Beware the Dorniers! Scen 17 Tier 3 (Lowpe vs AI (Spoilers))

[Lowpe]

2nd Week of February:

Fifth Carrier Division steams into the wind! Invasion fleet off Tarawa!

[Lowpe]

Multiple Invasion Fleets...this one headed for Makin?

Seacats![X(] Another secret American weapon! Wait, how can American merchantmen carry so many troops? We are not in Kansas anymore!

[Lowpe]

Have the American's mastered reloading at sea? Of course they have, silly question.[:D]

[Lowpe]

Malacca! Miri is being bombed at night by beasts...

[Lowpe]

I think when the Q ship Cleburne was sunk, we destroyed 24 Seacats, but this is our first air to air encounter with the little devils. Speedy!

I bet dollars to donuts that the sinking of the Cleburne by Iboat robbed the Tarawa Invasion force of their air cover. Could have been a totally different outcome but for that fortuitous encounter.

[Lowpe]

Plane r&d.

Merchant shipping shutoff along with a Nate factory. Can't keep up with naval builds.

[Lovejoy]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lovejoy

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

If I remember correctly, the Swayback was actually the USS Saint Paul.

The USS Salt Lake City was nickednamed Old Swayback, but the USS Saint Paul did play John Wayne's "Old Swayback" in the movie In Harms Way.

How much do you want to bet John Wayne is the skipper?

I'm pretty sure that Rockwell Torrey is in the game as a either a ship CO or a task force commander

[Andy Mac]

Its been 5 years since I messed with this scenario cannot remember !!

[Lowpe]

Texas and Swayback are gone...hiding somewhere. Admittedly Japanese search and recon is weak in this area. It will be a cat and mouse game.[:)] Nagato and company to the east and the Carrier Divisions 1 & 2 to the west.

The better AMC's are heading here to help setup a patrol around the Philippines so no future convoy can get so close. Not sure that really matters on very hard, but it just makes great sense for better interior warding in case something slips thru the glaring cracks in my perimeter. So here is a novel use of them, at least for me.

[Lowpe]

What to do. Fifth Carrier Division lost two dozen planes, but the Pemberton must go down. Perhaps the three hits she took this day are enough to cancel flight operations?

But then there is Tarawa to worry about, too.

[Lowpe]

I am struggling mightily to keep my Carriers fully equipped with planes. Perhaps I am better off saying I am failing here. Most of the squadrons are very small and or permanently restricted.

The Ryujo has finished repairs at Hiroshima and will re-enter the fray.

[Lowpe]

Now that it is February, I got curious on how I would handle ship upgrades with no tracker.

It seems upgrades have to be turned on, for them to show up on the "show ships due upgrade" button. Guess I will be allowing upgrades for ships on this list from now on. Hope I don't inadvertently upgrade needed ships because of this. Will make port selection a little more important going forward.

You can see how unlike a JFB this game is, with lots of warships in port, sailors idling with the local attractions no doubt.



Nevermind, doing this doesn't actually show ships due upgrades, it shows ships due upgrades at anytime...say in 1943 for example.

[Lowpe]

2nd Week of Feb, 1942

5th Carrier Division in action again...going after the Pemberton to the south east today.

[Lowpe]

American deep raiders...

[Lowpe]

2nd Week of February

Hunt for the Pemberton...Fifth Carrier Division strikes again.

[PaxMondo]

[Lowpe]

Dateline: Feb 13, 1942

A scant forty five miles from Howland Island, the piratical Pemberton, a Qship, was finally sunk by Vals. Only 1 Seacat (of her original compliment of 24) was identified in the wreckage.

IJN High Command is contemplating a quick raid and invasion to destroy the remaining planes, which might have sought refuge at Howland Island, which is north of Baker Island.

The Fifth Carrier Division has gone radio silent and its location is currently unknown.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Howland Island at 149,134

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 14
D3A1 Val x 9

Allied aircraft
SO3C-3 Seacat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 4 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
AMC J.C. Pemberton, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Although some intelligence officers think she might have escaped in a plume of heavy smoke...

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring AMC J.C. Pemberton

[Lowpe]

In other news, the forward defense of Johore Bahru has been decisively smashed in two engagements:

Ground combat at 50,82 (near Johore Bahru)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 120621 troops, 1285 guns, 566 vehicles, Assault Value = 3355

Defending force 22237 troops, 153 guns, 104 vehicles, Assault Value = 252

Japanese adjusted assault: 1681

Allied adjusted defense: 215

Japanese assault odds: 7 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1849 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 124 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 17 (1 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
9529 casualties reported
Squads: 348 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 452 destroyed, 41 disabled
Engineers: 20 destroyed, 12 disabled
Guns lost 53 (38 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Vehicles lost 37 (21 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Units retreated 11

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
33rd Division
56th Division
Imperial Guards Division
14th Division
5th Division
4th Division
38th Division
18th Division
2nd Division
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
20th AA Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
32nd Field AA Battalion

Defending units:
15th Indian Brigade
11th Indian Division
9th Indian Division
1st ISF Brigade
6th Indian Brigade
2nd Argylls Battalion
28th Gurkha Brigade
5/14th Punjab Battalion
3/16th Punjab Battalion
3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment
109th RN Base Force
III Indian Corps
112th RAF Base Force
137/155th Field Regiment

And the following day, the rear guard surrenders:
Ground combat at 50,82 (near Johore Bahru)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 96614 troops, 1064 guns, 498 vehicles, Assault Value = 3288

Defending force 916 troops, 16 guns, 15 vehicles, Assault Value = 7

Japanese adjusted assault: 1496

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 1496 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
791 casualties reported
Squads: 22 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 98 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 17 (17 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 18 (18 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 3

Assaulting units:
14th Division
56th Division
38th Division
4th Division
5th Division
33rd Division
18th Division
Imperial Guards Division
2nd Division
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
25th Army
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
1st RF Gun Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
20th AA Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
32nd Field AA Battalion

Defending units:
5/14th Punjab Battalion
112th RAF Base Force
137/155th Field Regiment

[Lowpe]

Balikpapen's first wave landed in great shape, the coastal guns and mines inflicting widespread but light damage, while the 2nd Wave approaches. This invasion is shepherded by the KB and a powerful Battleship SAG.

Ground combat at Balikpapan (64,97)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 5568 troops, 37 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 94

Defending force 1979 troops, 26 guns, 1 vehicles, Assault Value = 37

Japanese adjusted assault: 56

Allied adjusted defense: 21

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
177 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
79 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

[Lowpe]

And from around the fronts:

Brunei Despite a 2-1 attack, and forts at 0, the stubborn oversized Royal Navy bases refuse to retreat into the jungle.

Luzon:
The Battleship Texas has been spotted by Iboats, but so far they have been unable to launch a spread of torpedoes at her. She is heavily escorted by destroyers and fast minesweepers.

The Swayback is missing, but the dreaded Boise has been frequently seen with the Texas. A four ship enemy SAG, reportedly with heavy cruisers, was allowed to escape to the south and if it heads along the northeast coast of New Guinea will probably be in trouble. If it heads to Darwin, there is nothing to stop it.

Manila is besieged and only lightly held by the joint American Philippino forces. Mauben to the southeast was taken by parachutists, and the IJA is now redoubling efforts to take the City. The bulk of the enemy forces are between Clark AFB and Bataan.

China


Pengpu saw the first Chinese Corp totally destroyed. The 48th Chinese Corp was surrounded and eventually surrendered, when it launched it offensive at Pengpu the Corp seemed very close to full strength. The final battle report is listed below:

Japanese assault odds: 590 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), disruption(-), morale(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker:

Allied ground losses:
5426 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 643 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 14 (14 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
56th Infantry Brigade
12th RGC Ind. Brigade
13th Ind.Mixed Brigade
17th Division
58th Infantry Brigade
Nanking Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
48th Chinese Corps

Kuriles

There are quite a few lurking American fleets in the area. 2 American cruisers suffered several SAP bomb hits, and the Ryujo with a small contingent of Dive Bombers is looking to finish them, but so far has only encountered enemy destroyers although land based torpedo bombers did sortie against an American Oiler very close to Soviet territory a day or two ago.

Paramushiro finally has a small squadron of Jakes to supplement the seaplane tender's Jakes at Onnekotan-jima.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ketoi-jima at 134,53

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D3A1 Val x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Thracian, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Electra

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

Rabaul


Sufficient troops have assembled at Truk, Kavieng and Manus to attempt a landing here. Awaiting sufficient naval forces and better search.