So, naturally, I begin a full scenario game versus a seasoned veteran. Welcome to the showcase of horrible mistakes and plans miscarried. [:D]
This is a two-day AAR and I am also lazy. It will therefore be written in a very "free-form" format - I won't cover every day, I'll be vague in general, and I'll probably just sporadically paste in everything interesting or meaningful to the game as a whole and fill you in on the rest. But ask a question and I will fill you in. [:)] So prepare to watch me get beaned! [:D] We begin.
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I do not have the December 7th - 8th combat reports, sadly. But I will fill you in.
The sneaky Japs hit me hard all across the Pacific - they took Wake, landed in force in Khota Bharu and the usual places in the PI (Aparri and Vigan), bombed and bombarded the bejeezus out of Malaya and landing zones in the PI, and of course there was Pearl. Pearl didn't go to bad - Although most of my ships were damaged in varying amounts, only one BB was sunk. What REALLY hurt was the complete demolition of my PBYs. He got nearly all of them on day 1.
The 8th was more of the same - Makin and Tarawa were landed on, in Malaya and the PI, bombings and combat ensued. His carriers moved away from Pearl towards the northwest, and I assumed he was leaving for good. Big mistake! In the meantime, I evacuated one BB towards Johnston Island and released several ASW groups. I also left Force Z in Singapore harbor - another large mistake.
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12/9/41
Day Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 112,68
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 70
D3A Val x 120
B5N Kate x 117
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1
P-26A x 1
P-40B Tomahawk x 4
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed, 5 damaged
D3A Val: 10 destroyed, 65 damaged
B5N Kate: 12 destroyed, 40 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
P-26A: 2 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 10 destroyed, 5 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 3 destroyed, 7 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 12 damaged
PBY Catalina: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
Allied Ships
BB California, Bomb hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Nevada, Bomb hits 11, Torpedo hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
CL Detroit, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Tennessee, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Arizona, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Raleigh, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB West Virginia, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Phoenix, Torpedo hits 1
CL St. Louis, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
SS Tautog, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DMS Lamberton, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AO Neosho, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Jarvis, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Ward, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Dale, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Where this AAR gets its name: Me mumbling glumly, "Ow, my fleet!". The only reason the aircraft numbers are so low is that they were mostly destroyed on the seventh. The only BBs to escape were Oklahoma (90 SYS/75 FLT) - which needs about a year to clean the gibs off the bulkheads - and Pennsylvania, which had escaped south on the 8th. Pearl is in a shambled now, and will probably remain so for some time.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Pearl Harbor at 112,68
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 62
D3A Val x 45
B5N Kate x 4
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 damaged
D3A Val: 8 damaged
Allied Ships
DD Downes
DD Cassin, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD MacDonough, Shell hits 24
DD Hull, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Dewey, Shell hits 24, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Selfridge, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Farragut, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x A6M2 Zero attacking at 100 feet
3 x A6M2 Zero attacking at 100 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
2 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x A6M2 Zero attacking at 100 feet
4 x A6M2 Zero attacking at 100 feet
4 x A6M2 Zero attacking at 100 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
4 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
The ONE TF I accidentally forgot to set on Patrol - an ASW force that had already sunk one of the enemy's subs on the 8th - retreats towards PH and gets squishied.
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Day Air attack on TF, near Khota Bharu at 24,45
Allied aircraft
Swordfish x 6
Buffalo I x 16
Blenheim IV x 12
Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
Blenheim IV: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Haruna
BB Kongo
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Blenheim IV bombing at 15000 feet
2 x Swordfish bombing at 5000 feet
3 x Blenheim IV bombing at 15000 feet
3 x Swordfish bombing at 5000 feet
One of several fruitless attacks such as this. They never hit, but they could have at least gone after the ships with less flak..?
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Day Air attack on TF, near Wake Island at 82,63
Allied aircraft
F2A Buffalo x 16
SBD Dauntless x 34
Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
Japanese Ships
CL Tenryu, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Yubari, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Mutsuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Mochizuki, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yayoi, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Tatsuta
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
1 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
3 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
4 x SBD Dauntless bombing at 2000 feet
The bright spot of my day. Carrier AC attack and demolish the Wake invasion force. I'm not willing to hang around, though. Available CV forces are heading south, in the general direction of the new megabase I hope to build at Canton Island.
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Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
G3M Nell x 25
G4M1 Betty x 5
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 14
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 16 destroyed, 11 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 2 damaged
Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Bomb hits 2
BC Repulse, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 5
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
10 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
6 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Port attacks! I've been playing against the AI much too long, and forgot to evacuate Force Z. Prince of Wales is fine, but Repulse sinks in Singapore harbor later that day. Another lesson learned harshly.
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Ground combat at Guam
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 7118 troops, 89 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 144 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Guam base !!!
Poo.
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Ground combat at Hong Kong
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 22606 troops, 256 guns, 17 vehicles
Defending force 13232 troops, 122 guns, 4 vehicles
Allied ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
I was considering sending a few Chinese corps south to hit the Hong Kong invaders from the flank. Decided against it - poor Hong Kong.
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Ground combat at Aparri
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 14031 troops, 249 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 320 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 1498 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Aparri base !!!
Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
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Ground combat at Vigan
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 13021 troops, 174 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 492 troops, 4 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 1122 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Vigan base !!!
Japanese ground losses:
31 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
53 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
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Ground combat at Khota Bharu
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 19512 troops, 258 guns, 15 vehicles
Defending force 7358 troops, 41 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 3
Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 1
Japanese ground losses:
390 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
211 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Khota Bharu will break the next day.
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12/10/41
Day Air attack on Pearl Harbor , at 112,68
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 66
D3A Val x 98
B5N Kate x 69
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1
P-36A Mohawk x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
D3A Val: 21 destroyed, 44 damaged
B5N Kate: 25 destroyed, 31 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
P-36A Mohawk: 2 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 5 destroyed, 16 damaged
B-18A Bolo: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged
PBY Catalina: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied Ships
AK Manini, Bomb hits 1
BB Oklahoma, Bomb hits 13, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
BB California, Bomb hits 16, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DM Tracy, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DMS Chandler, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Reid, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SS Cachalot, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Monaghan, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL Honolulu, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CL Helena, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DM Montgomery, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Schley, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AO Ramapo, Bomb hits 2, on fire
ML Ogalala, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CL St. Louis, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Litchfield, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AO Neosho, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Worden, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CA New Orleans, Bomb hits 1
Allied ground losses:
86 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 30
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x A6M2 Zero attacking at 100 feet
14 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
10 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
11 x A6M2 Zero attacking at 100 feet
21 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
20 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
12 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
5 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
8 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
15 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
20 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
3 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
14 x D3A Val bombing at 2000 feet
7 x B5N Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Ow. Again.
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Naval bombardment of Davao, at 41,61 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!
5 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Hatsukaze
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 2
CA Myoko
Allied Ships
AVD William B. Preston, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Mauban, Shell hits 2, on fire
Allied ground losses:
122 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Vehicles lost 2
Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 1
Port supply hits 1
Several attacks like this on ports in the southern PI. I am afraid to evacuate ships in this area because of the mini-KB with a CVL floating around south of Davao.
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Ground combat at Hong Kong
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 24035 troops, 313 guns, 17 vehicles
Defending force 13221 troops, 122 guns, 4 vehicles
Allied ground losses:
149 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
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Ground combat at Khota Bharu
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 18979 troops, 242 guns, 14 vehicles
Defending force 7176 troops, 29 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 22 to 1 (fort level 1)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Khota Bharu base !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 1 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
210 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
Allied ground losses:
195 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
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Ground combat at Makin
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 1318 troops, 12 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 15 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Makin base !!!
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Day Air attack on Singapore , at 23,50
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 10
G4M1 Betty x 7
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 22
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 12 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 9 destroyed, 5 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 damaged
Vildebeest IV: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied Ships
CL Mauritius, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
BB Prince of Wales, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 2
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 15000 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
I twitch spasmodically reading the report, but PoW isn't too badly damaged. Force Z is now retiring to Colombo.
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As merchants flee the SRA in a torrent, ground forces in Malaya struggle to align themselves in a cohesive defensive line. In the Phillipines, our troops flee before the advancing Japanese hordes. In Singapore and Pearl Harbor, navy personell are stunned by the quick and merciless dispatching of the battlewagons. Allied leaders struggle to form a strategy in the face of the devastation.
My next turn is here - we'll see how December 11th and 12th go.
A question for you all - what do you do with the large amount of British shipping anchored off India and that area? I've already got a convoy running supplies to Rangoon, but I still have many, many free ships. I'm tempted to use them to help evacuate Oil/Resources from the DEI. Also, where and how do you use your PT boats? Thoughts? Ideas?
Thanks for reading.
