Considering you were heavily outnumbered I'd say that the battle was nothing short of a triumph. Does the US have other fleets, or is that really everything?
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They've got more, but this will set them back - from what I've seen in the future this basically breaks the back of the USN for at least a year, if not more.
It was only a matter of time for the AI to assemble a mob-fleet, especially with over 1k in IC when he had full rares access. But I had become somewhat complacent with smashing the dribs and drabs he had been sending off to grab ports.
Combined with not really "pinging" those assault fleets with land based air before engaging with the carriers - that is what led to the near total disaster at Kwajalein.
Much like I described in the AAR, I knew the mob-fleet would return at some point and decided that the key was to neutralize their CAG-mob, if possible...it was there that the stacking penalties made them vulnerable, combined with the qualitative advantages my own veteran air had both in skill and (I'm pretty sure at least) in equipment.
I can just imagine those "Phase 1" air battles...because they would be truly epic with a total of around 3000 aircraft deployed...I know the Japanese air losses deployed in that first phase would've been about 1/3 of the strength deployed looking for the screen shots I have of the air fights...less with the fighters deployed. I know also from looking over the screenies that the USN carriers had lost *at least* 20% based on the number of CAGs deployed at the start of Phase 1 to those deployed in combat at the end, add in the strength losses you know the remaining CAGs had and 1/3 losses for them seem reasonable...before they start loosing places to land...so for losses that's about 300 aircraft total for the Japanse vs. 500 aircraft for the USN (once again only a portion of their strength went to air superiority, about 40% I'd guess, the rest were either ground attack or naval strike, depending on situation.)
The "suicide" dash of MBF-1 was figured to be an acceptable risk at that point in the continued attrition battle to further weaken the USN mob-fleet as much as possible before the arrival of CSF 1.
So we can guess in Phase 2 the USN had just over 1000 operational aircraft, but they never deployed more then 700 of those, so they were already carrying around 10 CAG's that were basically combat ineffective. Of course CSF 1 showed up with 330 carrier aircraft...but they were fresh, and added their weight to the approximately same number of various land based aircraft still running missions.
Also important was that CSF 1 arrived just six hours after MBF 1 had disengaged, a decent set of unintentional timing that preserved the life of a number of the MBF 1 minor ships, allowing the re-engagement of MBF 1 into the Phase 2 battle.
Another "lucky" part for the long term was the ability to split off damaged ships...the Shokaku got rocked in the first exchange and I split her off with a damaged escort...later on doing the same to preserve the core of the carrier strength, leaving the least damaged carrier and battleships to administer the coup de grace to what was clearly a broken USN force.
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Battle of San Cristobal Island - 14th to 15th June, 1945
The gratuitous blood letting of the Marshall Islands gave both sides pause to lick their wounds. The Americans made few moves of great consequence in the Pacific for many months. This gave a welcome respite for the IJN to repair, refit, and rebuild. With the conclusion of Operation "S" and the occupation of Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea, the NLF was tasked with cleaning up the remaining hold out islands from the Admiralties to the Solomons. The Americans had made some cautious steps to occupy the former British possessions in the South Pacific such as Fiji.
Eventually these two opposing south Pacific forces had to come into contact...while the result was a surprising victory for Japan, IGHQ had to ask themselves if this was an isolated encounter or the signs of the Americans returning to the grander contest. Their questions would get answered on the American Independence day of 1945...
The gratuitous blood letting of the Marshall Islands gave both sides pause to lick their wounds. The Americans made few moves of great consequence in the Pacific for many months. This gave a welcome respite for the IJN to repair, refit, and rebuild. With the conclusion of Operation "S" and the occupation of Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea, the NLF was tasked with cleaning up the remaining hold out islands from the Admiralties to the Solomons. The Americans had made some cautious steps to occupy the former British possessions in the South Pacific such as Fiji.
Eventually these two opposing south Pacific forces had to come into contact...while the result was a surprising victory for Japan, IGHQ had to ask themselves if this was an isolated encounter or the signs of the Americans returning to the grander contest. Their questions would get answered on the American Independence day of 1945...
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How's the US doing for resources now. The last intelligence screenshot suggested they'd run out of rares. That should put a dent in their monster IC.
Should be some fireworks on 4th of July.
Should be some fireworks on 4th of July.
Third Kwajalein Battle - July 14th to 17th, 1945
Apparently the Americans thought at least one of their assaults would succeed in tying up CSF 1...it turns out they were wrong and that it didn't matter with the land based air that pummeled their fleet into near nothingness.
Apparently the Americans thought at least one of their assaults would succeed in tying up CSF 1...it turns out they were wrong and that it didn't matter with the land based air that pummeled their fleet into near nothingness.
You seem to have the US beat for now. How are you planning to capitalise on that now you've secured your fuel supplies?
I realize that I've gone off the rails somewhat since the original purpose of the AAR was the service rivalry, and I've seen where I've gone from that to fighting to win -- if there is still interest in just plain old finishing off I'll continue making posts.
I'm very interested. I understand that with the land and sea fronts very much seperate from each other, there's little to work with in the way of inter-service rivalry. All the more reason to speed up your advance to America.
Well, I think this is my first post ever on the paradox forums, but let's just say that I've been a quiet happy reader with no issues for a long time. But kudos where kudos are due. I've been following this AAR from the start, initially to see how things are going with Semper Fi... so thanks for all the good work malize, and please do continue, unless the late game is getting insanely boring for you, I'd really like to see it come to a conclusion. Also, wouldn't mind the odd post-1943/4 overview of the Japanese Empire, what with the British Annexation and all...
Battle of Manus - 8th to 10th October, 1945
The Allies had been using the harbors at Los Negros and Manus Islands in the Admiralty chain for staging all manner of mischief, chief among these being convoy raiding and the persistent assaults on islands that should have been "in the rear" of the front from the Imperial Navy's point of view. With a practiced air of contempt the Navy decided to dispatch a single NLF division to handle the problem once and for all.
This would be the setting for the hardest fought island battle between the Japanese and Allies. What the AF-1 invasion task force stumbled into in the dark midwatch hours of October 8th as they moved into their beach assault positions for the next morning was an American task force loading up a USMC division for another strike!
After the naval battle the Japanese still attempted the NLF landing but called it off when elements from 2 USMC divisions and 2 Australian divisions were detected defending the islands. AF-1 withdrew to Rabaul where it was decided the entire NLF Corps would be assembled for what would be the largest Japanese amphibious operation of the war to date against a defended shore. In the meantime the entire non-carrier combined air forces of the Army and Navy would pound the islands round the clock.
The Allies had been using the harbors at Los Negros and Manus Islands in the Admiralty chain for staging all manner of mischief, chief among these being convoy raiding and the persistent assaults on islands that should have been "in the rear" of the front from the Imperial Navy's point of view. With a practiced air of contempt the Navy decided to dispatch a single NLF division to handle the problem once and for all.
This would be the setting for the hardest fought island battle between the Japanese and Allies. What the AF-1 invasion task force stumbled into in the dark midwatch hours of October 8th as they moved into their beach assault positions for the next morning was an American task force loading up a USMC division for another strike!
After the naval battle the Japanese still attempted the NLF landing but called it off when elements from 2 USMC divisions and 2 Australian divisions were detected defending the islands. AF-1 withdrew to Rabaul where it was decided the entire NLF Corps would be assembled for what would be the largest Japanese amphibious operation of the war to date against a defended shore. In the meantime the entire non-carrier combined air forces of the Army and Navy would pound the islands round the clock.
Technology Tidbit
The Air Technical department reported the successful prototyping of militarily useful helicopter aircraft.
The Air Technical department reported the successful prototyping of militarily useful helicopter aircraft.
I'm glad to see this continuing. It seems to me that Japan's successes would tend to diminish any rivalries between the army and navy, particularly as both have proved highly successful and there are now plenty of resources to go around.
Time to go all 'Man in the High Castle' on the US?
Time to go all 'Man in the High Castle' on the US?
There are certainly no shortages of resources!
I think the US has re-accessed rares by occupying various UK locations that had gone Japanese but are far outside where I could actually deploy to and hold (such as in the Caribbean and whatnot.)
What is the "Man in the High Castle?"
Battle of Manus Approaches
The combined IJN/IJA air campaign had severely damaged the port and destroyed a great deal of the stores and munitions that the six defending divisions required. Intelligence revealed that supplies and morale were low and the signs of disorganization everywhere. The Imperial Navy decided to try the defenses of the island again with a single NLF division.
The US Navy's response was to launch a resupply mission, due to radio intercepts they were met by CSF 1 a day out of Manus. This mission, dubbed "American Express" by the IJN, was about to turn from risky bravado to suicidal determination.
The supplies and reinforcements were enough to turn the tide against the advancing Sasebo NLF and cause another shaming withdrawal from the beach head on Manus.
The combined IJN/IJA air campaign had severely damaged the port and destroyed a great deal of the stores and munitions that the six defending divisions required. Intelligence revealed that supplies and morale were low and the signs of disorganization everywhere. The Imperial Navy decided to try the defenses of the island again with a single NLF division.
The US Navy's response was to launch a resupply mission, due to radio intercepts they were met by CSF 1 a day out of Manus. This mission, dubbed "American Express" by the IJN, was about to turn from risky bravado to suicidal determination.
The supplies and reinforcements were enough to turn the tide against the advancing Sasebo NLF and cause another shaming withdrawal from the beach head on Manus.
Adolf Hitler Declares "Axis Triumphant"
At the ground breaking for the new Reichstag building, German leader Adolf Hitler declared that the Axis powers were standing in triumph across most of the world and that the American resistance to this new order of the world would come soon enough.
The news was received with polite celebratory applause in Japan where news of their Navy's continuing battles in the South Pacific seemed to place a large question mark over the reports of failing will on the part of the Americans.
At the Liaison meeting the talks of quick victories were muted by the action reports of Admiral Yamamoto and General Maeda of the Sasebo NLF lately fighting on Manus...while no one doubted in final victory for Japan over America, it was clearly the intention of the Americans to make the price high, even if they had to sacrifice themselves by the scores or hundreds with courageous suicidal actions.
While some officers spoke of the stupidity of such waste, others asked if it would be any different for them if the roles were reversed.
As if to underscore these observations reports came from the garrison on Ponape that they were under amphibious attack!
The air response strike force was immediately launched to reconnoiter and attack this new threat. But on arriving they discovered that it was the lone surviving transport, Leonard Wood with the 4th Marine Division which had escaped from the disastrous Battle of the Admiralties on the 10th of October...without fuel to make it to a friendly port and unwilling to surrender...they chose to attack Ponape!
With mechanical practice the combined air strike force obliterated the Leonard Wood, while the garrison on Ponape were forced to fight it out with every Marine that had the slightest hint of strength to do so. There were even some of those who made it ashore and evaded capture by going into the mountainous interior. Some of these men would wage their own personal resistance in the mountains long after the war would be officially over.
This was the last action of 1945...the IGHQ forbade any further attempts to land on Manus until the entirety of the NLF corps had been assembled at Rabual. The problem was two fold: The transport losses from the Indian campaign had not been made good on and the Navy was unsure if they could actually embark the entire five division NLF Corps and supporting units for an assault operation. The second problem was that the Army was dragging its feet on providing relief garrisons for the Solomons and eastern New Guinea where the majority of the NLF divisions were deployed, they had instead been allocating resources for upgrading and specializing the troops of 1st and 2nd Army to their assigned theaters. The Army viewed such garrison assignments as highly derivative, if not insulting, to their own purposes.
It would be six months before everything would finally be in place...and in the meantime the Americans would not be idle in their Continental Fortress.
At the ground breaking for the new Reichstag building, German leader Adolf Hitler declared that the Axis powers were standing in triumph across most of the world and that the American resistance to this new order of the world would come soon enough.
The news was received with polite celebratory applause in Japan where news of their Navy's continuing battles in the South Pacific seemed to place a large question mark over the reports of failing will on the part of the Americans.
At the Liaison meeting the talks of quick victories were muted by the action reports of Admiral Yamamoto and General Maeda of the Sasebo NLF lately fighting on Manus...while no one doubted in final victory for Japan over America, it was clearly the intention of the Americans to make the price high, even if they had to sacrifice themselves by the scores or hundreds with courageous suicidal actions.
While some officers spoke of the stupidity of such waste, others asked if it would be any different for them if the roles were reversed.
As if to underscore these observations reports came from the garrison on Ponape that they were under amphibious attack!
The air response strike force was immediately launched to reconnoiter and attack this new threat. But on arriving they discovered that it was the lone surviving transport, Leonard Wood with the 4th Marine Division which had escaped from the disastrous Battle of the Admiralties on the 10th of October...without fuel to make it to a friendly port and unwilling to surrender...they chose to attack Ponape!
With mechanical practice the combined air strike force obliterated the Leonard Wood, while the garrison on Ponape were forced to fight it out with every Marine that had the slightest hint of strength to do so. There were even some of those who made it ashore and evaded capture by going into the mountainous interior. Some of these men would wage their own personal resistance in the mountains long after the war would be officially over.
This was the last action of 1945...the IGHQ forbade any further attempts to land on Manus until the entirety of the NLF corps had been assembled at Rabual. The problem was two fold: The transport losses from the Indian campaign had not been made good on and the Navy was unsure if they could actually embark the entire five division NLF Corps and supporting units for an assault operation. The second problem was that the Army was dragging its feet on providing relief garrisons for the Solomons and eastern New Guinea where the majority of the NLF divisions were deployed, they had instead been allocating resources for upgrading and specializing the troops of 1st and 2nd Army to their assigned theaters. The Army viewed such garrison assignments as highly derivative, if not insulting, to their own purposes.
It would be six months before everything would finally be in place...and in the meantime the Americans would not be idle in their Continental Fortress.
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An alternate history by Philip K Dick about a United States partitioned between a victorious Japan and Germany. Seemed like an appropriate reference, especially given what you're about to attempt!
And good job winning the game as a whole, even if the allies still have their North American redoubt.
A sad showing from the US fleets and the UK home defence, I had hoped they would fight better in SF.
Good job on the win, long live the emperor!!!
Good job on the win, long live the emperor!!!