Islands of Destiny: RA 5.0 Japanese Side

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John 3rd
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Incoming!

Post by John 3rd »

November 1, 1943

Haven't updated for a bit due to craziness here and lack of action in the AAR. It is November 1, 1943.

The Allies have a BUNCH of TF just east and south of Wake. Targets could be Marcus or Eniwetok. Situations on each:

Eniwetok
The smart move would be Eniwetok to isolate off Roi Namur and Kwajalein. It serves as my staging base for Roi Namur and Kwajalein. I've been able to re-supply Roi Namur up to nearly 10,000 supply. Kwajalein only has about 3,000. There is an in-bound supply TF of AKL carrying 12,000 supply for Kwajalein. Four DDs will escort it in and provide cover. Now have a large Sentai of Franks and two big Daitai of George at Roi Namur. Will move Franks to Kwajalein to provide direct aircover. The garrison at Eniwetok is a full SNLF Assault Brigade with lots of supplies and AV at about 230 with about 25,000 supply.

Marcus
Here is the possibly better, bolder move. The base is isolated like Wake. I just dropped off a new Inf Brigade about a week ago game wise. It is a less capable base but he could use it to be a major pain in the patookus. AV is closer to 250 with 30,000 supply.

Forts are 6 at each. There are minefields at both.

Kaigun
1. Need about 7-10 more days to get the bulk of damaged ships back into action. Presently have 1 BC, 3 CA, 3 CL, and 12 DDs at Yokohoma repaired and upgraded. With the 10 day mark would be two BBs, two CVs, and a CVL.
2. Kido Butai is hiding at Ontong Java Atoll. The three TF (2 CV and 1 BB) are fully fueled and ready to go.

Planning
1. Don;'t have the strength to resist a full-on invasion of Eniwetok or Marcus with the fleet. LBA will handle that.
2. Am seriously planning on a counter air offensive hitting bases in the Marshalls and Gilberts once he makes his move. This is where I WANT him to go after Marcus. Have brought 6 Sentai of Helens and three more Fighter groups to the area. There are shipping concentrations in harbor at Maleolap, Ailinglaplap, and Jaliut. He has buckets of bombers at Tarawa with only a few fighters. All of these are juicy targets with real potential and not very many Allied fighters at any ONE base.
3. Kido Butai could be used coming up from the south in conjunction with bombardment and LBA to seriously smack Tarawa OR it can be used in the Coral Sea when he goes after Luganville.
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John 3rd
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Sharks!

Post by John 3rd »

November 1, 1943

The Japanese sub arm strikes repeatedly this day:

I-175 makes two successful attacks claiming a pair of AKs carrying vehicles and fuel. AK Exhibitor and AK Floyd Olson are both sunk by torps.

I-26 bags TK Tidewater with two TTs and numerous fuel explosions.

Seven more SS are vectored into the fight.

The screenshot shows the Allied TFs. This is the turn of decision either he turns and heads south to Eniwetok or he shifts NW and goes for Marcus. Course...he could stay right there and let my subs get another day at him...


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Frenzy?

Post by John 3rd »

November 2, 1943

My noble opponent elects to remain--mostly--in place.

Japanese I-Boats close in from all sides and all angles. It has the making of as feeding frenzy!

I-191 hits AK Santa Monica with a Torp that causes 37 casualties.

I-179 hits CL Birmingham with a Torp and then misses an AK.

I-183 SINKS AK Ephraim Baughman with two TTs and then blasts LCI-448 with a single Torp.

I-172 SINKS AP Arthur Riggs with a TT and then explosion following as well as AK Don Isodro with a TT. Vehicles and troops lost with both hits.

Tally for TWO Days:
SUNK: 4 AK, 1 TK, 1 AP, and an LCI
DAMAGED: CL Birmingham, and 2 AK

No SS were significantly damaged. Pull i-21 and I-26 out of the attack and send them to Marcus for fuel and repairs.

Vector in three more boats. Let us see if we can keep this up...


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Frenzy?

Post by John 3rd »

November 2, 1943

A single strike of 43 Zero (M4) and 43 Judy attack the enemy from Eniwetok. They encounter 91 Fighters on CAP. Nothing get through but 14 Allied Fighters are shot down in exchange for 18 Zero and 34 Judy. Yuck. Move 115 Fighters into Eniwetok and leave several ships unloading atthe Port in an attempt to zap his Naval Air. It is a CAP Trap we set.


Three Sentai of Helen fly into Roi Namur. A full Sentai of Franks move into Kwajalein. Target will be Mili's Port. Might grab his attention.

Two Sentai of Helen will arrive in Tabiteau tomorrow. A bombardment TF of 2 BB and 2 BC departs Ontong Java Atoll heading for Tarawa.
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Anachro
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RE: Frenzy?

Post by Anachro »

Feeding frenzy for the Japanese subs, but I'm surprised how well they are doing given the (hopefully) significant ASW assets that should be with the allied TFs. Keep it up and we wish you luck if the future battles. [:)]
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RE: Frenzy?

Post by John 3rd »

I'm gonna get my patookus kicked but that doesn't matter. WE'LL FIGHT THEM AT THE BEACHES. WE'LL FIGHT THEM...wait...ooooops...those lines have been used...
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Frenzy?

Post by John 3rd »

November 3, 1943

Allied Fleet
I am back to thinking my opponent doesn't know where he is going. The Allied Fleet moves just a couple hexes NW and is now somewhat spread out. The move is enough to throw my I-Boats off the scent for the day so they get new patrol coordinates.

The planes at Eniwetok, however, have targets seven hexes away. A Daitai of 18 Jill take off--without escort--to attack. They should be wiped out. There SHOULD be no survivors. Instead they find several American TFs SE of the main concentration and--can you believe this?--no fighter escort! How about that. Make 'em count boys. The 18 Torpedo planes attack six separate AKs and hit FIVE of six with 1-2 TTs each. NICE! No planes are shot down and at least three AKs sink immediately. All were apparently carrying fuel.

Marshalls/Gilberts
Notes:
1. Two convoys approach to unload at Roi Namur and Kwajalein.
2. Kwajalein sees aircraft arrive for the first time in weeks. A Sentai of 30+ brand new, shiny Franks land. Their orders are simple: Sweep Maleolap.
3. Roi Namur have 70+ Georges set to escort 100 Helen on a Port Strike at Maleolap. Recon 50+ ships sitting in harbor.
4. Nauru gains nearly 80 CV Zeros to escort 80+ Helens on an AF strike of Tarawa. There are 10-125 bombers there. No fighters reported.
5. A Bombardment TF of 2 BB and 2 BC approach Tarawa and are not spotted as of yet. Still two days away.

Regardless of Dan's moves, there will be ACTION next turn. Tune in for it after I get off of work...


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RE: Frenzy?

Post by John 3rd »

Tally for THREE Days:
SUNK: 7 AK, 1 TK, 1 AP, and an LCI
DAMAGED: CL Birmingham, and 4 AK

Calculated losses due to SS and the Jills.

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RE: Frenzy?

Post by Anachro »

I am back to thinking my opponent doesn't know where he is going.

You don't really believe that do you? Is Canoerebel the type of player that would be indecisive? I'm really asking what is your read on him in this situation.
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RE: Frenzy?

Post by John 3rd »

He has been indecisive in the past. Usually he loads his invasions with troops prepped for several locations and then makes a decision based on resistance and intel. This happened in the Marshalls/Gilberts and Sumatra where troops landed with massed casualties and no ability to attack for days. IF I had had strength opposing these landings they might have been thrown out.

ANYWHERE he elects to go THIS time will find heavily dug in, well supplied and prepped troops. My only real limitation is Base Size and AF/AFs nearby for strikes.

He has already lost over a dozen ships and isn't near a target. Give me a few days and I will hit SOMETHING valuable...
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RE: Frenzy?

Post by John 3rd »

Headed to work and just got this note from Dan:

You remember our first WitP game, when my huge invasion fleet sailed towards Iwo Jima and then steamed in circles for a week or ten days? As I recall, the title to your AAR posts were most amusing.



Man is reading my mind...
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RE: Frenzy?

Post by HansBolter »

PsyOps at its best!

Gotta love it.
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John 3rd
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The Cruel Sea

Post by John 3rd »

October 7, 1943

It would APPEAR that Truk is the target. I suspected as much about 6 days ago and decided to load-up an Inf Reg from the Marainas to bolster its defenses. Glad I did. He is moving sooooooooooo slowly it arrived and unloaded without issue. Am now flying in elements of an Inf Div to make so he cannot take the base with any ease at all.

Decided to unleash the aircraft at Guam and Truk. The 300 planes at Truk were set for 8 hexes and the 300 planes at Truk got a range of six.

GUAM: The Guam aircraft sank a--are you ready?--YMS scouting ahead of the fleet. No comment there.

TRUK: A substantial strike of nearly 100 Fighters but a small amount of bombers goes in and finds nearly 400 fighters on CAP. Sigh. The fighter occupy the CAP for about 12-15 engagements before letting the enemy through to wipe out the 25 strike planes. Since all the fighters flew with the first strike (and did nothing) then the Judy and Jills all decide to attack without fighter cover. What an exercise in futility. Lose about 100 planes total.

A small TF of AKs and PG were finishing unloading. A strike of about 150 Fighters and 125 Bombers/TP hit Truk and sink six ships at the cost of a little over a dozen American aircraft.

AV at Truk is over 300 and climbing 50 a day due to transports flying in troops. Will begin to evacuate Combined Fleet to the Marianas.

Reinforcements:
1. Shanghai
a. A Naval Garrison (120 AV) loads and heads for Peleliu.
b. An Inf Brigade (225 AV) loads and departs for Yap.

2. Tokyo
a. An Inf Brigade begins loading (220 AV) to land at Chuichi Jima.

Pull 130 Fighters from the Aleutians and they are moving down to the Marianas.

Feeling rather inconsequential at this point.


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The Cruel Sea

Post by John 3rd »

November 8, 1943

Your guess is as good as mine...


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RE: The Cruel Sea

Post by Lowpe »

John,

I have come to the conclusion that Japan needs low aggression land based air naval strike leaders. Why, you ask? They will never fly you say!

To hopefully avoid situations like this, but to fly against unprotected task forces. If your search is good enough, you're DL's high enough, I think it will work ok -- at least better than this.

To fly against the deathstar, simply have one squadron of bombers on very high attack escorted by a lot of fighters and you get a poor sweep. Remember the goal of fighting 400 plane CAP over Allied Carriers is to target the planes more than the ships. Tough to do at an isolated Truk...

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John 3rd
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RE: The Cruel Sea

Post by John 3rd »

Solid points and very well reasoned.

I may just give that leader idea a try. I am losing very few fighters while killing still fewer of his but my bombers attack without escort and die in droves...

Great advice that will be put into effect.
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RE: The Cruel Sea

Post by JohnDillworth »

What are the fort and airfield levels at Truk? I presume it bristles with CD guns? Supply? AA? Not much in the neighborhood to support it. However, you should be able to keep a steady stream of aircraft shuttling in. Bombardments might make that someone more difficult but I don't think he can shut the airfield down
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RE: The Cruel Sea

Post by HansBolter »

I would think the airfield has the same potential to be shut down as the Allies suffer at the hands of the Japanese.

CD guns just don't seem to have an impact on bombardments. Only mines and MTBs will be of any use in suppressing the bombardments.

The mine deterrent will last only as long as it takes to sweep them, albeit the heavy losses in sweepers that the CD guns would exact.

The Allies have minesweepers out the wazu so any player willing to sustain the losses can effectively clear the hex.
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John 3rd
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RE: The Cruel Sea

Post by John 3rd »

Turk has Sz-6+ Forts and about 400+ mines. You can see the supply level on that screenshot.

Current AV is about 300 and rising roughly 35 a day with Transports flying in troops from Ponape.

I doubt if he will even land here. My bet is he moves further west where he'll try to grab multiple bases with no troops on them and try to take one bigger, defended base. He did this exact same thing in Sumatra and Malaya. Might be wrong but he truly doesn't know WHICH base(s) are his real targets. Put money on that...
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RE: The Cruel Sea

Post by Capt. Harlock »

He did this exact same thing in Sumatra and Malaya. Might be wrong but he truly doesn't know WHICH base(s) are his real targets.

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