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The orders from Imperial General Headquarters were clear – hold the Marianas at all costs. They were referred to as the ‘Final defensive positions of the homeland’. But for such critical positions, the tools at my disposal are pretty meager. My largest ship is the CL Oi, most of my airgroups only have about a third of their planes, and I have no veteran pilots in reserve. I do have several divisions and strong fortifications on the islands, but without control of the skies they will be isolated and destroyed. Ozawa is supposed to be bringing the Combined Fleet to intercept the allied fleet, but they are over two weeks away. How do I hold the line against the might of the American juggernaut in 1944? [X(]

This is my first AAR for WITP (I’ve done AARs for Civ games, years ago). I’ve been playing War in the Pacific off and on for almost 4 years, only against the AI until this year. I started as an Allied player, played through the Guadalcanal campaign a couple times, and started the Grand Campaign (several times, restarting after realizing my many mistakes. I made it to April of 42 once!). Then I switched over to the ‘dark side’ of the Empire of Japan. [8D] I’m not about to take on the beast of Japanese production yet, but I wanted to play some scenarios, and finally in January decided to take the plunge into PBEM. I found a great opponent in nardiajn who was looking for an opponent for Guadalcanal (DBB version) and we were off. We played it twice, at least a few months each time until we called it. He’s been a great opponent, and we wanted to try something different, so here we are.

The Marianas scenario sounds cool, and it’s a chance to play with some late-war toys we haven’t had before. We both read up on the awesome AARs from Chickenboy and Cap Mandrake from their tournament mirror games.

Chickenboy's AAR
Cap Mandrake's AAR

That let me know I was in for a real onslaught, reading about the Allied OOB. But hey, if I’m going to be a long-term Japanese fanboy, I guess I gotta get used to living through hell (hellcats, helldivers, and a helluva lot of everything else). [;)]

We actually started about a week ago, and decided over the weekend to do dueling AARs (nardiajn’s is called Jersey Boys vs Fighting Illini, based on our locations). So I will outline my initial strategy and run through the first few turns (not much action), then pick up with where we were this weekend, on 30 May.

After reading the AARs I mentioned, I realized there’s really not much hope in ‘winning’ in terms of holding the Marianas. They were playing mirror games, where each played one game as Japan and one as Allies, and compared the net scores. We are only playing once thru, so I have to measure my ‘success’ as how long I can hold at least one of the main islands, and how much of a price I can extract from Al in the process. The three primary objectives (Guam, Tinian, and Saipan) are worth more VPs than anything else on the map. If I can hold two of the three, I think that would be a great victory. Normally I would also focus on CVs sunk, but when he has over a dozen, [X(] I’m not sure that’s all that significant. Still, every ship is VPs, as are the aircraft and units, so they are worth something.

One lesson I learned from Chickenboy was to play a bit of a ‘shell game’ with my aircraft, massing them for occasional strikes and then trying to avoid the backlash of his CVs. Same with the KB when it arrives.

Looking at my initial forces, Saipan is heavily defended, nearly 1,000 AV w/Level 5 forts and CD guns. Guam is also well defended, 750+AV and level 4 forts. Tinian is the ‘weak link’ initially, level 3 forts and only 248 AV, so I am going to try to reinforce it. Cap Mandrake did a great map in the beginning of his AAR, so rather than plagiarize it I will cite it:
Cap Mandrake’s Map

If you notice, in the lower left, Peleliu has lots of AV for a ‘non-critical’ base. The 14th ID is over 400 AV, and unrestricted, so my initial focus will be to try to shuttle as much as I can to Tinian. I have no APs (or AMCs or even xAPs) to start with, so the initial run will be with a hodgepodge of 4-5 xAKs and xAKLs that start at Babeldaob, and a FT run of the CL Oi with my only DD to carry some engineers. I also take an engineer unit from Truk and head it back to build forts.

I mentioned that the airgroups start out as a mess. Half my airgroups have a dozen or less aircraft out of 27 or 36, and I have no veteran pilots in the pools. Speaking of pools, I have no aircraft in the pools either, and a build rate of like 15 zeros a month (and not much else). Like Chickenboy, I am going to consolidate groups where I can to get full groups, and start training some pilots at the rear bases (Iwo and Peleliu). Truk is too exposed, so I am going to pull the bombers (and night fighters) back, but I will leave some Zeros on cap until it becomes too dangerous for them. I do want some intel, so I am going to try an early gambit, and use my 4 (only 4) [:(] Mavis’ to fly some AvSpt to Wake and stage NavSearch out of there.

While I don’t have a lot of surface ships, I do have nearly 2 dozen subs, including several Glen-equipped ones. My plan is to keep one Glen sub near PH, and one near Eniwetok and Kwajalein (his two early forward bases) and use them to spot for 2-3 regular subs. I am also using about 8 subs that start at Saipan to drop an initial minefield at Tinian (which doesn’t start with any).

That was my initial plan, anyway, but we all know what happens when the plan makes contact with the enemy…

The first couple turns provided a rude awakening, and a lesson in the improved capabilities of Allied ASW and subs. I-8, my Glen boat near PH, got hammered for 18 hits by a group of 7 DDs and sinks in the opening animation of the scenario. Not a good omen, that never happened in 1942! [:-] Good news is one of his subs hits a mine at Saipan (he lost 2-3 subs from mines in the first few days, which becomes important later). The second day, the SS Cod puts two torps into my xAK, and they both explode! Another thing I’m not used to!!

I was right about Truk being exposed, a group of 13 PB4Y-1 Liberators attacks the airfield from Eniwetok the first day as well. My Zero group shoots down a couple and damages most of the rest, and he loses another to flak. This would be a recurring pattern, I put two zero groups (stacked, one at 10K and one at 20K) and shot up quite a few PB4Ys and B24s over the first week (until the CVs showed up).

The next few days were more of the same, I had a sub damaged by a mine at Eniwetok (ironically, it was there to lay mines…). The first transport groups get through to Tinian (except for the xAK hit by the sub). Because he hit several mines early, I noticed his subs patrolling outside the base hexes. So I use waypoints to route my convoys thru Yap to Guam, then follow the islands to Tinian, which seems to help.

The 28th shows the first signs of action heating up. RO-64 engages a group including a BB and CA near Eni, and takes 15 hits total (but survives, still limping back to Truk almost a week later with 97 float). Another sub puts a torp into the CL Biloxi, and gets away with only 3 hits.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 28, 44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Eniwetok at 127,109

Japanese Ships
SS RO-64, hits 6

Allied Ships
DD Patterson
DD Miller
DD Aylwin
DD MacDonough
DD Hull
DD Dewey

SS RO-64 is sighted by escort
DD Aylwin fails to find sub and abandons search
DD MacDonough fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Hull attacking submerged sub ....
DD Dewey fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Hull attacking submerged sub ....
DD Hull cannot establish contact with SS RO-64
DD Hull fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Eniwetok at 127,109

Japanese Ships
SS RO-64, hits 9, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Dyson
BB Indiana
CA San Francisco
DD Halford
DD Monssen II
DD Selfridge
DD Conyngham
DD Mugford

SS RO-64 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Dyson
DD Monssen II attacking submerged sub ....
DD Selfridge fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Conyngham fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Mugford fails to find sub and abandons search
Escort abandons search for sub

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Eniwetok at 127,109

Japanese Ships
SS RO-68, hits 3

Allied Ships
CL Biloxi, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Tingey
DD Marshall
DD Aylwin
DD MacDonough
DD Hull
DD Dewey

SS RO-68 launches 6 torpedoes at CL Biloxi
DD Aylwin fails to find sub and abandons search
DD MacDonough attacking submerged sub ....
DD Hull fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Dewey fails to find sub and abandons search
DD MacDonough fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
========================================================

I also spot a CVTF west of Eni, possibly a raid on Truk? It might be time to move my fighters out of harm’s way.

May 30th marked the real opening salvos, with shore bombardments at Wake. Small group, based on the BB Idaho. My CD guns got a hit, but I’m sure it just scratched the paint. I don’t have much there, my base forces took some disablements but my 2 Mavises didn’t get hit. The I-5 commander was brave, and put a torp into a DD.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR May 30, 44
Night Naval bombardment of Wake Island at 136,98 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
42 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Idaho, Shell hits 1
CA Salt Lake City
CL Honolulu

Japanese ground losses:
192 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 22 (2 destroyed, 20 disabled)

Wake Coastal Gun Battalion firing at BB Idaho
BB Idaho firing at Wake Coastal Gun Battalion
CA Salt Lake City firing at Wake Coastal Gun Battalion
Wake Coastal Gun Battalion firing at CL Honolulu
CL Honolulu firing at Wake Coastal Gun Battalion

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Taongi at 138,107

Japanese Ships
SS I-5

Allied Ships
DD Lewis Hancock, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

SS I-5 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Lewis Hancock
I-5 diving deep ....
Sub escapes detection

The real action was my first sighting of CVs in action. Hellcats sweep Truk (good thing I removed my fighters last turn, one straggler was left to face them), and his carriers strike Ponape (not much there). This was another eye opener for me, not used to Allied CV fighters with that kind of range.

On the 31st, one of his subs put a torp in one of my xAKs on the way back from ferrying troops to Tinian. Luckily it was empty, because the Kyusyu won’t make it.



I-10, One of my Glen subs, got overly agressive attacking a pair of DEs [X(] and got clobbered. Strangely, the I-10 is the one ID’d in the combat report (and was the actual sub involved), but the text when I heard the sinking sound said I-41 sank.

Sub attack near Ebadon at 130,114
Japanese Ships
SS I-10, hits 17, heavy damage
Allied Ships
DE Crowley
DE Eisele
SS I-10 launches 2 torpedoes at DE Crowley
DE Eisele attacking submerged sub ....
Debris floats to surface in area of attack!
Escort abandons search for sub


Some DDs bombarded Wake again, and the CV group raided Truk, but not much damage:

Afternoon Air attack on Truk , at 112,108
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 28
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 34
TBM-1C Avenger x 14

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 8
Port hits 3
Port fuel hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
28 x F6F-3 Hellcat sweeping at 10000 feet
11 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 2000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
14 x TBM-1C Avenger bombing from 5000 feet
Port Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
8 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 4000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
15 x SB2C-1C Helldiver releasing from 3000'
Airfield Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

So as we end the month of May, here’s a quick update on the air war so far. He paid a price for several turns of unescorted Liberator attacks (both types) at Truk, and I think I got my fighters out in the nick of time. That means, however, that Truk will be open to constant bombardment, but most of what’s there is stuck for the duration anyway. I also noticed a lot of PBY and PBM-3D Mariner Ops losses, but I’m sure he has a ton of them in this scenario, unlike my 4 (now 3) Mavises…

June starts off with a bang. As if there were any doubt about Kyusyu making port, the SS Bluefish puts 2 more torps in her to finish her off. A DD group bombards Wake again, destroying a couple guns. But the big news is at Truk, where Al brings in the big guns for a shore bombardment.

Night Naval bombardment of Truk at 112,108 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
808 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB New Jersey, Shell hits 28, on fire
BB Iowa, Shell hits 16, on fire
BB Alabama, Shell hits 8
BB Indiana, Shell hits 12
CA Wichita
CA Minneapolis, Shell hits 2
DD Monssen II
DD Selfridge, Shell hits 1
DD Bennett, Shell hits 4, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
89 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 5
Port fuel hits 1

Truk Naval Fortress firing at BB New Jersey
BB New Jersey firing at Truk Naval Fortress
BB Iowa firing at Truk Naval Fortress
Truk Naval Fortress firing at BB Iowa
Truk Naval Fortress firing at BB Alabama
BB Alabama firing at Truk Naval Fortress
BB Indiana firing at Truk Naval Fortress
Truk Naval Fortress firing at BB Indiana
CA Wichita firing at Truk Naval Fortress
Truk Naval Fortress firing at CA Wichita
CA Minneapolis firing at Truk Naval Fortress
Truk Naval Fortress firing at CA Minneapolis
DD Monssen II firing at Truk
DD Selfridge firing at Truk Naval Fortress
Truk Naval Fortress firing at DD Selfridge
DD Bennett firing at Truk Naval Fortress
Truk Naval Fortress firing at DD Bennett

The shore batteries get a lot of hits, but I don’t know how much ‘real’ damage they will do to the BBs. I imagine it will just be some sys damage. I do have to say, it was cool to see the ship’s camo patterns, another ‘new sight’ playing a late-war scenario. And it was also satisfying to see the New Jersey burning, since that’s Al’s home state! [:D]

In other news on the 1st, Al lands at Wake. Lots of disabled squads (probably not prepped) but since I had next to nothing there, they shock attack and take the island. Unfortunately, I thought the DD groups were just bombarding, and didn’t expect a landing, so I didn’t evacuate my Mavises.

Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 2903 troops, 57 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 86
Defending force 144 troops, 21 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2
Allied adjusted assault: 54
Japanese adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 54 to 1 (fort level 1)

Allied forces CAPTURE Wake Island !!! [:(]

Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 2 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
197 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 18 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 21 (21 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2
Allied ground losses:
109 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled

Assaulting units:
25th Marine Regiment
Defending units:
Wake Coastal Gun Battalion
11th JNAF AF Unit /1

My subs try to exact some revenge for the fall of Wake. RO-63 gets roughed up, but I-184 gets lucky and sinks the AGC Rocky Mount (If I remember, these are the Amphib HQ ships, so I don’t think he gets very many). I hear the sinking sound immediately afterward, so I think I got him.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jun 02, 44
ASW attack near Wake Island at 136,100

Japanese Ships
SS RO-63, hits 10
Allied Ships
DD Charles Badger
DD Cony
DD Colahan

SS RO-63 is sighted by escort
DD Cony attacking submerged sub ....
DD Colahan attacking submerged sub ....
DD Cony fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Colahan fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Wake Island at 136,98

Japanese Ships
SS I-184
Allied Ships
AGC Rocky Mount, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Allied ground losses:
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

AGC Rocky Mount is sighted by SS I-184
SS I-184 launches 2 torpedoes at AGC Rocky Mount

Over in the Marianas, I had spotted a task force coming in, and set my aircraft to naval attack. It looks like a bombardment group, without air cover, but I get a lesson in improved Allied flak after all the AA upgrades. [X(]

Morning Air attack on TF, near Saipan at 112,97
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 17
D4Y1 Judy x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 6 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 8 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB South Dakota
BB Washington
BB North Carolina
DD Mugford

Morning Air attack on TF, near Saipan at 112,97
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 40 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 19
B6N1 Jill x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N1 Jill: 5 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 3 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB North Carolina
BB Washington, Torpedo hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Lost a lot of aircraft (see inset for the day’s total), and only got 1 hit.

You got a hit though too, which is great with so few attackers. Nice! [:)]

I thought between all the hits that my CD guns scored at Truk, and the torp hit on the Washington, that Al might pull back his bombardment group until he had air cover in place. So I decided to gamble and let a TF continue unloading at Tinian. I can only imagine the commander of the Tama Maru looking up to see BBs incoming… [X(] Caught unloading, with 92% moonlight, they were sitting ducks... Three of the four were 1-shot kills.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 108,94, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
E Tsubame, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
E Maeshima, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PB Tama Maru #8, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Daihachikyo Maru, Shell hits 24, and is sunk

Allied Ships
BB North Carolina
BB South Dakota
CA New Orleans
CA San Francisco
DD Dyson
DD Fullam
DD Guest
DD Halford
DD Hudson
DD Conyngham

Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Improved night sighting under 92% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 92% moonlight: 12,000 yards



They followed up by bombarding the island. (The Bettys here are my primary search squadron)
Night Naval bombardment of Tinian at 108,94

Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 19 damaged
A6M5 Zero: 4 destroyed on ground
G4M1 Betty: 13 damaged

Allied Ships
BB South Dakota
BB North Carolina
CA San Francisco
CA New Orleans

Japanese ground losses:
186 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 15
Port hits 12
Port fuel hits 1

In other news, subs continue to fight it out with his landing forces at Wake. I put a torp into an LST, but the I-184 takes 7 hits. Unfortunately, I have nowhere to repair any major damage in this scenario, so I am leaving anything below about 40 damage on station to see if they can drag some ships down with them.

I had an ARD at Truk, but after 10 days of continuous bombing, the Liberators finally hit the mark today:

Morning Air attack on Truk , at 112,108
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 9
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 6
Allied aircraft losses
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
ARD Dublon ARD, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

Overall, though, in spite of the naval battle, I have succeeded in getting a lot of AV into Tinian. You can see below that 14th Div has landed almost 300 AV worth so far, and I have another convoy inbound near Yap. I want to make sure that he pays a price for each of the islands.

June 4th is relatively quiet, compared to the last couple turns. Probably the calm before the storm. Some sub action, with the wounded I-184 getting 2 hits on an xAK at Wake. But I also had the strange encounter below, with a strong escort group – I’m assuming there’s a CV group here as well, or maybe a landing group, but I am only seeing the escorts.

ORIGINAL: obvert

You got a hit though too, which is great with so few attackers. Nice! [:)]

Thanks, always good to see the silver lining! I wish I had more planes to throw at a juicy target like that.

June 5th - Finally caught up to where we are in the game!

Another shore bombardment, this time at Saipan. I had moved most of the aircraft off, so not much damage. CD guns got some shots off, but either superstructure hits or bounced off the armor.

I think the storm is coming in. The map below shows 2 different carrier groups approaching the Marianas. There’s also a bombardment group, it says its moving East, so it may be the Saipan group retreating, but that could also be FOW. Not sure if he is just going to hit the airfields, or if this is the lead-in to an actual landing already. The two groups in the north make me think he is aiming at Pagan. I shifted some planes around, to clear the northern airfields. I don’t have enough attack planes to do anything at the moment. I did shift two Zero squadrons back to Truk, so I can get a CAP ambush on his Liberators while the Carriers are north. [:D]

The Combined Fleet arrives in another turn, so I’m going to have to figure out how to organize and use them. My general plan is to build the main KB as a strike force to try and hit his TFs on the way in/out from the Marianas, but use some of the CVLs to create a mobile force that can raid his rear area, to at least keep him honest. The heavy SCTFs will be held back to interfere with his landing forces. I know they will likely be one-way missions, but if I can disrupt one of the landings enough to keep him from taking one of the islands, it will be worth it.

If anyone has any better words of wisdom, I am definitely open to suggestions!