Typhoon of Steel: John 3rd vs. Kitakami

[John 3rd]

December 7, 1941
Pearl Harbor

The Japanese aerial assault comes from nearly due east this day. Four CV and 2 CVLs turn into the wind and launch a combined strike of 100 Zero, 102 Val, and 132 Kate. Some warning occurs as 7 American fighters are in the air when the attack occurs. They are brushed aside. For this strike, five of six Japanese Kate units carry torpedoes! With the exception of SIX Japanese TT duds (!), the attack causes great havoc among the American Fleet.

Results:

Battleship Row
Arizona--4 TTs--Heavy Damage
Nevada--6 Bombs and 6 TTs--Sinking Condition
Oklahoma--1 800 Kg, 4 Bombs, and 1 TT
Idaho--12 bombs and 1 TT--Fire, Heavy Damage
Mississippi--1 800 Kg, 3 Bombs, 4 TTs--Fire, Heavy Damage
New Mexico--9 Bombs and 3 TTs--Fire Heavy Damage
California--1 800 Kg, 7 Bombs, and 3 TTs--Fire
Tennessee--1 800 Kg, 7 Bombs, 3 TTs--Fire, Heavy Damage
Washington--1 800 Kg, 4 Bombs, and 6 TTs--SUNK!

Cruisers
New Orleans--1 Bomb
Minneapolis--1 B and 1 TT--On Fire
San Francisco--1TT
St Louis--1 B and 2 TT--Magazine Explosion!--Sinking Condition

Other Ships
DM Pruitt--Sunk, AVD, CM, DD, AV, and 2 SS all hit.

Would love to see Nevada sink. Looks like nearly everyone will be out 6-12 months. The USS Washington was the newest BB in the Fleet. She was an additional Colorado-Class BB authorized under the Washington Treaty.


The CVs will move south a few hexes and one CARDIV will launch a sweep of PH tomorrow. Should see 60+ Zeros eat up some serious Allied Fighters.

Am mulling over the cost--benefit of launching a Kate attack on the 9th. Opinions?

[AcePylut]

Well you know me... I'd throw everything I have at those ships in port, again. Sunk ships don't come back to life.

[John 3rd]

December 7, 1941
Manila Bay

We all know that this actually occurs on Dec 8th but that is besides the point.

Air/Sea
The Japanese morning strikes are delayed due to fog over Formosa but still come in prior to the Port Attack at Manila Bay:

1. Clark Field is nailed by two strikes with a combined 81 Zero and 81 Bombers. These strikes encounter just a few American Fighters in the air.
2. Iba is hit twice as well. The first attack of 9 Zero and 27 Betty find a dozen P-40s in the air. The Zeros hold off the enemy pretty well but the second strike comes in without escort and the 27 Nells are badly shot-up. The Japanese lose 14 planes here and that SUCKS!
3. Manila AF gets 9 Zero and 27 Betty doing solid work.

The Main Event is the Port Strike by CARDIV2. Hiryu--Soryu and the two CAVs paunch 55 Zero, 45 Val, and 59 Kate at the shipping located in the bay. Results are pretty fair:

S-41 and 2 AP are sunk. 3 S-Boats and 7 SS are hit with 1-2 bombs each. Additionally an AM, 3 PG, an AO, AS, TK and 2 PT are hit as well.

Ground
Batan Isle falls. There are no invasion in the Philippines this day.

Paratroopers from Peleliu capture Cotabato. The Tinas shift to bringing in a Base Force. Nine Zero and 12 Vals move onto the Sz-2 AF.

Plans
CARDIV2 moves due south with Vals and Kates set for anti-shipping. I shall rotate one flattop a day to carry TTs with the others carrying bombs on their Kates. This will lengthen my staying power with the Torps.

Several STF move in to hit the Thundering Herd as it flees.

There are 6-8 SS set to attack shipping. Three SS ML drop off their eggs to form a line from the NE tip of Borneo east three hexes.

Begin loading troops for the Luzon Landings.

[tarkalak]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

December 7, 1941
Manila Bay

We all know that this actually occurs on Dec 8th but that is besides the point.

...

Lets just imagine that the developers have moved the International Date Line in Europe. [:D]

If that was in real life they would occur in the same day.

OT: Does that mean that AE is off by a day for most of the map?

[John 3rd]

December 7, 1941
Malaya

Air
Georgetown is swept by 82 Nates who plaster the 12 Allied Fighters flying CAP. Several strikes equaling 82 Bombers crush the AF and planes there.

Alor Star gets 24 Oscars and 21 Sally.

Kota Bharu has several attacks totaling 12 Fighters and 53 Bombers.

The skies over Kuantan have 30 Japanese Fighters and they easily hold off several half-hearted Allied attacks upon the Invasion Forces during the afternoon.

In an extra bonus, a convoy is found moving north up the west coast of Malaya. A Daitai of 27 Betty leave Saigon carrying TTs and hit CL Dauntless, an AK, and sink an AP.

Ground
Kuantan is landed upon, as planned, by the 55th ID and six support units. They look great so we'll shock attack tomorrow and take the base.

Plans
Take Kuantan on the 8th.

Move the two Amphib TFs away from Kuantan since they are nearly unloaded. Keep the 4th ID's TF and the 3 BB TF there in case the Allies do something frisky. The 3 CVLs will be close enough to provide LRCAP--adding to that from Patani--and smack any SS in the area.


This is the only area that I am nervous about. If Kitakami is bold he could really threaten the Japanese plans is he can disrupt the 4th IDs TF.

[John 3rd]

Dec 7, 1941
Other Stuff...

We'll land at Guam and Brunei/Miri tomorrow.

Lots of movement in China. He is in full-fledged retreat. Will allow this in some locations so I can cheaply gain some bases. It will take him a few days to see what my initial objectives are.

SS Operations
Ro-63 scores first blood for Japan's sub force. She is near Tarakan and spots CL Marblehead's TF. A single TT SINKS DD Bulmer. NICE!

[John 3rd]

That is the first day gang.

Thoughts? Would anyone care to opine?

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: tarkalak

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

December 7, 1941
Manila Bay

We all know that this actually occurs on Dec 8th but that is besides the point.

...

Lets just imagine that the developers have moved the International Date Line in Europe. [:D]

If that was in real life they would occur in the same day.

OT: Does that mean that AE is off by a day for most of the map?

YEP!

[Lowpe]

Be careful around Pearl....anything could happen.[:)]

You have a history of being aggressive, and there are plenty of traps an aggressive Allied player could spring on you or the ships could flee in an attempt at avoiding losses due to a Pearl Invasion.

[SierraJuliet]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Be careful around Pearl....anything could happen.[:)]

You have a history of being aggressive, and there are plenty of traps an aggressive Allied player could spring on you or the ships could flee in an attempt at avoiding losses due to a Pearl Invasion.

Indeed. Are you up for the long haul if your carriers are savaged. Do you have your oilers tucked away in a safe, safe place.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

That is the first day gang.

Thoughts? Would anyone care to opine?

A good first day with slightly better than average results. But the Allies can lose all of those old BBs and still be OK. Not great, but OK. The next four weeks will tell us more.

[John 3rd]

There is danger out there. Cannot deny that.

Jorge is working on his Turn TWO (which is an Allied nightmare just as bad as Japan's Turn One!) and should have it back to me today.

Based on how it goes will be my decision as to hitting PH again.

Yep--I am aggressive. It has served me well and it has served me poorly over the last 12 years. We've cast the dice, let us see what happens now.

[durnedwolf]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

That is the first day gang.

Thoughts? Would anyone care to opine?

For Hawaii, on day 2 as Japan I'd hit them again, Harder! (A favorite line I recall from the USS Harder) I also remember reading that the commanding officer of the Japanese Pearl Harbor strike often regretted not hitting PH again and really putting the hurt to the Americans when he had the opportunity.

In regards to this mod - if I understand earlier comments you made of this mod, you and Michael chopped the allies down quite a bit so they have to build up over the early part of the war. So my guess is that Jorge will have to really push to get more fuel and supply transports heading out right away. Where are the biggest needs for the allies and are you planning to flood those areas with subs?

You might also consider flooding India choke points with subs early in the war to try and slow down any defensive preparations.

On another subject - I think you said you and Micheal have been adding more changes/corrections to the BTS and BTSL mods? When will that update come out?

[John 3rd]

I think we are done right now. If I can get a chance to talk with him tomorrow (and install Tracker with his help) then I should be able to package the Mods into new Zip Folders and upload them to the website. Won't be long.

[John 3rd]

On a far different topic...

HOLY COW! We just watched Avengers: Infinity War. Damn. It was something. Anyone want to toss out their thoughts on that massive film?

[John 3rd]

No takers? I see...

Have to say that I was amazed at how Marvel could bring all these super-sized egos...I mean actors...and make it work! Excellent film with great HOLY COW ending.

Kitakami is taking FOREVER to get Turn Two done. Always kid people that the only thing worse then Turn ONE for Japan is Turn TWO for the Allies. Talk about 'click' fatigue!

[Drakanel]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

Kitakami is taking FOREVER to get Turn Two done. Always kid people that the only thing worse then Turn ONE for Japan is Turn TWO for the Allies. Talk about 'click' fatigue!

It's the famed "Death by a thousand clicks" [:D] Plus not being familiar with the mod surely requires a lot more time than normal, in order to plan and get to know the OOB.

I will be following both sides (I just can't resist a double AAR, it's so entertaining). Good luck [8D]

[John 3rd]

Thanks for the thoughts...

[Lecivius]

Interesting position for KB. I have always seen it NNW of PH. I do not offer suggestions in AAR's, as I read both. In this case I have not seen his post-strike. I will mention that in this mod supply is critical for the allies early war. Perhaps more than some realize. I understand you are not coming west, but you could starve Hawaii in the next 6 months if you wanted. I know this first hand to my chagrin [:(]

I'll now go back to skulking in my corner [;)]

[John 3rd]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

Interesting position for KB. I have always seen it NNW of PH. I do not offer suggestions in AAR's, as I read both. In this case I have not seen his post-strike. I will mention that in this mod supply is critical for the allies early war. Perhaps more than some realize. I understand you are not coming west, but you could starve Hawaii in the next 6 months if you wanted. I know this first hand to my chagrin [:(]

I'll now go back to skulking in my corner [;)]

You have hit a possible nail on the head Lecivius. I have enough fuel in my AOs to stay positioned for several weeks. Have an idea that I used against Michael where the KB 'left' but, it did not. Turned off the Searches and sat for 4-5 days then eased back into the shipping lanes and caught USS Saratoga and SANK her. Very nice and very devious...