Olympic v653b

[sPzAbt653]

The modified Olympic scenario [which can be found here: https://forums.matrixgames.com/viewtopi ... 1#p4206641] has been further modified and attached here is 'Olympic v653b'. Changes were made to Japanese coast guns as they were considered overpowered. Further changes were made based on a document found here: https://irp.fas.org/eprint/arens/chap4.htm

While this is a 'What If' scenario with no historical battle from which to obtain data, the following are excerps from the above linked document that may apply to the design of this scenario:

On 8 April 1945, Japanese Imperial General Headquarters [IGHQ] issued orders for the implementation of Ketsu-Go (Decisive) Operation, defensive in nature. The strategy for Ketsu-Go stated that the Imperial Army would endeavor to crush the Americans while the invasion force was still at sea. They planned to deliver a decisive blow against the American naval force by initially destroying as many carriers as possible, utilizing the special attack forces of the Air Force and Navy. When the amphibious force approached within range of the homeland airbases, the entire air combat strength would be employed in continual night and day assaults against these ships. In conducting the air operations, the emphasis would be on the disruption of the American landing plans. The principal targets were to be the troop and equipment transports.

Kyushu was of the greatest urgency as the initial U.S. attack was almost certain to be directed at that island. The Japanese thus were extremely accurate as to the location of the American landing zones.

Since U.S. air raids had already seriously disrupted the transportation system, time schedules were planned to provide for all troop movements to be made by foot.

Air operations against American landings on Kyushu:
The Army had 5,651 and the Navy had 7,074 aircraft of all types. While many of these were not considered combat planes, almost all were converted into kamikaze planes.

Naval operations against the invasion fleet:
38 Japanese fleet submarines would serve as launch platforms for manned suicide torpedoes called "Kaitens". The five-man midget submarines, known as "Koryu," would also be employed with either two torpedoes or an explosive charge for use in a suicide role. The Navy planned to have 540 Koryu in service by the time of the invasion. A more advanced midget submarine, the "Kairyu," was a two man craft armed with either two torpedoes or an explosive charge. Approximately 740 Kairyu were planned by the fall of 1945.
19 surviving Japanese destroyers would attempt to attack the American transports at the invasion beaches. Suicide attack boats, called "Shinyo," would strike from hiding places along the shore. The Japanese Navy and Army had an estimated combined total of 3,300 special suicide attack boats. There would be rows of suicide frogmen called "Fukuryu" in their diving gear 30 feet or so beneath the water. Closer to shore, there would be three rows of divers, clad in a diving suit and breathing from oxygen tanks, were to swim up to landing craft and detonate a charge. The Navy had hoped for 4,000 men to be trained and equipped for this suicide force by October.

[sPzAbt653]

An AAR can be found here:
https://forums.matrixgames.com/viewtopi ... 1#p5280451

[sPzAbt653]

After the failure documented in the above linked AAR, I tried again. This time I concentrated everything on one beach. It worked out much better, but probably only because the Japs are PO controlled. I managed to clear enough of the coast batteries so that I could land unmolested at the northern most port in this area [instead of landing at non-anchorage hexes as I did in the previous AAR]. There are still very strong Jap counterattacks, but it looks like the US is in a much better position to gain a victory.

At the beginning of turn 4:

[sPzAbt653]

I noticed that the kamikaze's had free range over the airbases at Okinawa and Saipan, causing heavy casualties to the bombers based there. Therefore I moved some fighter cover to those bases and reposted the scenario file in post #1.