Matrix Games

quote:

ORIGINAL: Flicker

... I have some questions:

1) what is a fragment and how do you get one?

A fragment is something left over. Most commonly created when moving a land unit by air or sea transport and there is insufficient air/sea lift to move the unit in toto. What is left behind is a fragment. Can also apply to air units but they usually arrise out of different factors.

2) can the garrison, planes, and ships at Hong Kong escape? I'm loading the Kowloon BDE onto an Amphib TF. I was thinking about flying in the CNAC transports from Kunming if they can help with the evacuation.

Unrestricted units at Hong Kong can escape. Fly your Walrus units to India via Chinese airfields. The ships can just set sail but be careful as to the air threat tolerance you assign to the fleeing task forces as they will have to travel through enemy controlled air + sea lanes so they must be set to totally disregard enemy threat else they will be timid and merely circle back to Hong Kong. Best way to get the infantry out is by flying them out - embark them on ships and they stand an extremely high chances of being sunk in the South China Sea. No need to rebase air transport planes to Hong Kong for the evacuation. You can pick them up using the PBY-4 planes in Luzon and from Luzon they can be further sent afield.

3) related question to 2), can you change your mind (or better yet change the game orders) about loading troops after starting? If so, how?

Yes. Click on cancel loading and then ensure unload cargo is toggled on.

4) do you withdraw airgroups just by clicking "Withdraw Group"? For example, "No. 100 Sqn RAF Det" at Kuantan is scheduled for withdrawal on 19 December 1941; can I or should I click "Withdraw Group" now?

Yes. Up to you whether you want to continue using the unit for a further 10-12 days. Just don't leave the unit at the base when the base is captured by the enemy.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Flicker

Regarding damaged ships at Pearl Harbor:

1) xAKL Hirondelle has fires of 99 and Flt damage of 54. That seems bad. I'm thinking of putting out the fires by scuttling the ship (read about that technique on the forum) to deny points to the Japanese. BB West Virginia is also in trouble (fire = 64, Flt = 95).

Why bother scuttling. By scuttling you only save 10% of the victory points. In the case of the Hirondelle that amounts to saving 0.2 of a victory point, assuming the game just doesn't round up to the nearest integer. Even in the case of the West Virginia, where you would save some victory points, you may as well try to save her as Allied damage control is far superior compared to the Japanese.

2) I'm thinking of sending some moderately damaged ships to LA, but I don't know what level of damage I should consider 'moderate'. At what levels of damage can ships make the trip? For example, BB Tennessee has Sys 37 Flt 37 Eng 40 - should it stay at Pearl or go to LA?

Depends on how many damaged ships you have at Pearl Harbor. Use pierside repairs as much as possible. Try to reduce system damage down to zero before sending any damaged ship to the West Coast and ensure they travel only at the "cruise" speed setting if sent.

quote:

3) related question to 2) (load LCU onto Amphib TF), can you change your mind (or better yet change the game orders) about loading troops after starting? If so, how?

Yes. Click on cancel loading and then ensure unload cargo is toggled on.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Flicker

... Only a few more hours of orders then I can hit "End..." again.

quote:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Wake Island at 136,98

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 35 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
F2A-3 Buffalo x 13
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 13
SBD-2 Dauntless x 13
SBD-3 Dauntless x 13
TBD-1 Devastator x 9

Allied aircraft losses
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AMC Kinryu Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
AMC Kongo Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
CL Yubari, Bomb hits 1
CL Tenryu
DD Yayoi
DD Hayate
PB Kaiun Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PB Hakkaisan Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Tatsuta

Japanese ground losses:
124 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
13 x SBD-2 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
9 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
10 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SB2U-3 Vindicator releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AMC Kinryu Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AMC Kongo Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring PB Hakkaisan Maru

quote:

86 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Japanese Ships
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 2
CL Tenryu
DD Hayate
DD Yayoi
DD Kisaragi, Shell hits 1
PB Kaikei Maru
PB Ikuta Maru
PB Fukui Maru
AMC Kinryu Maru, heavy fires, heavy damage
CL Yubari
DD Oite

quote:

Ground combat at Wake Island (136,98)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 184 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Defending force 1092 troops, 25 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 29

Assault collapses, attacking force wiped out

Japanese ground losses:
220 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1
Assaulting units:
Maizuru 2nd SNLF /2

Defending units:
Wake USN CPNAB
1st Marine Defense Battalion

quote:

Unrestricted units at Hong Kong can escape. Fly your Walrus units to India via Chinese airfields. The ships can just set sail but be careful as to the air threat tolerance you assign to the fleeing task forces as they will have to travel through enemy controlled air + sea lanes so they must be set to totally disregard enemy threat else they will be timid and merely circle back to Hong Kong. Best way to get the infantry out is by flying them out - embark them on ships and they stand an extremely high chances of being sunk in the South China Sea. No need to rebase air transport planes to Hong Kong for the evacuation. You can pick them up using the PBY-4 planes in Luzon and from Luzon they can be further sent afield.

quote:

Day Time Surface Combat, near Jolo at 73,88, Range 19,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAK Thames Maru, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
xAK Nansin Maru
xAKL Nichizui Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Nissen Maru #2, Shell hits 1
xAK Nittei Maru, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Ryugi Maru, Shell hits 3
xAKL Saiko Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Sanuki Maru
xAK Shoho Maru, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
xAK Taibun Maru, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Tatsuho Maru, Shell hits 6, heavy fires
xAK Tone Maru, Shell hits 4, on fire
xAK Uyo Maru, Shell hits 25, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Ume Maru, Shell hits 15, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Yuzan Maru, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
xAK Yubari Maru, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
xAKL Akita Maru
xAKL Ayaha Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAKL Awa Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAKL Heiyo Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Higashiyama Maru, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Tonegawa Maru, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
xAKL Yagi Maru, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
xAK Okuni Maru, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
xAKL Hachirogata Maru
xAK Azuchisan Maru, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
xAK Amakusa Maru, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Fukuyo Maru, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Houston
CL Boise
DD Edsall
DD John D. Edwards
DD Parrott
DD Pope, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
1435 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 47 destroyed, 53 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 36 (19 destroyed, 17 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 19,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 19,000 yards

quote:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Terapo at 96,127, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAK Syozui Maru, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
xAK Horai Maru, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
xAK Jinsai Maru, Shell hits 27, and is sunk
xAK Kiyoshima Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Shirashika Maru, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
xAK Tempei Maru, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAKL Nichirei Maru, Shell hits 12, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Australia
CA Canberra
CL Leander
CL Achilles
CL Perth
DD Benham
DD Ellet

Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 96,130, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 18, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Achou Maru, Shell hits 19, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Australia
CA Canberra
CL Leander
CL Achilles
CL Perth
DD Benham
DD Ellet

Japanese ground losses:
2096 casualties reported
Squads: 64 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 67 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 15 (14 destroyed, 1 disabled)

quote:

Allied aircraft
Blenheim I x 7
Buffalo I x 1
Hudson IIIa x 8
139WH-3 x 16
CW-22 Falcon x 3
Hudson I x 5
Wirraway x 9

Allied aircraft losses
139WH-3: 1 damaged
Wirraway: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
AMC Hokoku Maru
AG Muroto, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Kiyama Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
xAK Kirikawa Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tone Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Kenan Maru, heavy fires
xAK Shofuku Maru
xAK Somedono Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Kensin Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Sinkyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Daiya Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
861 casualties reported
Squads: 32 destroyed, 36 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)