Rising Sun, Falling Skies: BTSL Bigred vs John 3rd

[John 3rd]

Here is the VP Page on Dec 1, 1943:

[John 3rd]

Here are ATA Totals:

Late-November 1943 and I flirt with a 3-1 IN MY FAVOR pair of days. I will take it because these do not come often...

Note the P-38 and P-47 losses: BANZAI!!!

[bigred]

43-11-30:

[bigred]

43-12-1: But I fell asleep during the replay.

[bigred]

And this is the big report!!!
Ground combat at Prome (55,50)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 77018 troops, 1477 guns, 2370 vehicles, Assault Value = 2539

Defending force 40253 troops, 392 guns, 139 vehicles, Assault Value = 623

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 2

Allied adjusted assault: 1569

Japanese adjusted defense: 422

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
3301 casualties reported
Squads: 114 destroyed, 80 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 61 disabled
Engineers: 12 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 64 (40 destroyed, 24 disabled)
Vehicles lost 24 (7 destroyed, 17 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1832 casualties reported
Squads: 20 destroyed, 161 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 54 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 30 disabled
Guns lost 42 (2 destroyed, 40 disabled)
Vehicles lost 44 (1 destroyed, 43 disabled)

Assaulting units:
24th Australian Brigade
2nd British Division
40th Chinese Corps
44th Cavalry Regiment
50th Tank Brigade
Gardner's Horse Regiment
13th Armoured Division
25th Indian Division
8th KGV Light Cav Regiment
255th Armoured Brigade
XV Corps Engineer Battalion
5th Indian Division
1st Manchester Battalion
1st Burma Battalion
9th Australian Division
29th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
77th Heavy AA Regiment
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
XV Indian Corps
26th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
24th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
85th British AT Gun Regiment
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment

Defending units:
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
65th Brigade
47th Division
41st Infantry Regiment
64th Inf Group Brigade
138th Infantry Regiment
53rd Const Co
26th Fld AA Machinecannon Company
31st Fld AA Gun Co
48th Field AA Battalion
Burma Area Army
8th JNAF Coy
20th AA Regiment
47th Field AA Battalion
77th JAAF AF Bn
91st JAAF AF Bn

[bigred]

Burned alot of air power to blow prome out.

[bigred]

43-12-3: Allies take Prome but, the KB is deployed around Cold Bay with mini KB returning off Brisbane.

[bigred]

When I receive an ass whipping, I always remind myself "it is good to be humbled".

[John 3rd]

We are going to do the following in a multi-entry style. The first will be a standard (in my way) Japanese entry extolling the GLORIES of Dai Nippon and then we'll cover it in a two-sided conversational style.

[John 3rd]

Combat Report
Regional
December 3-4, 1943

The Empire of Japan continues the fight against the growing threat of the Allies. The action stays constant on multiple threat axis. The Aleutians, South Pacific, and Burma are hot, hot, hot right now. This pair of days sits squarely in the realm of strong Japanese VICTORIES in December 1943!

In short the cry goes out as BANZAI! BANZAI!! BANZAI!!!

North Pacific
As noticed by the Allied air recon on the 2nd, the Japanese obviously are concentrated at Cold Harbor. The Fleet has, indeed, concentrated for battle with the Allies. The vast majority of the Battle Fleet is in the IO but the KIDO BUTAI has concentrated in the Aleutians. A total of eight heavy carriers and six light carriers prepare for battle. Given the extreme weather, all aircraft have been on a stand down for the last four days so ALL are ready for the next few days.

This must be a smart battle. The enemy has troops being picked up at Kodiak (the freshly ruined 7th ID and 4th Marine Division), there is a heavy concentration of shipping at and in Seward, AL, and hundreds of Fighters and Bombers. Several TFs move out:

1. The Kido Butai shall advance on the right flank and all of its planes are set for short range. They may fly out 200 miles (5 hexes) and no farther. Anything in that range will be attacked. Some Fighters are designated to cover the landing at Chirikof (50-60) and the remaining see half on CAP and the other half on Escort duty. Over 300 DB and TB wait the chance to strike.

The hope in this plan is to get close enough for the Kido Butai to draw Allied strikes onto itself while also being able to inflict some serious damage on any shipping in its scope of attack.

2. Carrying a veteran Japanese Infantry Division is a TF of 30+ ships. Several cruisers and DDs are imbedded for extra protection if an Allied STF should appear. This TF brings 20,000 Troops and 35,000 supply.

3. Close protection for those transports is a powerful CA TF. They provide direct cover.

4. Another, larger and more powerful STF Sweeps between the Kido Butai and the Chirikof TFs. Here is the heavy fist of Japanese surface forces in the North Pacific.

[John 3rd]

The movement kicks off as planned as the TFs depart on the separate missions.

Thankfully, no Allied SS seriously interfere on either day!

December 3, 1943
Everyone moves out smartly.

The heavy STF is built around the powerful BC Ishitaka. This Amagi-Class Battlecruiser has been in the thick of it throughout the war. With her are four CA, a CL, and 8 DDs. They move up to Sitkinak Isle and make short work of 2 PT and an LST. The also drive off several more PTs before returning to provide additional cover at Chirikof.

The Landing Force and its CA TF protectors make the short voyage from Cold Harbor to Chirikof in the night and begin unloading. The garrison of Chirikof has been out of supply for the last 4-5 days and they celebrate as offloading begins. Overhead of them flies nearly 80 Fighters providing a powerful aerial umbrella.

Morning
Kido Butai moves to its assigned area and launch air search missions. Though several recon planes are shot down, the results verify that there are well over 100 ships in and around Seward. Additional shipping spotted to the NNE, NE and East. Early in the search patterns, the aircraft assigned to Kodiak report that nearly 75 Allied ships are still sitting at Japanese held Kodiak. The recon birds report something amazing..."There appears to be NO enemy Fighter cover over these ships!"

No Fighter Cover? Vice Admiral Yamaguchi Tamon lets out a deep breath and orders the carriers to turn directly into wind and LAUNCH! Into the leaden skies fly 135 Fighters, 98 DB and 106 TB.

This...is...the...Aleutians...in,,,December. Weather is a huge issue. Nearly 80 planes turn back due to getting lost or mechanical issues.

The remaining 127 Fighters, 54 DB and 76 TB appear over Kodiak in scattered clouds and spot an attack pilots dream. DOZENS of transports and warships sitting vulnerable to attack and, Gods be praised, no fighters. The Attack Wave sweeps in against AA fire and does terrible damage. BB Maryland sinks under 5 500Kg bomb hits and two Torpedo hits (one causing her to blow up). Nearly 20 AP, LCI, APA, and AKA are hit and several are sunk. The attack wave loses four planes and turns back towards the Kido Butai.

Afternoon
While dodging ineffective American air attacks, a second strike is launched at the targets and, thru really BAD weather, another 67 Fighters, 19 DB, and 24 TB strike the shipping. More ships hit and sunk!

A total of five small Allied attacks attempt to go after Kido Butai but they are all swept to the side by CAP and then AA.

December 4th
The weather actually clears for this day. Three strikes are flown at Kodiak this day: Morning sees 118 F, 78 DB, and 109 TB and 20 F, 4 DB, and 9 TB while the Afternoon sees 78 F, 66 DB, and 49 TB arrive. Several dozen ships are hit and many sink.

ESTIMATED LOSSES are: BB Maryland, 14 LCI, 1 APD, 1 xAP, 6 APA, 6 AKA, 5 LST, 4 LCT, 1 APc, 1 YMS, and 1 LSI(L). Japan loses another 5-7 planes to AA.

The Japanese lose maybe a dozen carrier-based planes here. Very nice.

The Allies have their clocks cleaned as F6F, Corsair, SBD, Helldiver, Ventura and Avengers drop by the dozens. Total Allied air loses are at least 150-175 planes.


Wow. WELL DONE!

A number of pilots are flying their first actual strike missions and they gain valuable experience these two days. Excellent.

[John 3rd]

Headed to church. Will add more this afternoon.

[John 3rd]

OK. Back to it.

[John 3rd]

The South Pacific has a raiding TF of 6 or so CVL moving around there. We last left the Japanese CTF slightly SW of Noumea. While this force has some strength, 200+ carrier aircraft is not much if the bad guys show up! Orders here are for a slight withdrawal moving due north. The goal of the two turns is to draw Allied attacks upon the CTF so maximum losses can be inflicted on the Allied air arm.

Different sort of threat involved here. With no real HR in this game (will never, EVER do that again!) the enemy has worked to specialize B-24 crews in strafing monsters flying at 1.2 millimeters from the surface of the ocean. The effects have been pretty bad. Against slow moving targets (AP-AK), the B-24s are horrifically effective. Japan has been working on a defense THINKING that warships might be much more deadly to this sort of attack. The theory is put into effect these two days.

Wave upon wave of B-24 and some B-25 attack the Japanese on both days. The CAP averages about 125 or so Fighters and they bag 1 or 2 of each strike but the real damage is meted out by the heavy AA guns and rapidly maneuvering warships. There are six strikes flown at the Japanese on the 3rd and an equal number on the 4th. Allied Fighters have to fly very low to support the attacks and they are bounced and made to suffer for that. By the end of thwo day period, nearly 60 4EB are destroyed.

NICE!

[John 3rd]

Burma
The Burma Theatre is somewhat quiet as the Japanese TF's refuel and reload.

Three BB do bombard Ramree Isle on the 3rd doing decent damage to the AF, troops, and base.

There are massive troop movements going on as the Japanese adjust to the lose of Prome.

In the hex south of Toungoo, three Japanese ID CRUSH an Indian Division trying to cut the lines there. A 2-1 attack by the Japanese clears the hex and inflicts 2175 Cas (170 Squads), 33 Guns, and 42 Vehicles for 524 Japanese losses.

Here is the current perimeter:

[John 3rd]

OK. I took two screenshots. The left (RED) side are primarily casualties in Alaska and the right (YELLOW) are losses near Australia:

[John 3rd]

Second Page:

[John 3rd]

OK. We did a serious drubbing of enemy in the air and on the sea over the two day turn.

I have spoken twice with Paul over the last couple of days and he says that the TF at Kodiak were given orders to stop loading and withdraw as the Japanese approached. They were SUPPOSED to retreat under the protective air umbrella of Seward. This did not happen. The TF kept right on loading the battered 7th ID and 4th Marine Division absorbing the Japanese strikes over two days. The 2 Inf Div lose another 2,457 Cas (230 Squads), 56 Guns, and 65 Vehicles.

The non-conforming TF cost Paul more valuable Assault Shipping and the services of two strong ID.

Will leave it to him to explain (if he wants) what SHOULD have occurred with orders but did not.

[John 3rd]

Was just comparing the Dec 1st screenshot to the current one--Dec 5th. The increases in VP is interesting:

Army losses:
Allied +253
Japan +158

Plane losses:
Allied +465
Japan +314

Ship Losses:
Allied 34 Ships for +217
Japan 1 Ship for +8

Total:
Allied Losses: +935
Japan Losses: +450

Totals really reflect the action going on!

[bigred]

OK. We did a serious drubbing of enemy in the air and on the sea over the two day turn.

I have spoken twice with Paul over the last couple of days and he says that the TF at Kodiak were given orders to stop loading and withdraw as the Japanese approached. They were SUPPOSED to retreat under the protective air umbrella of Seward. This did not happen. The TF kept right on loading the battered 7th ID and 4th Marine Division absorbing the Japanese strikes over two days. The 2 Inf Div lose another 2,457 Cas (230 Squads), 56 Guns, and 65 Vehicles.

The non-conforming TF cost Paul more valuable Assault Shipping and the services of two strong ID.

Will leave it to him to explain (if he wants) what SHOULD have occurred with orders but did not.

Research in the threads lead me to believe I could land the unprepped Divisions on top of the mountain regiment that had walked across the backside of Kodiak to the port without major disruption. So I dropped 2 divs at Kodiak and they got trashed. A review of the Thread said the unloading unprepped unit has to merge with another part of same unit that has already established an unloading beachhead in a previous turn segment to avoid the penalty.


The initial drop was 6 days ago. The units are then trashed.

4 days ago I ordered the amphib fleet to go pick up the divs at Kodiak and off they went.

2 days ago the amphib fleet is 20% loaded at kodiak and recon shows the 500 plane KB sitting at cold bay. So I changed the destination to Seward and stopped the amphib pick up command because I wanted the TF to return to Seward for Air cover.

The amphib TF did not stop loading the evac Divs untill completely loaded and keep loading as they where struck by the KB. The remaints are Still sitting at Kodiak, the Divs are fully loaded and over 2/3 sunk w no air cover.

I did not know the TF would not respond to my stop load command. Only fix I see would have been to make a new TF with all the ships so they Ignore the load command. Not sure that would have worked.