Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
- ny59giants
- Posts: 9883
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 12:02 pm
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
USA Industry - What are your feelings about the amount of damage/disabled industry you had to repair and probably are still repairing? It should have teken at least 6 weeks if you set conditions at most bases to stockpile supplies before you got a significant surplus at some base like San Fran. In the latest version that John 3rd will be using has it disabled even more. Just looking if it did slow you down a bit.
Michael
Michael
[center][/center]
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
For this game, I think the main pinch came in the first three to four weeks. I (handling all logistics) would go reaching for supplies that just weren't there when I needed them. It forced a few interesting choices about who got first priority of what was going out.
By now, mid-March 1942, the crunch has passed. I think in part because I roughly knew what I was doing this time around and in part because the Japanese have not been kicking us around as hard as we had first expected.
I haven't checked in on industry repairs recently and will take a peek soon.
For me, and it might just be my memories is fuzzy from the last game we played, the shortage of ASW capable ships has been my biggest constraint / pressure for moving things at present. I have so many troop convoys, tanker groups, and supply convoys at sea at the same time that I can't scrape together adequate coverage. The IJN sub force is out-scoring my own sub fleet nearly 2:1 since the war began, and it's been eating me up something fierce.
By now, mid-March 1942, the crunch has passed. I think in part because I roughly knew what I was doing this time around and in part because the Japanese have not been kicking us around as hard as we had first expected.
I haven't checked in on industry repairs recently and will take a peek soon.
For me, and it might just be my memories is fuzzy from the last game we played, the shortage of ASW capable ships has been my biggest constraint / pressure for moving things at present. I have so many troop convoys, tanker groups, and supply convoys at sea at the same time that I can't scrape together adequate coverage. The IJN sub force is out-scoring my own sub fleet nearly 2:1 since the war began, and it's been eating me up something fierce.
MikeS
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
It has helped that we haven't faced too many sub or raider issues. We haven't faced a single deep raid on our supply lines, and the Japanese submarines have been strangely quiet. So the vast bulk of the supplies and fuel we have loaded have made it to their destination.
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
March 19-20, 1942
It looks like the crisis is coming in the DEI. The Japanese are making a concerted effort to shut down our airbases, and sigint is increasingly picking up chatter about troops planning for an attack on Batavia. We've had signals from construction and other rear area units for a while, but now we get an indication that the Kure Assault Division is planning for Batavia.
For two days Zero sweeps of Batavia manage to precede the Bettys, meaning our CAP is shot to pieces and unable to do too much to the bombers. Also, he is using drop tank Zeros to escort the Bettys from Singakwang with Zeros, so it's no longer the turkey shoots we had been enjoying.
The Japanese must really produce a lot of Bettys, they lose them in droves.
Japanese losses over the two days is 34 Zeros and 20 Bettys, so costly. We lost slightly less fighters, but the goal is achieved and Batavia is shut down. If we could have held one more turn he'd probably have run out of Zeros, but it was not to be. With only six engineers it is going to take a long time before the airfield is back in action. With our two biggest airfields in western Java knocked out, opposing any landing is going to be problematic.
Given our main limit to air operations is air support, we're going to shift any ground unit with air support out of Batavia to one of our operational bases. We do have more engineers shipping in, but they're at least a week out.
The carriers are heading north from Sydney as they come out of the shipyards. First out are Enterprise and Indomitable, accompanied by two CVLs each. Others are still repairing from damage taken during high speed runs or from upgrades, and will become available over the next week.
The good news comes from China, where a northern thrust against Lanchow is very definitively blunted by 22nd Group Army. Our canny commander had dug in east of Lanchow, taking advantage of a river to force a shock attack. It looks like the Japanese were expecting much lighter defenses because they cross in numbers and get smashed.
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Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 13512 troops, 90 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 452
Defending force 35183 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1092
Japanese adjusted assault: 127
Allied adjusted defense: 1187
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 9
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
1612 casualties reported
Squads: 55 destroyed, 136 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (10 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Allied ground losses:
384 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Assaulting units:
1st Ching An Tui Brigade
11th Indpt Infantry Regiment
3rd Ching An Tui Brigade
2nd Ching An Tui Brigade
12th Indpt Infantry Regiment
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment
Defending units:
90th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
22nd Group Army
We'll be counterattacking to take advantage of the Japanese disruption and hopefully force them back across the river. At least we don't need to worry about our northern flank now.
The troops in Manila are now eating their boots, rats etc as supply has fallen to zero. The Japanese are bombarding merrily but it can't be long before he throws in a proper attack and clears the place, freeing up all those divisions for use elsewhere.
It looks like the crisis is coming in the DEI. The Japanese are making a concerted effort to shut down our airbases, and sigint is increasingly picking up chatter about troops planning for an attack on Batavia. We've had signals from construction and other rear area units for a while, but now we get an indication that the Kure Assault Division is planning for Batavia.
For two days Zero sweeps of Batavia manage to precede the Bettys, meaning our CAP is shot to pieces and unable to do too much to the bombers. Also, he is using drop tank Zeros to escort the Bettys from Singakwang with Zeros, so it's no longer the turkey shoots we had been enjoying.
The Japanese must really produce a lot of Bettys, they lose them in droves.
Japanese losses over the two days is 34 Zeros and 20 Bettys, so costly. We lost slightly less fighters, but the goal is achieved and Batavia is shut down. If we could have held one more turn he'd probably have run out of Zeros, but it was not to be. With only six engineers it is going to take a long time before the airfield is back in action. With our two biggest airfields in western Java knocked out, opposing any landing is going to be problematic.
Given our main limit to air operations is air support, we're going to shift any ground unit with air support out of Batavia to one of our operational bases. We do have more engineers shipping in, but they're at least a week out.
The carriers are heading north from Sydney as they come out of the shipyards. First out are Enterprise and Indomitable, accompanied by two CVLs each. Others are still repairing from damage taken during high speed runs or from upgrades, and will become available over the next week.
The good news comes from China, where a northern thrust against Lanchow is very definitively blunted by 22nd Group Army. Our canny commander had dug in east of Lanchow, taking advantage of a river to force a shock attack. It looks like the Japanese were expecting much lighter defenses because they cross in numbers and get smashed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 13512 troops, 90 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 452
Defending force 35183 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1092
Japanese adjusted assault: 127
Allied adjusted defense: 1187
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 9
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
1612 casualties reported
Squads: 55 destroyed, 136 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 27 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (10 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Allied ground losses:
384 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Assaulting units:
1st Ching An Tui Brigade
11th Indpt Infantry Regiment
3rd Ching An Tui Brigade
2nd Ching An Tui Brigade
12th Indpt Infantry Regiment
13th Indpt Infantry Regiment
Defending units:
90th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps
22nd Group Army
We'll be counterattacking to take advantage of the Japanese disruption and hopefully force them back across the river. At least we don't need to worry about our northern flank now.
The troops in Manila are now eating their boots, rats etc as supply has fallen to zero. The Japanese are bombarding merrily but it can't be long before he throws in a proper attack and clears the place, freeing up all those divisions for use elsewhere.
- ny59giants
- Posts: 9883
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 12:02 pm
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
I convert the Clemson Class DDs to APDs and then the Wilkes Class in 5/42 to DEs to help with the ASW shortage. By '43, you will have plenty.
[center][/center]
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum
I convert the Clemson Class DDs to APDs and then the Wilkes Class in 5/42 to DEs to help with the ASW shortage. By '43, you will have plenty.
We've done a lot of conversions, but I've been hogging the APDs to get troops into Noumea and Suva.
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
Most players handle the lack of escorts issue by using escorts only at origination port and destination port, and sending the ships unescorted on various routes in between. Of course using as many aircraft on naval search and ASW around the ports also helps. Bomber pilots may be poor in this skill but with a combination of training/patrol they get a lot better. By the time they hit 50 in skill they are reasonably good.ORIGINAL: MichaelU
It has helped that we haven't faced too many sub or raider issues. We haven't faced a single deep raid on our supply lines, and the Japanese submarines have been strangely quiet. So the vast bulk of the supplies and fuel we have loaded have made it to their destination.
Japanese subs do not carry as many torps as US subs, so they have to leave the area to replenish after their initial attacks - I think that is why they have "gone quiet".
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
MichaelU: Interesting line: First out are Enterprise and Indomitable, accompanied by two CVLs each.
I was surprised at first and then remembered you are in the BTS mod. Those CVLs give you a lot more flexibility. Looking forward to see how you use them to poke back at the crimson tide!
I was surprised at first and then remembered you are in the BTS mod. Those CVLs give you a lot more flexibility. Looking forward to see how you use them to poke back at the crimson tide!
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
Mike is doing a lot of that, only escorting out of the ports. But the quietness has been eery. Our major hubs of Auckland, Sydney and Perth have not seen a single Japanese sub. The west coast has seen two attacks at San Fran, nothing at LA. Pearl Harbour has seen a few, but really not as many as we'd expect. Seen almost nothing around India, a few attacks off Trincomalee that have achieved nothing.
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
He may be using them for carrier hunting. Be careful of bottlenecks like straits.ORIGINAL: MichaelU
Mike is doing a lot of that, only escorting out of the ports. But the quietness has been eery. Our major hubs of Auckland, Sydney and Perth have not seen a single Japanese sub. The west coast has seen two attacks at San Fran, nothing at LA. Pearl Harbour has seen a few, but really not as many as we'd expect. Seen almost nothing around India, a few attacks off Trincomalee that have achieved nothing.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
March 21, 1942
Well, we've found one of the Japanese subs, because DM Preble, fresh from dropping off some mines at Noumea, gets torpedoed 2 hexes south of the port. She's still going, but with 90 percent float damage I don't give much for her chances.
A lot of the Japanese sub hits have come on our reinforcement runs into Noumea and Suva, so he is clearly making the most of knowing where our ships will be turning up.
And a timely note about choke points from BBfanboy, given we're about to push a bunch of carriers through the Torres Straits. We're stepping up our search cover and sending some ASW assets there in advance of the carriers' arrival.
Batavia takes more of a hammering, and we can't really stop it because we can no longer CAP the base.
The Japanese try to CAP their airfield to stop us bombing the Zeros into dust, but the Hurricanes of the now world famous No 242 squadron make short work of them, downing 6 Zeros for only 1 loss.
But what a loss it is. Pinckney is WIA.
Not sure what this means in game terms. Will he recover at some point and rejoin his squadron? Or is he out of the game for good?
The 22nd Group Army launches an assault to push the Japanese across the river near Lanchow. It turns into a rout. Japanese troops abandon their equipment and dive into the river, but those that don't get shot find the cold waters too much for them.
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Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 33536 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1059
Defending force 11290 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 273
Allied adjusted assault: 732
Japanese adjusted defense: 151
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
4296 casualties reported
Squads: 130 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 91 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (11 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Allied ground losses:
834 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 104 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Well, we've found one of the Japanese subs, because DM Preble, fresh from dropping off some mines at Noumea, gets torpedoed 2 hexes south of the port. She's still going, but with 90 percent float damage I don't give much for her chances.
A lot of the Japanese sub hits have come on our reinforcement runs into Noumea and Suva, so he is clearly making the most of knowing where our ships will be turning up.
And a timely note about choke points from BBfanboy, given we're about to push a bunch of carriers through the Torres Straits. We're stepping up our search cover and sending some ASW assets there in advance of the carriers' arrival.
Batavia takes more of a hammering, and we can't really stop it because we can no longer CAP the base.
The Japanese try to CAP their airfield to stop us bombing the Zeros into dust, but the Hurricanes of the now world famous No 242 squadron make short work of them, downing 6 Zeros for only 1 loss.
But what a loss it is. Pinckney is WIA.
Not sure what this means in game terms. Will he recover at some point and rejoin his squadron? Or is he out of the game for good?
The 22nd Group Army launches an assault to push the Japanese across the river near Lanchow. It turns into a rout. Japanese troops abandon their equipment and dive into the river, but those that don't get shot find the cold waters too much for them.
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Ground combat at 82,34 (near Lanchow)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 33536 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1059
Defending force 11290 troops, 82 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 273
Allied adjusted assault: 732
Japanese adjusted defense: 151
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
4296 casualties reported
Squads: 130 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 91 destroyed, 24 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (11 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Allied ground losses:
834 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 104 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
March 22, 1942
Suddenly there are Bettys everywhere. They strike at our ASW off Noumea and our MTBs at Suva. While we have plenty of CAP around, the lack of radar means there is not enough warning to intercept. Luckily the Bettys are struggling to hit such small targets, so little damage is done on either side.
Bettys also continue to hammer the airfield at Batavia, lightly opposed by CAP flying the 2 hexes from Bandoeng. The airfield remains comprehensively shut down, but it is costing him in terms of lost planes.
The most interesting development is a major strike against the port at Soerebaja. His recon must have picked up that we have three BBs parked there, Ramillies, Revenge and Resolution. The bombs rain down, not penetrating any armour but knocking out some AA guns. Ramillies takes some serious damage, losing its surface radar and ending the turn with 25 systems damage.
I knew there was a risk of this happening, but it's one I took because those old BBs are not particularly useful and can suck up a lot of damage. If he is bombing them, he is not hitting targets I consider more valuable, like the Soerebaja airfield, or the two battlecruisers tucked away at Semarang.
The end is nigh at Manila. The Japanese launch their final assault, reduce forts to zero and get a 1-2. It's also the end of our supply, so it can only be days now.
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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 46093 troops, 459 guns, 120 vehicles, Assault Value = 1137
Defending force 45857 troops, 418 guns, 141 vehicles, Assault Value = 676
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0
Japanese adjusted assault: 516
Allied adjusted defense: 1017
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1869 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 233 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 85 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 63 (14 destroyed, 49 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1456 casualties reported
Squads: 27 destroyed, 82 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 68 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 34 (1 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Suddenly there are Bettys everywhere. They strike at our ASW off Noumea and our MTBs at Suva. While we have plenty of CAP around, the lack of radar means there is not enough warning to intercept. Luckily the Bettys are struggling to hit such small targets, so little damage is done on either side.
Bettys also continue to hammer the airfield at Batavia, lightly opposed by CAP flying the 2 hexes from Bandoeng. The airfield remains comprehensively shut down, but it is costing him in terms of lost planes.
The most interesting development is a major strike against the port at Soerebaja. His recon must have picked up that we have three BBs parked there, Ramillies, Revenge and Resolution. The bombs rain down, not penetrating any armour but knocking out some AA guns. Ramillies takes some serious damage, losing its surface radar and ending the turn with 25 systems damage.
I knew there was a risk of this happening, but it's one I took because those old BBs are not particularly useful and can suck up a lot of damage. If he is bombing them, he is not hitting targets I consider more valuable, like the Soerebaja airfield, or the two battlecruisers tucked away at Semarang.
The end is nigh at Manila. The Japanese launch their final assault, reduce forts to zero and get a 1-2. It's also the end of our supply, so it can only be days now.
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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 46093 troops, 459 guns, 120 vehicles, Assault Value = 1137
Defending force 45857 troops, 418 guns, 141 vehicles, Assault Value = 676
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0
Japanese adjusted assault: 516
Allied adjusted defense: 1017
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1869 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 233 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 85 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 63 (14 destroyed, 49 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
1456 casualties reported
Squads: 27 destroyed, 82 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 68 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 34 (1 destroyed, 33 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
Here's what today's air war results look like. We're getting pushed back as he knocks out our airfields, but the disparity in losses is stark. We know at this stage of the war there is no chance of stopping the Japanese if they really want something, but we are quite happy to make them pay for their advances.
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RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
The disparity of air losses is something I have seen too. I am only about a month farther into the game as you are, but the lower Japanese pilot experience is felt, and with such losses it degrades faster and faster. You are doing a great job of making the Empire pay for every hex they take
Tenno Heika Banzai!
- ny59giants
- Posts: 9883
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 12:02 pm
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
How have you managed to lose just "7" P-40Es?!? [X(]
[center][/center]
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
ORIGINAL: ny59giants_MatrixForum
How have you managed to lose just "7" P-40Es?!? [X(]
Ah, that is because it is a reference to Dutch P40s. Below is total losses for the war, showing the U.S. P40 taking its rightful place as one of the most lost planes of the war.
- Attachments
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- airlosses.jpg (72.64 KiB) Viewed 79 times
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
March 23-25, 1942
It looks like it's on in the DEI. Allied intelligence has been feverishly trying to divine what is behind the intense bombing campaign in Java, and at last we have our answer. Some loose radio discipline reveals this.
21st Infantry Regiment is loaded on xAK Yamaura Maru moving to Kalidjati.
5th Mortar Battalion is loaded on a Yusen N Cargo class xAK moving to Kalidjati.
Adding to the picture, A Dutch sub operating in the Makassar Straits gives us some valuable intel.
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ASW attack near Tawi Tawi at 71,90
Japanese Ships
DD Fubuki
BB Tosa
BB Hitachi
CA Mogami
CL Niyodo
CL Natori
CL Jintsu
DD Hatsuharu
DD Minazuki
DD Satsuki
DD Usugumo
Allied Ships
SS KXIV, hits 2
And search planes pick up several CVLs at Singapore. Looks like mini-KB is back.
Let's catch up on what has happened in the last three days, then talk about how we will attempt to extract maximum damage from the defense of Java.
The air war over Java has been vicious. The Palembang Zero sweeps stopped after No 242 squadron sorted them out, destroying large numbers of enemy fighters in sweeps of the airbase. The Japanese are instead hitting the ports to damage the ships lying in wait for the invasion.
We had hoped our ships at Semarang would escape notice while he focused on Soerebaja, but apparently not. Several waves of Bettys, escorted by Zeros, hammer the port and do enough damage on BC Repulse and CA Chester to knock them out of the upcoming fight. While the damage is superficial and could be easily fixed at Soerebaja, it is a bit hot there at the moment. Poor old Repulse, she was damaged early in the war by crashing into a destroyer, and she is also likely to end her latest sojourn in the DEI without firing a shot.
Outside the DEI, one member of our sub patrol off Noumea catches a bomb and is heavily damaged. What is particularly annoying is that at the same time a Japanese sub sails straight into Noumea harbour, straight past the 113 mines, and has a go at a transport group. We lost a DM laying that minefield.
Our troops in Manila for the first time are showing a supply negative in their combat results. Also a first, they take more losses than they hand out in an attack, 1,464 to 1,021. But they are not done yet, a second Japanese assault is given something of a bloody nose.
Here's the second result. Notice how the Japanese AV plummets. They must be discouraged by the tenacity of the defenders.
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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 41805 troops, 445 guns, 157 vehicles, Assault Value = 852
Defending force 42950 troops, 412 guns, 139 vehicles, Assault Value = 507
Japanese adjusted assault: 70
Allied adjusted defense: 657
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 9 (fort level 0)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2053 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 109 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 38 disabled
Guns lost 12 (3 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Vehicles lost 15 (4 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
637 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)
A small ASW grouo patrolling the Torres Straits ahead of our carriers gives SS RO-34 a good smack. Thank goodness for that. The carriers run the strait next turn and I'd much rather this sub wasn't waiting for them. We're hoping the shift in our carrier force will go unnoticed.
In China, the victorious Lanchow forces cross the river in pursuit of the Japanese units they had driven and bloodily driven back, and catch them still milling around in confusion on the far bank.
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Ground combat at 83,34 (near Lanchow)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 32879 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 973
Defending force 8627 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 221
Allied adjusted assault: 857
Japanese adjusted defense: 103
Allied assault odds: 8 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
3034 casualties reported
Squads: 143 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 43 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 27 (9 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Allied ground losses:
850 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 89 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
It's going to be a long time before those regiments are ready to threaten us again.
One of the biggest changes I've noticed with the BTS mod is that China isn't quite the black hole it normally is for the Allies. There is the matter of the 350 replacement squads a month. We have so far used 1,281 of them. That is a lot of replacement AV.
But there also just seems to be a lot more supply. We can actually afford to take replacements, fly some planes and do the occasional attack, all without immediately running out of supply. China started the game with 95,000 total supply and is now sitting at around 175,000, which has been stable since early February.
Admittedly we haven't been fighting all that hard, which is why I'm taking the fight to the Japanese when I can, to force them to commit more resources to China.
It looks like it's on in the DEI. Allied intelligence has been feverishly trying to divine what is behind the intense bombing campaign in Java, and at last we have our answer. Some loose radio discipline reveals this.
21st Infantry Regiment is loaded on xAK Yamaura Maru moving to Kalidjati.
5th Mortar Battalion is loaded on a Yusen N Cargo class xAK moving to Kalidjati.
Adding to the picture, A Dutch sub operating in the Makassar Straits gives us some valuable intel.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Tawi Tawi at 71,90
Japanese Ships
DD Fubuki
BB Tosa
BB Hitachi
CA Mogami
CL Niyodo
CL Natori
CL Jintsu
DD Hatsuharu
DD Minazuki
DD Satsuki
DD Usugumo
Allied Ships
SS KXIV, hits 2
And search planes pick up several CVLs at Singapore. Looks like mini-KB is back.
Let's catch up on what has happened in the last three days, then talk about how we will attempt to extract maximum damage from the defense of Java.
The air war over Java has been vicious. The Palembang Zero sweeps stopped after No 242 squadron sorted them out, destroying large numbers of enemy fighters in sweeps of the airbase. The Japanese are instead hitting the ports to damage the ships lying in wait for the invasion.
We had hoped our ships at Semarang would escape notice while he focused on Soerebaja, but apparently not. Several waves of Bettys, escorted by Zeros, hammer the port and do enough damage on BC Repulse and CA Chester to knock them out of the upcoming fight. While the damage is superficial and could be easily fixed at Soerebaja, it is a bit hot there at the moment. Poor old Repulse, she was damaged early in the war by crashing into a destroyer, and she is also likely to end her latest sojourn in the DEI without firing a shot.
Outside the DEI, one member of our sub patrol off Noumea catches a bomb and is heavily damaged. What is particularly annoying is that at the same time a Japanese sub sails straight into Noumea harbour, straight past the 113 mines, and has a go at a transport group. We lost a DM laying that minefield.
Our troops in Manila for the first time are showing a supply negative in their combat results. Also a first, they take more losses than they hand out in an attack, 1,464 to 1,021. But they are not done yet, a second Japanese assault is given something of a bloody nose.
Here's the second result. Notice how the Japanese AV plummets. They must be discouraged by the tenacity of the defenders.
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Ground combat at Manila (79,77)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 41805 troops, 445 guns, 157 vehicles, Assault Value = 852
Defending force 42950 troops, 412 guns, 139 vehicles, Assault Value = 507
Japanese adjusted assault: 70
Allied adjusted defense: 657
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 9 (fort level 0)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2053 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 47 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 109 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 38 disabled
Guns lost 12 (3 destroyed, 9 disabled)
Vehicles lost 15 (4 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
637 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 48 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Guns lost 10 (1 destroyed, 9 disabled)
A small ASW grouo patrolling the Torres Straits ahead of our carriers gives SS RO-34 a good smack. Thank goodness for that. The carriers run the strait next turn and I'd much rather this sub wasn't waiting for them. We're hoping the shift in our carrier force will go unnoticed.
In China, the victorious Lanchow forces cross the river in pursuit of the Japanese units they had driven and bloodily driven back, and catch them still milling around in confusion on the far bank.
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Ground combat at 83,34 (near Lanchow)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 32879 troops, 114 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 973
Defending force 8627 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 221
Allied adjusted assault: 857
Japanese adjusted defense: 103
Allied assault odds: 8 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)
Japanese ground losses:
3034 casualties reported
Squads: 143 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 43 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 27 (9 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Allied ground losses:
850 casualties reported
Squads: 6 destroyed, 89 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
It's going to be a long time before those regiments are ready to threaten us again.
One of the biggest changes I've noticed with the BTS mod is that China isn't quite the black hole it normally is for the Allies. There is the matter of the 350 replacement squads a month. We have so far used 1,281 of them. That is a lot of replacement AV.
But there also just seems to be a lot more supply. We can actually afford to take replacements, fly some planes and do the occasional attack, all without immediately running out of supply. China started the game with 95,000 total supply and is now sitting at around 175,000, which has been stable since early February.
Admittedly we haven't been fighting all that hard, which is why I'm taking the fight to the Japanese when I can, to force them to commit more resources to China.
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
Now for the DEI plan.
The British battlecruisers are pulling back to Soerebaja. That is where we have the best air cover, and it is also furthest from the Japanese air bases. If he really wants to close Soerebaja down and force our ships to retire we can't stop him, but the plan is to make him pay. I reckon a damaged BB or BC that is forced to pull back for repairs is as useful as a ship that pulls back to avoid damage in the first place.
For air defense, we have the Dutch fighters, mostly B339s with a smattering of Hurricanes and P40s. The bulk of our fighter power though is 4 squadrons of American P40s and 3 of British Hurricanes, around 150 all told. There is plenty of supply, and decent airfields. Our main shortage is air support. We have a couple of US bases forces arriving in 3-7 days that will add 140 air support and some much needed engineers, but not sure they will make it in time.
In terms of naval threat, we have 2 (slow) BBs, 2 BCs, 2 CAs, and a gaggle of CLs and DDs. It looks though like our naval forces will be shut down by Bettys before the invasion starts, and certainly the threat of Bettys and mini-KB will make us very cautious.
The main threat to his naval forces is likely to come from submarines. We have plenty in the area, and a lot of them have working torpedoes. Let's see if we can do another Ryujo.
Against the transports we will deploy 3 squadrons of Banshees and 2 of Vildebeest, plus the Dutch bombers for distraction value.
He could in theory bomb out every airfield that could threaten the landing, but doing that would give us enough time to get some carriers into position.
Whatever happens, it's going to be interesting.
The British battlecruisers are pulling back to Soerebaja. That is where we have the best air cover, and it is also furthest from the Japanese air bases. If he really wants to close Soerebaja down and force our ships to retire we can't stop him, but the plan is to make him pay. I reckon a damaged BB or BC that is forced to pull back for repairs is as useful as a ship that pulls back to avoid damage in the first place.
For air defense, we have the Dutch fighters, mostly B339s with a smattering of Hurricanes and P40s. The bulk of our fighter power though is 4 squadrons of American P40s and 3 of British Hurricanes, around 150 all told. There is plenty of supply, and decent airfields. Our main shortage is air support. We have a couple of US bases forces arriving in 3-7 days that will add 140 air support and some much needed engineers, but not sure they will make it in time.
In terms of naval threat, we have 2 (slow) BBs, 2 BCs, 2 CAs, and a gaggle of CLs and DDs. It looks though like our naval forces will be shut down by Bettys before the invasion starts, and certainly the threat of Bettys and mini-KB will make us very cautious.
The main threat to his naval forces is likely to come from submarines. We have plenty in the area, and a lot of them have working torpedoes. Let's see if we can do another Ryujo.
Against the transports we will deploy 3 squadrons of Banshees and 2 of Vildebeest, plus the Dutch bombers for distraction value.
He could in theory bomb out every airfield that could threaten the landing, but doing that would give us enough time to get some carriers into position.
Whatever happens, it's going to be interesting.
- ny59giants
- Posts: 9883
- Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 12:02 pm
RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
China - The non-infantry devices have been increased by 50 to 100%. Chungking's daily supply and different bases have less disabled industry. Most base start with forts at 3. Hopefully, that means what you say. It easier to defend.
In my game, Nathan by-passed Malaya and went directly for Java, so that island fell before mid-Jan.
Sounds like your game is fun for Allies but not so much for Japan as places to invade before end of March are not going to happen.
In my game, Nathan by-passed Malaya and went directly for Java, so that island fell before mid-Jan.
Sounds like your game is fun for Allies but not so much for Japan as places to invade before end of March are not going to happen.
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RE: Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)
It's looking like Australia and India are certainly going to escape invasion during the sweet spot of speedy Japanese unloading.
Speaking of which, does that end at the end of March, or April 8? The manual says "Note that there is also an “initial operations” bonus for the Japanese during the first 4 months of the war." Does that mean four months from Dec 7 to April 7?
Speaking of which, does that end at the end of March, or April 8? The manual says "Note that there is also an “initial operations” bonus for the Japanese during the first 4 months of the war." Does that mean four months from Dec 7 to April 7?