Islands of Destiny: RA 5.0 Japanese Side

[John 3rd]

Hadn't realized I fell to the 2nd page.

Sorry for not very many Posts. Have been focused on our turn a day and working on the Re-Vamped BTS. LOTS of Posting in the design thread but little here. This will change if anything major happens.

November 19, 1944

Outside Kanhsien, three Allied armored units are CRUSHED. The Japanese ID goes in pursuit to keep up the skeer. This screenshot shows the gradual vice closing in southern China. The Kanhsien attack helps keep it open for a while.

[John 3rd]

November 20, 1944

The Americans try a daylight raid over Maebishi with 18 B-29s and find over 50 Fighters WAITING to go at them. The Americans lose a baker's dozen B-29s and do little damage to the factories there. The Japanese lose a single George in production.

NICE!

[John 3rd]

November 21, 1944

Japanese Submarine Torpedoes still work!

[John 3rd]

November 22, 1944

The Japanese have worked to create some form of opportunity along the Chinese Coast. Vc-Adm Tanaka commanding 4 old BCs and 11 DDs have lunged at the Allied Fleet four times without any luck (good or bad). This night, the Japanese take a swing at Ningpo. Several Transport TFs had been spotted the previous day moving east and so the order is given to leave Naha, proceed to Ningpo, and end at Shanghai.

The TF passes through the Allied SS Screen and pummels three American subs without taking any hits.

The night is exceedingly dark as action, finally, occurs.

Fight 1: Radar picks up each side and they draw nearer and nearer. At an amazingly close range of 3,000 Yards the Japanese open fire as Battleship West Virginia is illuminated by search lights. A wild, close battle ensues with 32 14" rifles fighting West Virginia and the British Valiant. Haruna seemingly wins the contest immediately by slamming in FOUR 14" shells with her first salvo crippling the Pearl Harbor veteran. After 8 gunnery rounds the two sides split up. West Virginia is SUNK and BB Valiant is burning furiously having taken 8 14" hits. DD Izard also is sunk. For this the Japanese lose a DD.

Fight 2: For some reason known only the AI of this game, BC Hiei and two DDs split off (Hiei had not been hit in the first fight). These three ships plow into CA Minneapolis, CLs Phoenix and Columbia plus 6 DDs. By the end of the fight (close range again), DD Kazegumo goes down and Hiei staggers out of the fight with no less then 40 shell hits of all sizes. In return CA Minneapolis is left in sinking condition and both CLs take real damage.

Fight 3: The 3 BC and 8 DDs encounter 2 CL and 5 Dds. All three BCs are hit and DD Nire sinks. Damage is inflicted on most of the Allied ships.

Fight 4: The remaining Japanese ships run into 6 fresh DDs. DD Tsubaki goes down and several American Dds are hit. All BCs are hit by 5" shells.

Fight 5: Daylight Shanghai--3 BC and 4 DD fight off CL Ceylon and 3 DDs. Ceylon is pounded by 7 hits and DD Matsu sinks.

The Japanese Fleet makes it into Shanghai and disburses.

At the AM--PM portion of the turn BC Haruna goes down along with DD Sakura.

End of Turn sees BC Hiei sink along with DD Momo.

No Allied air attacks occur directed at the warships whatsoever.

Survivors form up and head along the coast moving north.

[Chickenboy]

A roughly even exchange? Quite the fight! [X(]

Don't forget to get Tanaka off of his damaged ship so he can be 'repurposed' again soon.

[John 3rd]

Not that he accomplished much. Didn't get 'surprise' or 'tactical advantage' once.

[Lowpe]

Where are the Allied modern battleships?

You attacked the tip of the Allied spear and ran into battleships that really are good for shore bombardments.

[John 3rd]

They are with the ALLIED FLEET FROM HELL (AFFH). He is moving the main concentration towards Manila. Best Guess is that we have a supply convoy about to move north--south bringing in the next wave. Looks like it will come from the south (Australia). This is what I have been waiting for. There will be a battle during this exchange. It will be the last hurrah--probably--of the Kaigun. Am SWIMMING in fuel presently so I have operational flexiblility. NICE! The AOs carry 80,000+, I have 50,000 at Saipan, and 40,000 at Truk.

This will be interesting in that I am planning to hit the Allies at Australia and NOT at the transfer point. Couldn't do that if someone hadn't allowed me to move all this fuel around...

Pleasantly, my two damaged BCs escape Shanghai and head NE to move away from the SS concentration. Repair will take 60-90 Days.

[Capt. Harlock]

Fight 1: Radar picks up each side and they draw nearer and nearer. At an amazingly close range of 3,000 Yards the Japanese open fire as Battleship West Virginia is illuminated by search lights. A wild, close battle ensues with 32 14" rifles fighting West Virginia and the British Valiant. Haruna seemingly wins the contest immediately by slamming in FOUR 14" shells with her first salvo crippling the Pearl Harbor veteran. After 8 gunnery rounds the two sides split up. West Virginia is SUNK and BB Valiant is burning furiously having taken 8 14" hits. DD Izard also is sunk. For this the Japanese lose a DD.

Fight 2: For some reason known only the AI of this game, BC Hiei and two DDs split off (Hiei had not been hit in the first fight). These three ships plow into CA Minneapolis, CLs Phoenix and Columbia plus 6 DDs. By the end of the fight (close range again), DD Kazegumo goes down and Hiei staggers out of the fight with no less then 40 shell hits of all sizes. In return CA Minneapolis is left in sinking condition and both CLs take real damage.

Fight 3: The 3 BC and 8 DDs encounter 2 CL and 5 Dds. All three BCs are hit and DD Nire sinks. Damage is inflicted on most of the Allied ships.

Fight 4: The remaining Japanese ships run into 6 fresh DDs. DD Tsubaki goes down and several American Dds are hit. All BCs are hit by 5" shells.

Fight 5: Daylight Shanghai--3 BC and 4 DD fight off CL Ceylon and 3 DDs. Ceylon is pounded by 7 hits and DD Matsu sinks.

No allied torpedoes score in November '44? The gods of Nippon were with you . . .

[John 3rd]

I was TERRIFIED of TTs! Do believe that one of my DDs took a Torp. I had 6-7 score on the enemy...

[Bif1961]

The sad news for you is the American had multiple TFs that were able to run you out of ammo so you never had a chance to get to his cargo TFs. You put Kurita to shame though.

[John 3rd]

He had--by my finger count on the screen--no less then 13-15 STF present. No joke. This would include multiple PT TF.

At least we BLASTED a BB and seriously hurt/hopefully sunk another. Those 4 BCs are my favorite Japanese ships and am sad to lose them.

[John 3rd]

Lordy...this ENDLESS pounding in every turn sure gets tedious! Just watched the November 25, 1944 turn and it was non-stop 'beat up the Japanese' in the air, land, and sea. I expect it. Just gets rather...old...every now and then.

[adarbrauner]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd



At the AM--PM portion of the turn BC Haruna goes down along with DD Sakura.

End of Turn sees BC Hiei sink along with DD Momo.

1) Why the Haruna sunk??

2)why the Hiei sunk (even if having received more than 40 hits of various calibers, could you detail her damage conditions)?

"No Allied air attacks occur directed at the warships whatsoever."

What's the reasons, in your opinion?

My first guess: the rebel Adm. is still dead afraid of "CAP traps" ( pitiful and shabby).

Plus bad weather?





Judging from your chart, the Shanhai area is filled with American subs. Are you exacting from him the price/could you provide us any information about his subs losses?



Any plan for a land punitive/deterring action in Southern China?
The Rebel Adm. forces must be in dire supply conditions, by air, land and sea there, + you may count on some very bad days of Continental Fall/Winter weather there.

Could you drive some acute supply situation over your opponent? It may buy you golden time and opportunity.

[adarbrauner]

In any case, this was a very good engagement, chapeau

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Lordy...this ENDLESS pounding in every turn sure gets tedious! Just watched the November 25, 1944 turn and it was non-stop 'beat up the Japanese' in the air, land, and sea. I expect it. Just gets rather...old...every now and then.

Every unit is meant to be lost. Every attack on you, is an opportunity for you to strike back on a few of those attacks. Plus elsewhere.

You think you are being pounded mercilessly, but you in fact aren't. Depressing I know to hear, but you need to look at the game thru a whole new set of eyes.

You are in an incredibly strong end game position.

The real end game is when you have no production, no pools, no supply or fuel or oil.

You are an offensive genius, but now you need to think counter punching. Try to sneak some MTB's were they aren't expected during the dark of night, use those Iboats you are good at, work that KB like you have been talking about.

Hit and run, bleed, bleed those Allies like you have been doing but take it to another level.

If supplies allow, bomb or strafe the lead elements of the Allied push, make them fly LRCAP and then sweep the LRCAP.

No regrets, no missed opportunity, just bleed the Allies. Again, and again, and again.

Hit anything you possibly can.

[Andav]

To echo what Lowpe said, here are the first 10 days of November 1944 from my completed game with witpqs. In his AAR, he kept track of bombardment TFs. Most were the old BBs in single or 2 BB TFs. Others were CA or CL TFs. There was only one day in the 10 where there were no bombardments. This was a pretty typical ratio for this time through the end in July 45. What allowed this was the sinking of pretty much all the IJN in the previous few month. You still have a very strong navy and air force. Keep on ducking and weaving and punching where you can!

Wa

1944 November 01
Allied Naval Bombardments:
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Daito Shoto

1944 November 02
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Daito Shoto

1944 November 03
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Nago

1944 November 04
None

1944 November 05
Allied Ships Bombarding Amami Oshima
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha

1944 November 06
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Daito Shoto
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha

1944 November 07
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Georgetown
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha

1944 November 08
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Georgetown
Allied Ships Bombarding Amami Oshima
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha

1944 November 09
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Nago
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha

1944 November 10
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha
Allied Ships Bombarding Naha


Here is July 21st, 1945

Allied Ships Bombarding Ominato
Allied Ships Bombarding Ominato
Allied Ships Bombarding Ominato
Allied Ships Bombarding Kobe
Allied Ships Bombarding Kobe
Allied Ships Bombarding Ominato
Allied Ships Bombarding Matsue
Allied Ships Bombarding Kobe
Allied Ships Bombarding Kobe
Allied Ships Bombarding Ominato

[Alpha77]

Adarbrauner: The Kongo class is too lightly armored, Allied 8inch shells from nearer range will punch through, I lost a Kongo too to CA fire mostly. Not the best ships I am quite surprised everyone seems to like them, only really good at speed...The old Japanese BBs are better and Nagato.

Edit, you can try to find my thread titled "not so good IJ ships" in main forum from some month ago(Kongo ofc among them, quite some explaining posts as to why. Not only weak armor and guns but also higher fuel needs and "soso" AA defenses)

Edit2, but quite remarkable that John was able to keep these ships afloat until this late time of the war...maybe they were mostly used as CV escort and not so much in harms way ?

[John 3rd]

The fights occurred at very close range. Those 8" shells were NASTY!

You are correct. I use the BCs for CV Escort and fast bombardment runs periodically.

[Capt. Harlock]

The fights occurred at very close range. Those 8" shells were NASTY!

The Minneapolis and most of the Astoria class were armed with the first "super-capacity" guns of the USN. The shell weight was about 335 lbs, whereas a typical 8-inch shell weighed 260 lbs before. (I'm not sure if WitP AE simulates that.)