Alien Invasion: Oh, the Humanity!

[witpqs]

Maybe they'll arrive in Wright-Flyers!

I never knew that about a/c arrivals, thanks for the info.

[USSAmerica]

[font="times new roman"]4/4/1942[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]I spotted Mynok sending ships into Madang yesterday.  He has owned it for a while, but I figure he has decided to build it up as a fighter base to CAP Lae, so he can try to get Lae operational again.  Until he has fighters active there, however, it’s still well within range of my LB’s from PM.  Over 3 raids, my Mitchells, Marauders, and a handful of Bostons pounded 5 APs and 2 AKs.  There was at least one 1000lb bomb hit that I saw in the mix, so at least one of my squadrons must be getting their experience high enough.  No reported sinkings, but it will only be a matter of time.  If any of these ships stay within range tomorrow, they will be visited again.  I did bag a small number of troops on one of the ships.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Not much other action.  Lots of my ships are starting to upgrade in West Coast ports, and a few at Pearl and Sydney.  I’ll have to manage my damaged ships carefully at these ports to keep them in “undocked TF’s”, where they won’t suck up all my shipyard repair points.  The Allies have a TON of ships that upgrade in 4/42.  The good news is that all of them really get good AA upgrades, and most of my DD’s that didn’t already have high ASW ratings get a good boost there as well.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]There are a bunch of Martian AP’s heading for Soerabaja.  Mynok is gathering his troops to move onto the next phase of invasions.  He has 5 MSWs there that are very busy cleaning up all the mess I left for him in the harbor.  I also have 5 Brit and Dutch subs moving into the immediate area around Soerabaja to try to pick off a few ships.  [/font]

[USSAmerica]

[font="times new roman"]4/5/1942[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]I made a mistake today and “relearned” a lesson.  I’ve had a few squadrons of fighters and FB’s at Mandalay, working over the Martian troops advancing in the area.  The troops have made it as far as the adjacent hex SW of Mandalay.  Today, the first units advanced into the Mandalay hex, so it’s time to pull out my planes, right?  Wait, the enemy troops are immediately executing a Shock attack!  Oh, bummer, they had to assault across a river.  I now have 1 P40B, 1 P40E, 1 P39D, 1 Wirraway, and 1 Lysander squadron, all set to arrive as reinforcements in 389 days.  [8|]  The good news is that both the P40 squadrons were less than half strength, but the P39D was full, and it’s my Philippine squadron, so I’ll have no use for those pilots for the next year +.  Oh yeah, Mynok captured Mandalay.  [;)][/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]An AP, Miike Maru, heading to Soerabaja to pick up Martian troops hit a mine today.  [/font][8D][font="times new roman"]  Mynok has been diligently sweeping away there with a group of 5 MSW’s, but I guess all the mines are not gone yet.  [;)]  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]There were a few more airfield attacks today, but the only one of note was another big Zero sweep from Rabaul to Port Moresby.  73 Zeros were met by 10 F4F-3, 12 Kittyhawk, 5 Beaufighter VIF, 4 P-38F, and 6 F3A-3 fighters on CAP.  I lost 30 fighters and took 8 Zeros with me.  The good news, with all these big fur balls happening over my base, I’m not losing too many pilots.  Mynok’s Zeros are coming from a good distance, so it’s not likely that he’s recovering very many of his downed pilots.  [/font]

[USSAmerica]

[font="times new roman"]4/6/1942[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]SS KXIV had a shot at a Martian TK just NE of Palembang today, but missed.  She didn’t look like a big one in the periscope, but it still would have been a nice treat to put her under.  S-46 had much better luck in the Soerabaja hex.  She put a torp into AK Aden Maru.  Then, to finish off the party right, MSW W.2 hit a mine and sank at Soerabaja.  2 hits in 2 days make me feel a little better about all the mine laying effort I put in a month or two ago.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]My Blenheim IV’s at Chittagong went after the newly captured resources at Mandalay.  They are now being reinforced by some Blenheim I’s, since the targets are closer, and within their shorter Normal range.  Only 2 resource hits were scored.  My 4EB’s in the region are currently down to 4 slightly under strength squadrons after the recent reinforcement pipeline fiasco.  I have my first squadron of Wellington’s training at Aden, and a second squadron arriving in 5 days.  They will soon join their big brothers in strategic bombing.  There is also 1 squadron of B-18’s at Dacca, as a result of all the upgrade/withdraw/downgrade actions.  There are currently enough B-17E’s in the pool to upgrade them back, but that won’t happen until I can do it and still leave 16+ in the pool.  3 B17 squadrons at SF will be joined by one more in 9 days.  They will probably be sent to SWPAC to join the only other 4EB squadron available, 1 LB-30, to help keep airfields suppressed in that area.  I expect things to seriously heat up in that area soon.  No more 4EB reinforcements will be available for the next 57 days.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Another Zero sweep from Rabaul visited PM today.  Only 37 this time, met by a mix of 29 Allied fighters.  The results were much better today, in line with the improved odds.  I lost 11 fighters for 8 Zeros.  It’s still going to be a few weeks before I can get any significant fighter reinforcements to the region.  There are 4-6 squadrons slowly making their way there, but until then, my fighters on station have to hold the line.  I expect no sweep tomorrow, but maybe a heavily escorted Betty strike.  The timing works out for me, since my troop ships finished unloading yesterday and the last are on their way back to Townsville.  I may take all of my fighters off CAP and let the Bettys do what they can.  I have a bunch of AA troops at the base now.  Maybe it’s time to see what they can do.  [;)]  The total AV after all troops are ashore is up to 870, with the Americal Div still 1/3 disabled.  (started that way)  Forts are at 6 – 28% and the 2 newly arrived EAB’s are rapidly making a difference there.  I still have over 11k mines at PM, and there is 115k supply, with more arriving daily.  Yes, I think this area is going to get fun soon.  [8D][/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Samarinda, next to Balikpapan, fell to a cross river Shock attack today.  Looks like I’ll have to find another base to quietly refuel my subs operating in the area.  [;)][/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]When Mynok grabbed Mandalay yesterday, the defending troops retreated to the SE.  [8|]  They now have to try to make their way through the jungle and trails back to India, or try to head up the Burma Road to China.  Hmmm….[/font]

[witpqs]

Have the aliens overrun your radio shack? The world wonders! [:)]

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

Have the aliens overrun your radio shack? The world wonders! [:)]

Radio Shack run by aliens? That explains some things. [:D]

[USSAmerica]

Good timing, witpqs.  The radio shack is still secure, but the war is stuck in molasses, moving at a slow pace right now.  [:)]
 
[font="times new roman"]4/7/1942[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]I have been stalking a Martian TF near Pago Pago for a couple of days.  My search AC report it is 2 DE’s, but I suspected it was a sub.  It’s moving 2 hexes/day, back to the NW, toward Martian territory.  A 5 DD ASW group caught up today and discovered it was actually 2 big ass PG’s, Aikoku Maru and Hokoku Maru.  I need to look these suckers up in the database.  Over a night time surface combat, and a daytime surface combat in the next hex, my boys chased the PG’s.  Aikoku took a total of 10 shell hits and was reported heavily damaged and on fire.  Hokoku collected a total of 3 shells.  4 of my 5 DD’s took at least 1 shell, but nobody is in danger of sinking.  2 DD’s will need a week or two in the yards.  I really was wishing for a CL or CA to join in the fun.  It would have been a quick fight, but I really thought I was hunting a sub.  LOL  Mynok said something fishy happened with the game, because he never sent those PG's there, so they must have teleported in.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]The little standoff at Padang on Sumatra between a few dozen Dutch troops and some Martian Paras got a little more interesting.  Mynok flew in at least elements of a second para unit, and they Shock attacked.  The adjusted assault values were 3 – 23.  LOL  If Mynok had good intel, he could have dropped these guys on the base one hex inland from Padang, and captured the place, since it’s undefended.  Then he could fly in some supply and have a secure supply source the rear of his troops as the besiege Padang.  As entertaining as it is, this is still a very small sideshow.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]I set my 2nd and 3rd AVG squadrons to ground attack some of the troops at Nanchang, where Mynok and I have recreated our own WWI massive troop concentration.  When my boys flew in low to attack the troops, it finally lured the enemy Nates at the base into action.  Things didn’t go well for us, since they were on CAP, and we were carrying bomb loads.  2 ground attacks by 21 Warhawks were met by 27 Nates.  I did manage to damage one Nate, while losing 4 Warhawks and having 21 damaged.  These two squadrons have drawn some replacement planes, and are set to sweep at Nanchang tomorrow.  [/font]
 

[USSAmerica]

[font="times new roman"]4/8/1942[/b][/b][/font]
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[font="times new roman"]My Warhawks in China finally scored on a sweep over Nanchang.  30 flew against a CAP of 26 Nates.  I downed 4 Nates, ironically the only planes lost by either side in the entire war on this day.  [:D]  Thunderstorms and some needed maintenance result in these boys ordered to stand down tomorrow.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]There is a small barge TF heading toward Lae.  20 Wirraways and 30 P-39’s attacked at 100 feet.  I got a bunch of gun hits that don’t do much damage, but landed one bomb hit on a barge, I think from a Wirraway.  I brought in another P-39 squadron and ordered a few more fighter squadrons to 100 ft Naval attack for tomorrow.  Even if I don't sink any, it's good experience. [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]There’s still an AP at Madang that I’ve been trying to attack for 3 days, now.  I have an S-boat in the hex that has not gone after it yet, and all the bombers in range are set on Naval attack, with AF attack secondary.  They have pounded the AF at Madang, but not gone after the AP yet.  Tomorrow, all the bombers are ordered on Naval with secondary of rest.  Fatigue is starting to build to over 20 for some.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]That’s all for today, folks.  Quiet day. [/font]

[Capt. Harlock]

20 Wirraways and 30 P-39’s attacked at 100 feet. I got a bunch of gun hits that don’t do much damage, but landed one bomb hit on a barge, I think from a Wirraway.

No shell hits from the P-39's? Time for some strafing practice . . .[;)]

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

20 Wirraways and 30 P-39’s attacked at 100 feet. I got a bunch of gun hits that don’t do much damage, but landed one bomb hit on a barge, I think from a Wirraway.

No shell hits from the P-39's? Time for some strafing practice . . .[;)]

My thoughts, exactly, Capt. That's one reason why I moved more in, and sent 'em after those barges again. I was watching the replay, waiting to see some shell hits, and was surprised by the bomb hit. [:D]

[USSAmerica]

[font="times new roman"]4/9/1942[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]The weather scrubbed my attack on the barge convoy at Lae.  One of the barges did hit a sub laid mine at Lae and go under.  [;)]  I did have 5 Bostons and 3 Mitchells go after the remaining AK, Asosan Maru, at Madang, but they missed.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]S-47 took a couple of near misses from DC’s, around 180 miles south of Truk.  I have a group of about 6 S-boats patrolling there, but most are heading back to base for fuel soon.  I’ll try to keep a couple on station a few more days to see if this Martian ASW TF was leading the way for some nice, juicy AP’s full of troops.  [:D][/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]The remaining action today consisted of 5 oil hits at Mandalay by my Blenheims.  [/font]

[USSAmerica]

[font="times new roman"]4/10/1942[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]One PC tried to attack S-47 again today, but didn’t find her.  There was no other contact with enemy ships in that area.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]68 Zeros swept the skies over PM from Rabaul, but found nothing to shoot at.  I had no CAP flying at all.  I hope a few of the Zeros turned into Ops losses.  [:D][/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Only 1 squadron of Kittyhawks found the enemy barge TF today.  They scored a few hits, but nothing serious.  Maybe a point of experience.  My A-24 Dauntless squadrons hit the port and troops at Lae for some more training.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Martian troops are hitting the beach at Bandjermasin.  I’ve had a Dutch Patrol squadron flying from here since early in the way, keeping a good eye on ship movements in the Java Sea.  They are bugging out to Darwin, now.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Mynok also took undefended Myitkyina.[/font]

[USSAmerica]

[font="times new roman"]4/11/1942[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]We've been playing slowly, but I also was 2 days behind in the AAR.  This is the second day, and now I have to go run the replay for 4/12/42.  [:)][/font]
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[font="times new roman"]More troops landed at Bandjermasin, and I repaired my last Patrol plane so it flew out to Darwin.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]I had an enemy sub sighting in the straights off of Milne Bay a day or two ago.  I positioned a DD ASW TF astride the convoy route from Townsville to PM and waited.  Today, poor I-175 decided to stop right under my boys.  4 of the 6 DD’s found her and pounded her with 13 hits, including 4 penetrating DC’s.  She didn’t stand a chance.  This is a hex that Mynok has attacked my shipping before, but I’ll bet the next sub to come hunting will be 1 or 2 hexes away from this graveyard spot.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Another successful sweep was conducted by 2 and 3 squadrons of the AVG at Nanchang.  44 Warhawks tangled with 25 Nates, killing 18 for 4 Warhawks damaged.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]I tried a high altitude airfield attack at Rangoon by 1 squadron of B-17D’s, 2 B-17E’s, and 1 LB-30.  There were 71 Oscars flying CAP, as I expected.  The B-17’s flew in with no problems, over the CAP, but did only minimal damage to the runway.  I failed to notice, unfortunately, the LB-30’s have a much lower Max Altitude, around 24k feet.  All of the Oscars went after these 12 guys.  My boys accounted for themselves well, shooting down 6 Oscars and damaging 23 others, but at a loss of 4 Liberators, and 4 more damaged.  Lesson learned.  [8|][/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]66 Zeros swept the empty airspace over PM today.  My fighters were either escorting a bunch of 2EB’s against the AF and troops at Madang, pounding the place, or were set to Naval attack at 100 ft, but the Martian barges were out of range today.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Mynok launched another Deliberate attack at Manila today.  Despite being out of supply for many days now, my boys still held up well.  Mynok scored a 1-1 assault, but will need to do a little better before my skinny troops give up.  I have a bunch of US subs stationed just off Manila, with more on the way, if an opportunity presents itself to buy the 31st RCT.  I’ll be able to get off a small portion of them, but much larger than just a tiny fragment.  I don’t want to pay full price for a small part of a RCT, but if they get beat up a little more, the price will start dropping fast.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Lashio fell today to Mynok’s invaders.  The surviving portions of the 2nd Burma Rifles Bde and 104 RAF BF barely paused here, but were helped along their way up the Burma Road to Tsuyung.  [/font]

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: USS America


[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Lashio fell today to Mynok’s invaders.  The surviving portions of the 2nd Burma Rifles Bde and 104 RAF BF barely paused here, but were helped along their way up the Burma Road to Tsuyung.  [/font]

It's taken the Martians a while, but they seem to be rolling up Burma like Sherman going through Georgia now. Are you planning to make a stand somewhere?

[USSAmerica]

No stand planned within Burma.  I just tried a couple of roadblocks at Rangoon, and then at Mandalay.  I plan to make a stand on the Indian side of all the trails, digging in at Imphal, Kohima, Dimapur, Jorhat, and Ledo, as well as Chittagong.  I'm also likely to move some Infantry and engineers forward to Cox's Bazar, but I plan to leave Akyab until it's time to start my advance.  Maybe in a couple of months.  [;)]
 
The slow pace of the Martians is primarily due to Mynok moving slow.  I think getting in a few lucky punches in the very early days (Surface combat at Kuching, and sinking his CVE by air off Malaya) has made him a little more overcautious than he might normally be. 
 
The real big question is where does he go next?  He has lots of smaller DEI holdings to clean up, and may be a bit wary of a "Fortress Timor" play on my end, even though I've completely written it off.  I expect him to try to take the Northern Australian bases, which is why a second Aussie Infantry Division and a Bde are on their way to reinforce Darwin.  I then expect a drive to take Noumea, which I can do very little about.  From there, he could move on Suva or New Zealand.  I have started the buildup of troops heading to Auckland to base my eventual SoPac offensive from there.  The 27th US Inf Div is unloading at Auckland right now, with the 32nd Division preparing to board ships in SF within the week.  Suva is already pretty strong, with the 40th Inf Div, 2nd USMC Div, 8th NZ Bde, 2 CD Def Bn's, 641st US TD Bn, and lots of engineers.  I also have a SC force based here around BB's Idaho, New Mexico, and Mississippi.  I can fly in lots of planes, including fighters, within a few days.  Suva is pretty solid.  Mynok could take it, if he brings way, way more than most people would normally commit. 
 
Of course, what I would love for him to do is to try to take Port Moresby.  My Assault Value there is almost over 900 now as disabled squads repair.  I have over 115k supply on the ground, level 7 forts building, tons of engineers, and planes out the wazoo, including 5 squadrons of DB's. 
 
There's always the slim possibility that Mynok consolidates his DEI holdings and settles in behind the historical lines to start digging, but where's the fun in that?  [:D]

[USSAmerica]

[font="times new roman"]4/12/1942[/font]
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[font="times new roman"]I jumped on a sub sighting from yesterday to the NE of Pago Pago with a 6 DMS TF.  They caught and pounded I-18 for 11 hits, including 1 penetrating.  I’ll have to watch the Ships Sunk list to see if she shows up here.  I also spotted another sub in the same hex between PM and Townsville where I sank I-175 yesterday.  I have another ASW TF arriving to play tomorrow.[/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]My Blenheims scored 7 oil hits at Mandalay and damaged the last of the functional oil facilities there.  They are shifting back to the 7 undamaged resources at Meiktila.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]65 Zeros on the unopposed sweep at PM from Rabaul today.  (1 on the Ops losses for the day [;)] )  Until Mynok sends some bombers that do some meaningful damage, or until I can put over 100 fighters up, I’m not going to fly CAP here.  I wouldn’t mind it if I don’t have to face Zeros for the next 18 days, and then it’s May Day, AKA “End of the Zero Bonus Day.”  [&o][:D][/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]Mynok wasn’t able to take Bandjermasin with a Deliberate attack today.  The adjusted AV was 4 – 40.  I have very few troops here, so when he recovers from landing disruption some more, it will be a very different story.  He also flew in another small Paratroop unit to Padang.  There are now 3 enemy units here.  The Shock attack today scored a 2-1 result and dropped my forts from 2 to 0.  I’ll likely face another attack tomorrow to finish the job.  [/font]

[USSAmerica]

[font="times new roman"]4/13/1942[/font]
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[font="times new roman"][/font] 
[font="times new roman"]Today a second ASW TF moved into the “hunting grounds” between Townsville and PM, at hex 52, 97.  They found I-168, but no one was able to get off an attack.  Later in the day, the first ASW TF still on the scene after polishing off I-175, caught up with I-168 and managed 11 hits.  None were penetrating, but I did see several “some water”, a “fire in control room”, and 1 “leaking fuel oil badly” messages.  One of my AC also spotted an enemy sub 1 hex to the NW of this spot.  I’ll have one of the hunter groups move over there tomorrow.  I have 3 effective ASW TF’s in the region, so I can mostly keep 2 on station while 1 returns to Cairns to replenish fuel and DC’s.  Until Mynok can establish a lvl 4 airfield somewhere on New Guinea to get Betty coverage in this area, I can continue to operate surface ships here.  More pressure on him to consider going after PM.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]30 B-17’s attacked the resources at Rangoon, effectively flying over the Oscar CAP, but scored no hits.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]36 Zeros swept PM, but again found no one to play with.  [/font]
[font="times new roman"] [/font]
[font="times new roman"]The Martian paratroops finally managed to capture Padang today.  [/font]