aztez vs katsuragi (DaBabes mod december 7th start)

[aztez]

...and allied ship losses! Most of the naval assets are operational which is good news!

[aztez]

IJN reported naval losses pending FOW.... part I...

[JocMeister]

The C-47 OPS losses continue to amaze me. Saw the same thing in my last game and I was mostly flying from level 9 AF to level 9 AF between India and Burma. I see this in all games. Wonder if it might be a bug. Japanese transports does not seem to suffer from the same problem?

[aztez]

...and part II...

[aztez]

...and finally the strategic map of the war! The commonwealth forces are stalemated near Rangoon... allied troops hold Marianas, New Guinea, part of Bonin's and are wrapping up things closer to Luzon. The japanese juggernaught at China has been halted and I doubt he tries anything there anymore... looking forward to 1944.

[aztez]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

The C-47 OPS losses continue to amaze me. Saw the same thing in my last game and I was mostly flying from level 9 AF to level 9 AF between India and Burma. I see this in all games. Wonder if it might be a bug. Japanese transports does not seem to suffer from the same problem?

Yeah. They gathering losses on their operational flights steadily. Unreliable aircraft??? [:D]

Pretty much the same thing with them in my previous PBEM's as well. I using them 30% rest. They are not flying between level 9 airfields but they do operate daily. I have kept check on their fatigue levels so that is not an issue here.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: aztez

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

The C-47 OPS losses continue to amaze me. Saw the same thing in my last game and I was mostly flying from level 9 AF to level 9 AF between India and Burma. I see this in all games. Wonder if it might be a bug. Japanese transports does not seem to suffer from the same problem?

Yeah. They gathering losses on their operational flights steadily. Unreliable aircraft??? [:D]

Pretty much the same thing with them in my previous PBEM's as well. I using them 30% rest. They are not flying between level 9 airfields but they do operate daily. I have kept check on their fatigue levels so that is not an issue here.

Besides pilot fatigue, it is useful to check aircraft fatigue (the PLANES hypertext at the bottom of the air unit screen.)
When any planes get above 20 fatigue, I scale back operations if I can.

[aztez]

BBfanboy: That is an valid point and will check that once the turn arrives.

Touche that I cannot scale back at current time due to "overall" picture! [:)]

[aztez]

December 25th 1943 - January 15th 1944


The war continues. Allied troops land and secure Daito Shoto atoll near Japanese mainland.

This is very nice atoll to have for allied player and should serve it's purpose.

Meanwhile in Burma the stalemate continues. Japanese troops repulse yet another allied ground offensive near Prome.

The airwar has seen couple of bloody days over Toungoo. Allied bombers will continue to hit the base daily...

Near Marianas we have now operational bases at Yap and Ullithi. At Babeldaop we have landed US reinforcements in order to deal with the enemy there.

Allied submarines have had abysmal couple of weeks. Lets hope their hunt improves soon...

Sub kills: PB Kinsyo Maru #2, xAK Osaka Maru, PB Ikunta Maru, TK Fujisan Maru and xAK Sinsei Maru.

[Simonsez]

I just had the pleasure of talking briefly with 97 year old, [&o] Lt. Colonel Dick Cole this past weekend at the Heavy Bomber Weekend in Madison, WI (USA). What a humble and amazing man, he was Jimmy Doolittle's co-pilot on the Raid on Tokyo. After surviving that mission, he volunteered for and fly 14 months worth of Hump Missions in C-47's between India and China. Seems like they lost around 600 C-47's during that campaign in total, not to mention about 100 Chinese transports planes. My guess is that it was maybe a little easier to "identify" soon to fail aircraft in real life than it is with the pixel planes.

ps - Overheard him telling a guy next to me that he had received a package recently in the mail and it contained a framed piston ring from his crashed B-25 in China. Oh, and I got to crawl through a restored B-25 and a B-17. Had a P-51 flying around as well as several T-6's , plus a TBF Avenger flew in for a static display (it's a pretty big bird for a single engine piston plane).

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Simonsez

I just had the pleasure of talking briefly with 97 year old, [&o] Lt. Colonel Dick Cole this past weekend at the Heavy Bomber Weekend in Madison, WI (USA). What a humble and amazing man, he was Jimmy Doolittle's co-pilot on the Raid on Tokyo. After surviving that mission, he volunteered for and fly 14 months worth of Hump Missions in C-47's between India and China. Seems like they lost around 600 C-47's during that campaign in total, not to mention about 100 Chinese transports planes. My guess is that it was maybe a little easier to "identify" soon to fail aircraft in real life than it is with the pixel planes.

ps - Overheard him telling a guy next to me that he had received a package recently in the mail and it contained a framed piston ring from his crashed B-25 in China. Oh, and I got to crawl through a restored B-25 and a B-17. Had a P-51 flying around as well as several T-6's , plus a TBF Avenger flew in for a static display (it's a pretty big bird for a single engine piston plane).

Great to know there are still a few WWII vets about.
Did you ask him what he thought of Ben Affleck's portrayal of the Doolittle raid and crash in China? (If he even bothered to see it).

[aztez]

Hello guys! Have been somewhat busy with work and my daughters football coaching. At least it is hot and sunny.

Intresting details regarding those transport aircraft and you can learn a lot by talking to the people that actually were there!


January 16th - 27th 1944


Lets start with some good news. The japanese resistance at Babeldaob has been wiped out and allied troops are fortifying the base.

The battle was bloody in the end but with some reinforced firepower we managed to gain upper hand. At least we do not have worry about 48th IJA division anymore!

The Daito Shoto and Iwo Jima bases are going to be very useful indeed. I had an glimpse of an convoy and managed to intercept one near Amami Oshima...


Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Amami Oshima at 97,62

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 32 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 108
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 34
SBD-5 Dauntless x 33
TBF-1 Avenger x 35


Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 1 destroyed by flak
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 damaged
TBF-1 Avenger: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Lima Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Syohei Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Matumoto Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Venice Maru, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Lyons Maru, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Hakubasan Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Bordeaux Maru, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Tokiwa Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Durban Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Hauraki Maru, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Lisbon Maru, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
xAK Matsue Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Wales Maru, Bomb hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Delagoa Maru
xAK Kamoi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PB Nagata Maru, Bomb hits 1
DD Hayanami
PB Myoken Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Turuga Maru, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Montreal Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Toyooka Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Fubuki
xAK Hakonesan Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tusima Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PB Sozan Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Teisin Maru, Bomb hits 1


...nice few more of his merchant fleet done and the pilot gets some target practise.

At Burma we have been deadlocked for longtime now. I'am bombing Toungoo daily to consume his supply levels but the ground offensive odds have not been good thus far.

I have to say that using bombers targeting ground units in NOT clear terrain is mostly waste of time.

I do not mind grinding at Burma though and eventually we will prevail...

Elsewhere moving stuff around the map and considering options...

Sub kills: E Fukue, xAK San Francisco Maru, xAK Venice Maru, xAK Teisin Maru and xAK Terushima Maru.

[aztez]

January 28th - February 8th 1944


At Burma the allied bombing campaign continues with mediocre results. I have now ordered more bomber squadrons into region from mainland US.

CL Tama becomes first ship to be hit by british submarines in Indian Ocean.

The US carriers ambush another merchant convoy near Nago....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Nago at 96,62

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 99
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 19
SBD-5 Dauntless x 66
TBF-1 Avenger x 17


Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Arimasan Maru, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Hokkai Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Brisbane Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Katuragi Maru, Bomb hits 10, and is sunk
xAK Melbourne Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Goyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Tokyo Maru, Bomb hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Yamasimo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Canberra Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Kagu Maru, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Seattle Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DD Asakaze
xAK Kano Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
E Iki, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Aratama Maru, Bomb hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Hawaii Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Myoko Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage


Elsewhere preparations continues....

Sub kills: xAK Belgium Maru, CL Tama, xAK Ryuyo Maru and DD Fubuki.

[BBfanboy]

Nice pic of CA Pensacola. Never seen the aft quarter aerial view of that class before.
Must be later in the war judging by the 40mm gun tubs astern.

[aztez]

BBFanboy: Nice ship. The pic is from summer 1944...! [:)]


February 9th - 14th 1944


Allied aircraft reinforcements have left towards Burma. These bomber squadrons should add quite nicely once operational there.

Japanese put up an LRCAP at Toungoo.. the skirmishes ended up with loss ratio 1:1....

The US carriers intercepted enemy tanker TF sailing close japanese home islands...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Wenchow at 89,60

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 68
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 51
SBD-3 Dauntless x 19
TBF-1 Avenger x 17


Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
TK Kyoie Maru, Bomb hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Palembang Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires
TK Kyokuho Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Arita Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
E Sado, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk
TK Ayazono Maru, Bomb hits 1
TK Kotai Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Ayayuki Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Takane Maru, Bomb hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Ceram Maru, Bomb hits 1
TK Chiyoda Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires
TK Manei Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Ryusho Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
TK Amato Maru, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Oyashio, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Kenwa Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage


... that should hurt his oil / fuel transports hopefully.

The preparations continue around the map....

Sub kills: xAK Goyo Maru, xAK Seattle Maru and xAK Taibun Maru.

[aztez]

February 15th - 16th 1944


The japanese fighters continue their CAP efforts over at Toungoo.

Infantry units are dug in and some are recieving R&R after weeks of fighting.

I'am moving more rested fighters into frontlines in order to deal with this incrased enemy fighter presence.

Allied HQ has approved operation "Dwarf" which is ordered to begin asap... more details to follow...

Sub kills: AO Shiriya

[aztez]

February 17th - 20th 1944

Allied amphibious TF's radioes to the allied HQ stationed at Pearl Harbour...

"Sir.. It is about to begin.... d-day -1"

Sub kills: None

[aztez]

February 21st - 22nd 1944


Allied TF's arrive at Okinawa. There are simultaneous invasions both at Naha and Nago.

We are hoping to wrap up both of these bases swiftly.

At Nago there are just IJA 1st Ind.Mixed regiment and at Naha there 34th& 13th Ind.Mixed regiments holdin the base.

There are no recon nor signit reports whether rest of the IJN is lurking around the area.

The first ground assaults are ordered to begin in 23th february....

Sub kills: None

[aztez]

February 23rd - 24th 1944


The battle of Okinawa continued on the 23rd & 24th.

All begun with some naval combat which allied ships gained the upper hand...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Nago at 95,65, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Maya, Shell hits 1
CL Noshiro, Shell hits 1
CL Yahagi, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Yura
CL Kiso, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Hayanami, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Shinonome, Shell hits 4
DD Shirakumo, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Isonami, Shell hits 8, heavy fires
DD Hokaze, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Sterett, Shell hits 2
DD Cummings, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Drayton, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
DD Lamson, Shell hits 1
DD Case, Shell hits 4
DD Conyngham
DD Shaw, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
DD Cushing
DD Flusser, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
DD Tucker, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Porter, Shell hits 1
DD Selfridge, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Nago at 95,65, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Maya, Shell hits 7, on fire
CL Yura, Shell hits 7

Allied Ships
DD Aaron Ward
DD Frazier
DD Gansevoort, Shell hits 1
DD Hobby
DD Mustin
DD Mugford
DD Henley, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Craven
DD McCall
DD Maury
DD Dunlap, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Benham, Shell hits 1
DD Chew, Shell hits 2
DD Schley, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
DE Levy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Nago at 95,65

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
Corsair II x 9
F6F-3 Hellcat x 69
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 60
TBM-1C Avenger x 18


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 2 damaged
TBM-1C Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Hokaze, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CL Yahagi, Bomb hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Noshiro, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Shinonome, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Isonami, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
DD Shirakumo, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Nago at 96,64

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 16
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 31
TBM-1C Avenger x 18


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Maya, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
CL Yura, Bomb hits 3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Nago at 95,65

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 49
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 21


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CL Noshiro, Bomb hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Hokaze, Bomb hits 8, and is sunk



...the ground offensive also went nicely.

On 24th the allied commanders at Nago reported that last resistance has been wiped out. At Naha we have reduced fort to level 1 and next turn shock assault is scheduled.

Japanese are flying reinforcements via air into the islands.

Sub kills: None

[aztez]

February 25th - 26th 1944


The battle of Okinawa is all but over. Allied ground troops pushed the japanese resistance away at Naha.

The remaining defenders are surrounded and forced to surrender next turn.

The operation here was an definate success.

I have now 2 (Naha & Nago) operational bases which can sustain LBA aircraft close to the japanese home islands.

Japanese have some convoys sailing close to Chinese coast and we managed to intercept one with our carrier based aircraft...

Elsewhere things remain relatively quiet...

Sub kills: xAK Izumo Maru