to HI if it seems insufficient)
3) No landings on non-base hexes

The first turn is now in Allied hands, and it may be a while before it returns to me. Have a read of the previous AAR if you're bored ... [8D]

Acepylut is doing a comprehensive turn 1, which is taking a while. We might be good to go at the weekend, or perhaps not.

So, some brief musings on what I will be doing early on ...

1) Night bombings on Okinawa airfields and ports. All available competent IJAAF GrdB pilots will be expended to this purpose. There are loads of Sallies, Helens and Lilies available, though no more are being produced. I can see no other use for them.
2) Massive LowN training efforts by both army and navy using any aircraft which cannot competently deliver a torpedo and is not a fighter or in the category above. For Kamikaze purposes obviously.
3) Lots of Air training by fighter units. Live units have settings of Cap 30%, Training 20%. This seemed to work quite well in the previous game.
4) The KB will be going on a trip once I have fully populated it with numpty pilots. This will be a suicide raid and I want to keep the few competent guys back for flying Shindens or whatever. The idea will be to find some soft targets somewhere.
5) Hoarding of both navy and army NavT pilots into a few select groups which will be used for night naval attacks where opportunity presents.
6) China and Indochina evac, of course.

Other than that I will really need to see what happens before deciding on anything else.

Turn 1 is finally run!

• P-51H and P-47N sweeps over Hamamatsu and Kanoya at 28,000ft
• Airfield attack on Kanoya
• City attacks on Hamamatsu and Hong Kong, at 15,000ft and above. Bombers unopposed but results minimal.
• Paradrops on two islands adjacent to Kanoya. Both defeated.

I was surprised about the last, no question. Makes me wonder what's next ...

Hordes of second & third rate Japanese fighters were lost alongside their newbie pilots. In total 234 planes were lost, with around 12 or so Allied planes in return. That's not nice but it's expected.

What's the thinking behind the 28,000 foot cap on altitude? I ask because with the change in the BETA to fatigue if you fly above 3/4 of the ceiling it seems to largely solve the problem with stratospheric sweeps ( they arrive so fatigued at long range that they get slaughtered that in many cases it doesn't pay for the attacking player to send in a max altitude sweep anymore ).

Do you have an altitude limit for 4-engined bombers?

I read a post here detailing why flying over that height was rather difficult with WW2 tech.

There are no additional limits on 4Es. They can obliterate where they will

All HRs are subject to revision if either of us has good reason.

One small correction. Apparently Allied plane losses were 34 not 12. We even shot down a couple of P-47Ns somehow.

So that's less than 10 to 1. Not bad IMO for this stage of the game.

The air war doesn't worry me half so much as the land one.

Turn 2 has been run ...

A bit better in the air. We managed to catch some unescorted bombers so the ratio was 54 - 118.

There are paradrops and FT landings all over the Ryukus east of Okinawa. More on this later.

HR rule change:-

Daytime City Attacks may target HI and/or Manpower
Nightime City Attacks may only target Manpower

B-29s have visited Hamamatsu on both turns so far in day and/or night phases, targeting Manpower only. The altitude has been high (15,000ft - 28,000ft) and the results minimal. Therefore the opening up of possibilities.

Rush for the Ryukus

Unfortunately I cannot do a screenshot at this moment, but there have been FT/Amphibious/Paradrop invasions on all the islands directly east of Okinawa. Most of these have either failed immediately due to the automatic shock attack wiping out the attacker or on turn 2 via my Deliberate Attack in response.

All these islands have a generic reasonable quality "Garrison SNLF" unit in place with level 3 or 4 forts. I'm really not sure what Acepylut is trying to do here by spreading things so thinly. Some concentration of force might have lead to better results.

Will do a screenie next turn.

Turn 3 sitrep.

The Allied TFs sitting at the Japanese islands are all Surface Combat groups. They have sunk quite a few innocent transports.

This presence was quite surprising to me, and as a result I had nothing set to challenge them. Not a single airgroup on Naval Attack. Oops ...

Well the turn has been sent.

I do now have some airgroups on Naval Attack in the areas where the SCTFs are. Let's see what they can do, there are no CVs or CVEs nearby. Hopefully ... A few torpedo-carrying MLs and MTBs have also been detached for night surface raids.

Turn 4

We managed to put torps or bombs into a few of the besieging CLs and DDs. Not bad for half-trained numpties, but of course there was no CAP ...



AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Sep 04, 45

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TF 149 encounters mine field at Shimizu (112,61)

Allied Ships
DD Cogswell, Mine hits 1

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Shimizu at 112,61, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
ML G-208
ML G-301, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
ML G-406, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
ML G-488, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
ML G-622, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Chauncey
DD Claxton
DD Cogswell
CL Houston

Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 3% moonlight: 2,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Nagasaki/Sasebo at 101,59, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
APD T-20, Shell hits 19, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD T-21, Shell hits 14, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD T-23, Shell hits 4
APD T-24, Shell hits 5, on fire
APD T-25, Shell hits 1
APD T-26, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
APD T-27, Shell hits 4, on fire
APD T-28, Shell hits 34, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Bullard, Shell hits 1
DD Capps, Shell hits 1
DD Conway, Shell hits 1
DD Cony, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 22 (12 destroyed, 10 disabled)

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Shimizu at 112,61, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
ML G-208, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Chauncey
DD Claxton
DD Cogswell
CL Houston

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Tokara Retto at 99,63

Japanese Ships
SS Ha-216, hits 1

Allied Ships
APD Goldsborough, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Crane

SS Ha-216 launches 2 torpedoes at APD Goldsborough

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 284 encounters mine field at Shimizu (112,61)

Allied Ships
SS Lancetfish, Mine hits 1, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Ominato at 119,55

Japanese Ships
DD Nire
DD Kaba
DD Tsuta
DD Azura
DD Wakazakura
DD Katsura
DD Yadake

Allied Ships
SS Gar, hits 5


SS Gar launches 4 torpedoes at DD Nire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Shanghai at 94,55, Range 22,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E Otsu, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
E Urumi, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
E Murotsu, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
E No.27, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
E No.29, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
E W-19, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
E W-20, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
E W-21, Shell hits 16, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Charrette
DD Colahan
DD Conner
DD Converse
CL Vincennes, Shell hits 3


Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Torishima at 111,68

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 117 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 41 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 9
G4M2 Betty x 9
G4M3a Betty x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M2 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak
G4M3a Betty: 7 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Astoria, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Burns
DD Bryant

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Aogashima at 112,65

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 115 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 31 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M8 Zero x 19
B7A2 Grace x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
B7A2 Grace: 5 destroyed, 7 damaged
B7A2 Grace: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CL Houston, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DD Chauncey, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Claxton

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Torishima at 111,68

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 74 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M2 Betty x 9
P1Y1 Frances x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M2 Betty: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
G4M2 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak
P1Y1 Frances: 8 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Astoria, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Bryant
DD Caperton

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Fukue-jima at 101,58

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 56 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 6
G4M2 Betty x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M2 Betty: 1 destroyed
G4M2 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
DD Cony
DD Capps, Kamikaze hits 1, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Aogashima at 112,65

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 33 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M8 Zero x 19
B7A2 Grace x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
B7A2 Grace: 2 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Houston, on fire
DD Claxton, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Chauncey

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Puerto Princesa at 69,77

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes


Allied aircraft
FM-1 Wildcat x 3
FM-2 Wildcat x 15
TBF-1 Avenger x 21
TBM-1C Avenger x 21

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed by flak
TBM-1C Avenger: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Kitakami, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kaya
DD Keyaki
DD Take

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

Notes:-

That last attack was on the "Palembang Squadron", who were attempting to flee to Hong Kong carrying a Const Co. The ships have now been diverted to Camrahn Bay, where there is a small CAP to protect them. The engineers can then hop on the train to Haiphong like all the rest of the Thailand and Indochina units.

The APD TF that got massacred is just one of those which are trying to get reinforcements to the Shimas west of Kanoya and Kagoshima. A couple of other TFs managed to evade the DDs, despite being much slower, though they did not make any deliveries and got retreated to Fukuoka despite having a Direct/Absolute threat setting and Nagasaki as their home port. Strange ...

I am guessing that Acepylut is going to try and invade these Shimas ASAP. He has already tried paradrops, which failed.

It would not be good for me to have US airbases that close to home ...

Land War notes:-

All those clear hexes east of Tokyo worry the arse off me, so I have despatched a number of Ind Mixed Brigade type units from Tokyo to Hachinohe and Iwaki which were particularly under-manned. Flak and arty will follow.

I have turned Replacements and Upgrade on for all LCUs, and upgraded the TOE of all applicable Base Forces and AA units. So there is nary a Sound Detector or 75mm AA gun to be found anywhere. Now it's all Radars and 88mm or 120mm guns. Rather essential IMO.

As a result the Manpower/Armament/Vehicle pools do not seem to have suffered any precipitous drop, or at least not yet.

Turn 5

More of the same, no further Allied landings.

This surprised me though ...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Yakushima at 101,62

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 103 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 30 minutes

Japanese aircraft
     A6M2-K Zero x 12
     D4Y4 Judy x 12
     J2M5 Jack x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
     A6M2-K Zero: 5 destroyed
     A6M2-K Zero: 1 destroyed by flak
     D4Y4 Judy: 6 destroyed

Allied Ships
     DD Bradford
     CL Atlanta, Kamikaze hits 8,  heavy fires,  heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
     12 x D4Y4 Judy flying as kamikaze
              Kamikaze:  1 x 800 kg GP Bomb
     11 x A6M2-K Zero flying as kamikaze
              Kamikaze:  1 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's a 33% hit rate, by pilots with exp and skill between 30 and 40, and the Atlanta is almost certainly sunk since 5 of the hits were 800kg bombs.

I am wondering if dive bombers on kamikaze (i.e. the Judy in this case) are still considered to be diving and therefore get some sort of accuracy bonus?

Production notes:-

The Vehicles pool has suddenly gone to nearly zero. So I have turned off Replacements/Upgrade for all armoured units except for one full tank division in a critical position in the HI.

All other pools doing fine, and HI is increasing by 4,000 a turn. This may be because I have turned virtually all plane production off though. Ki-83s, Ki-201s and J7W1s are what I want, and these are all still in R&D ...

Turn 6

Rather busy ...

Carriers have now joined the surface raiders in the gap between Japan and China. Daito Shoto has fallen and there is a landing at Amami Oshima.

Japanese air and surface ships continue to try and get rid of all these pesky ships with mixed results.


The highlight of the turn:-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Shanghai at 94,56

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 32
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 21
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 26
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 22
Ki-49-IIb Helen x 41


Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 212
F6F-5 Hellcat x 332


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 6 destroyed, 16 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 5 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 4 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 4 destroyed
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 8 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 2 destroyed by flak
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 14 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-49-IIb Helen: 11 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Topeka
CLAA Reno
CV Bon Homme Richard, Bomb hits 1, Kamikaze hits 1, on fire
CV Shangri-La
BB Wisconsin, Kamikaze hits 1
CV Lake Champlain
CV Antietam
BB New Jersey
BB Missouri


Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-49-IIb Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
7 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 2000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
9 x Ki-49-Ia Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
12 x Ki-49-IIb Helen bombing from 2000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
14 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 2000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VF-9 with F6F-5 Hellcat (1 airborne, 4 on standby, 4 scrambling)
(8 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 6000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-9 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 8 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 18000 and 39300.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes
5 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-10 with F6F-5 Hellcat (3 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
9 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-10 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 39300.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes
9 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-13 with F6F-5 Hellcat (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 8000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 30 minutes
8 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-13 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes
9 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-18 with F6F-5 Hellcat (3 airborne, 9 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 6000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes
13 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-17 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 6000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-82 with F6F-5 Hellcat (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
15 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-82 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 43 minutes
8 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-83 with F6F-5 Hellcat (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 4 scrambling)
(10 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 9 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 13000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
9 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-83 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
8 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-84 with F6F-5 Hellcat (4 airborne, 9 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
8 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-84 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
5 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 39300.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes
13 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-85 with F6F-5 Hellcat (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 37300.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 38 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-85 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 5 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
6 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes
5 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-86 with F6F-5 Hellcat (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 5 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 8000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 40 minutes
12 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-86 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 39300.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
9 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-7 with F6F-5 Hellcat (3 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 7000 and 11000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
VBF-7 with F4U-1D Corsair (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes
6 planes vectored on to bombers

Banzai! - Izumida F. in a Ki-49-IIb Helen is willing to die for the Emperor
Okamoto S. gives his life for the Emperor by ramming CV Bon Homme Richard
Inoue D. gives his life for the Emperor by ramming BB Wisconsin
Banzai! - Oba G. in a Ki-49-IIb Helen is willing to die for the Emperor
Banzai! - Maeda I. in a Ki-49-IIb Helen is willing to die for the Emperor
Banzai! - Suzuki B. in a Ki-21-IIa Sally is willing to die for the Emperor

Here's the intel screen.

Apparently we shot down 11 P-47Ns today. I don't believe it ...

Eek notes:-

There is a CV heading towards the Kuriles. I have not reinforced these islands at all, and indeed don't plan to. Hokkaido needs anything spare in that region more IMO.

Pilot notes:-

Both army and navy replacement pools have been empty since turn 2.

More importantly, the IJN Reserve is now basically completely empty, the only guys in there generally being a few pilot-leaders passing through after their "demotion".

I have also pulled maybe a hundred or so guys out of the pipeline into IJN training groups. This is not to over-stuff, just populate fully (i.e. at 133%).

The IJA on the other hand has a large and competent Reserve. At least as far as Air and GrdB is concerned. GrdB is pretty much of no use to me, but the Air boys ought to be once the Ki-83 and Ki-201 come on stream. I am not doing the Ki-94 - it's ugly and we are not playing in the stratosphere.