Protecting India from KB raid

[gladiatt]

Gentlemens, i need an advice, or some good luck rolls, or if someone could send a thousand bombers [;)][:D].

I am playing Witp Stock 1.806 in a PBEM; i am an rather incompetent allied commander. Date is 30 january 1942.
I will post screenshot tonight to give more clue.
But if ever someone could send me those thousand bombers i need [:)] in the meantime.

Here is the situation:
1)Singapore as not yet fallen. One of our very rare house rule say that no japanese surface TF can pass the Malacca strait with Singapore in allied hands.
Java still allied. Bali, Toboali,Tarakan, Kendari are japanese bases with planes.
2) Since 2 weeks, japanese CA raiders are roaming in Indian Ocean, West of Java and Sumatra. (west is according to the map, not real geography). A few surface battles have been fought with Surface fleet of Royal Navy and Dutch Navy. There have been some loss on each side.
3) at first i thought that running out of fuel the japs would evacuate. But my not-dumb-at-all opponent managed to send 2 AO in separate TF in the Indian Ocean, avoiding the allies planes of Java (nothing of air power in north australia) and the dutch subs in the area. These AO have now reached the japanese CA.
4) On the contrary, my brit surface fleet are now out of fuel. When i say out of fuel, this mean 0 fuel, limping back toward Ceylan at a speed of 1 hex a day....and the road is long (and weather permiting, miss Betty or Nell flying from Malaya can reach a too-long range in Indian Ocean).
Why 0 fuel ? Because i tried to keep him away from some larges convoy of supplies for Java or Singapore (wich where slaughtered by Nells when nearing Singapore, but that's another story), and thought for a while that if he could sustain some damages, his ships would sail back, and so could i...no luck, when i realized he had some AO, i decided to go north toward Ceylon, but one more surface battle did empty all my fuel-tanks....
5) a brit CV (Indomitable???) has just come in reinforcement 4 days ago in Karachi, and did sprint toward Indian Ocean to assist the now forced retreat of my surface assets. A single raid of swordfish resulted in 2 japs CA suffering 1 torp hit each. This could keep him honest for a few days until Death Star arrive....
6) KB has just been spoted in the Banda Sea, East of Timor. Having seen all the efforts of my opponent to keep his force in Indian Ocean, i am pretty sure that KB is not coming for a Australia-raiding party, but more certainly to enter Indian Ocean and chase my fleet. He is probably at a range of 4 days to reach me, and the lack of speed of my fleet is hopeless; also there are no allied AO on this part of the world....
7) My 4 US CV are in West Coast: too far to make an intervention in time. And i am not willing to commit them in an operation somewhere not usefull and risky (with misses Betty and Nell) in Gilberts, Solomons, Alaska or else.

In India, Karachi, Ceylon, there are something like 60AK, 5 or 6 TK, something like 20 auxiliaries. It would be very hard to see them slaughtered. More important, the slaughter of my Royal Navy assets (3BB, 10 CA/CL, 12 or so DD, 1CVL,1CV) would doom me.

Anyone having GOOD advice ?
Because i wouldn't like to read "make him pay", that's something easily said, but not easily done with my LBA usually scoring no hits on the japs ships....and too far away to reach KB.

Thanks in advance for the interest.
And have a nice day ![:)]

[Marty A]

What i would do is send all ships to karachi and put many fighters there. may not save them but will maybe make him pay.

[gladiatt]

ORIGINAL: Marty A

will maybe make him pay.

[:-] i said no advice like this !! [;)][:D].

Was thinking of something like that. But very difficult: Fighters are in Singapore or Java. Time needed to redeploy them probably more than 4 days. More: my Royal Navy is more than 4 days aways from the closest fuel reserve in Colombo, with a speed of 1 hex a day....of course if nothing can be done because i made a BIG mistake, i will have to suffer the consequence of my faults. But i was somehow looking for moral support [:(][;)]

[rominet]

Tu peux pas causer français comme tout le monde, j'aurais pigé plus vite, hein?!![:D][;)]

Bon bref, t'es mal!! Pas de fuel et le KB te court après!!

Voici mes petits conseils: premièrement, utilises des 2E et 4E surtout de Ceylan en naval attack;
si tu as de la chance, ils lanceront peut être qqs raids sur le KB ce qui aura pour résultat de le ralentir
et de lui faire consommer du fuel en plus. Certes, tu vas te faire massacrer mais bon.
Vérifie l'altitude max des Zéro; à 33000 pieds je crois, ils ne vont pas alors que les B-17, si.

Deuxièmement, tu disperses ta flotte. 1 BB + 1 DD par ici, 1CA + 1 DD par là et ainsi de suite avec des ports d'attache différent pour qu'ils divergent progressivement (Colombo, Trinco, Madras, Bombay, ...).

Une fois, un de mes convois a été rattrapé par le KB. Le tour avant l'attaque, j'ai dispersé le convoi de 6 cargos en 6 TF de 1 cargo grosso moddo avec 6 directions différentes.
J'en ai perdu que 2. Le KB ne se scinde pas en 6 morceaux ou alors le Jap est fou.

Cela dit, tu es mal.

PS: tired to translate all, sorry for english people

[gladiatt]

Rominet: Nice advice indeed !
at first i thought of keeping my fleet in large TF in order to face a surface combat that is always possible: there are still japs CA in the area....and KB is not coming alone: Kirishima and Yamato have been spotted nearby....
But good hint.

Merci Olivier. Je me sens tres mal en effet, j'esperais que l'apparition inopinée d'un CV britanique lui ferait tourner les talons (et deux CA touchés par une torp chacun loin d'un port devrait lui faire rebrousser chemin...) mais mon adversaire est du genre entété...ce qui dans ce cas ne m'arrange plus du tout. L'apparition du KB m'a vraiment foutu un coup de stress....
Je verrais bien comment me sortir de ce mauvais pas, et je vais transferer illico presto les quelques LBA que j'ai vers Colombo.

And once more sorry for the non-french readers around.

Eric

[gladiatt]

As said this morning, here are the screen of the situation



Here, in 1, you can see what my recon planes just spot today 30 january 1942;

[gladiatt]

And here is the "prey"




In 1 there is a jap surface TF. The intel is not accurate: the last surface combat showed 5 CA, 2 CL and 16 DD; of these, 2 CA took each a torpedo.

In 2 are scattered Warships limping back, without fuel. One of this TF is composed of damaged ships.

In 3, another surface TF, also lacking fuel, but in more better shape...wich would not prove useful if ever KB show here...

There is probably a Jap TF with BB Yamashiro and Nagato, and another one with 7DD and an AO (empty or not ?), both of theses SouthEast of the one spotted here.

A few AK are spread on this map, under some paint for FOW;

That is the situation....

[rominet]

Ouais, le KB est encore assez loin quand même.

S'il veut te rattraper, il va devoir foncer et se mettre à sec lui-même. Peut être peut-il refueler à Kendari?
T'es pas encore foutu mais c'est chaud.
Tiens nous au courant.

[Marty A]

You can not get to perth before they will block move. only option is hide and wait. being in port makes it hard to sink you and more aa. karachi is long way from japan fix port so submarine hit probably fatal to him. ally does not need supply ships in indian ocean at this part of war. wait until he goes away and run to perth. while japanese carriers are at java attack somewhere on east side of game maybe wake maybe islands north east of japan. somewhere attack. make him come back east with kb.

[gladiatt]

ORIGINAL: rominet

Ouais, le KB est encore assez loin quand même.

S'il veut te rattraper, il va devoir foncer et se mettre à sec lui-même. Peut être peut-il refueler à Kendari?
T'es pas encore foutu mais c'est chaud.
Tiens nous au courant.

Si il défonce ma Royal Navy, tu m'entendras hurler jusqu'a Paris [:D][:D][:D].
A ce moment la tu seras au courant [;)].
Je vais le tenir a l'oeil, voir où il va, mais comme il va partir en vacances pour une semaine (avec peut etre un tour juste avant son départ demain), il va y avoir un suspense de fou.

[gladiatt]

ORIGINAL: Marty A

You can not get to perth before they will block move. only option is hide and wait. being in port makes it hard to sink you and more aa. karachi is long way from japan fix port so submarine hit probably fatal to him. ally does not need supply ships in indian ocean at this part of war. wait until he goes away and run to perth. while japanese carriers are at java attack somewhere on east side of game maybe wake maybe islands north east of japan. somewhere attack. make him come back east with kb.

Hi Marty A;
I cannot really think of bringing my Royal Navy to Perth in the long time: i need it to cover India and all the shipping there. If ever i run for Perth, it will be for a short time to hide from Death Star.
About asorty of my US CV to divert him: i am so far of anything that he can act before i force him to react...more: i wouldn't like to lose a ship to Betty or Nell. But the advice is listen, i will think of it.
Thanks to all of you.

[gladiatt]

Next day, 31 january



As shown on the intel, it really seems there are many CV there.
Also, the Airbal of Lautern, Dili, Koepang is very very toward the jap airpower.
Thus, Lautern is at -722. In comparison, Makassar, wich is closer of Kendari, is at -320.
SO it seem obvious that a lot of airpower move with this TF;
but it also seem that The Beast could have move faster toward Indian Ocean (??).
So, what is it's goal ? It's destination ?

As my opponent is currently on hollidays, we will have a clue next week...

[rominet]

Au premier abord, je dirai que c'est plutôt une bonne nouvelle.
Le KB a perdu du temps puisqu'il est descendu par le sud de Timor et qu'il doit remonter un sacré chemin pour t'atteindre.
S'il a des ravitailleurs, c'est peut être possible.
Sinon, je le vois mal remonter jusqu'à toi.
Je n'ai pas l'impression que ton adversaire se soit rendu compte de ton problème de fuel. Enfin, c'est juste une impression étant donné le peu d'informations mais si c'était moi et que je savais que tu est dans le rouge, je ravitaille à Kendari puis je fonce à travers la barrière de la Sonde à toute blinde.
Ce n'est pas ce qu'il fait.

Si tu vois des AO ou TK, c'est ta cible.

[UniformYankee]

UgumBugum Uber Alles!!!
[:D]

[Oldguard1970]

Bonjour Gladiatt, et toi aussi, Rominet,
 
Gladiatt,  You are doing the right thing to limp back to base.  (As Gladiatt suggested, you can scatter your ships if you are worried the KB is coming to get you.)
 
It is only Jan/Feb 1942.  Running is fine.  You should not be challenging the strength of the Japanese forces.  Your task is to create small traps that slow the Japanese advance.  Conserve your main forces.  Prepare for what will happen in a few months.
 
I think your CVs are not well positioned on the West Coast.  Bring them closer.  With the KB in the SRA, you can be in a position to menace any moves elsewhere.  Miss Betty and Miss Nell?  Yes, they are a major problem.  You are wise to try to avoid them, but it is still better to have the CVs close enough to be used (and risked) should the Japanes present a good opportunity.
 
Bonne Chance!
 
 

[gladiatt]

ORIGINAL: rominet

Au premier abord, je dirai que c'est plutôt une bonne nouvelle.
Le KB a perdu du temps puisqu'il est descendu par le sud de Timor et qu'il doit remonter un sacré chemin pour t'atteindre.
S'il a des ravitailleurs, c'est peut être possible.
Sinon, je le vois mal remonter jusqu'à toi.
Je n'ai pas l'impression que ton adversaire se soit rendu compte de ton problème de fuel. Enfin, c'est juste une impression étant donné le peu d'informations mais si c'était moi et que je savais que tu est dans le rouge, je ravitaille à Kendari puis je fonce à travers la barrière de la Sonde à toute blinde.
Ce n'est pas ce qu'il fait.

Si tu vois des AO ou TK, c'est ta cible.

Salut Olivier.
Je suis ravi aussi de le voir perdre du temps. Peut etre file t'il vers l'australie ? Dans ce cas, meme s'il fait un raid meurtrier, il coulera moins de "points de victoire" qu'en remontant vers l'Inde, sans atteindre d'objectif stratégique. S'il remonte vers l'Inde, en effet, il a perdu du temps.
Entretemps, mes Swordfish ont colés deux torpilles de plus dans le CA Suzuya. Enfin, si une de mes TF de surface galère encore, l'autre a retrouvé un tout petit peu de fuel (en "echangeant" en mer avec une flotte de cargos placés là par mes soins....).
Pour les AO: j'en ai déja vu passer par le détroit de la Sonde, que mes LBA de Java et mes subs ont "gentiments" ratés [8|]. En effet, le capitaine du K XVI a preféré torpiller un PG d'escorte .... Un de ces AO japonais a été repéré 3 jours plus tard avec les croiseurs: je pense que lui aussi est à sec !! il ravitaille comme il peut, mais sa situation doit etre difficile. Je ne suis pas en mesure d'en profiter, et c'est bien dommage, mais la raison me force a rentrer au port. Et je suis dans l'impossibilité de me jeter sur ses ravitailleurs.
En attendant, les harcelement de mes avions, et les précédents combats de surface, même s'ils m'auront couté du monde (adieu le Prince of Wales), lui auront fait mal aussi, et en début de guerre c'est toujours appréciable.
Il n'empeche, la situation n'est pas reglée.

[gladiatt]

ORIGINAL: OldGuard1970

Bonjour Gladiatt, et toi aussi, Rominet,

Gladiatt,  You are doing the right thing to limp back to base.  (As Gladiatt suggested, you can scatter your ships if you are worried the KB is coming to get you.)

It is only Jan/Feb 1942.  Running is fine.  You should not be challenging the strength of the Japanese forces.  Your task is to create small traps that slow the Japanese advance.  Conserve your main forces.  Prepare for what will happen in a few months.

I think your CVs are not well positioned on the West Coast.  Bring them closer.  With the KB in the SRA, you can be in a position to menace any moves elsewhere.  Miss Betty and Miss Nell?  Yes, they are a major problem.  You are wise to try to avoid them, but it is still better to have the CVs close enough to be used (and risked) should the Japanes present a good opportunity.

Bonne Chance!

Hi Oldguard.
I know that at the beggining of the war i must avoid the fight on "even" odds.
What arrive now is the result of a growing brawl in the Indian Ocean. The japanese thougt he could raid the AK of Indian Ocean. But as Force Z has survived, and received reinforcements of dutch and us ships, i wanted to stop him. As each of us manoeuver, each of us bring more surface ships to the fight. And then came the lack of fuel....[:o].
At first it thought the jap would retreat before me...but he has AO, and i have none on this part of the world....
Having done damages to japs ships is good for me. At least one BB (Kongo) sunk after a fight with PoW...wich sunk later (combined torpedo of some DD in a surface encounter and Betty the following morning). Now i must avoid the entire destruction of the Royal Navy.....we will see.

About my CV: the beginning of the game saw Johnston Island taken by the japs, and i had fear to see some Betty/Nell hitting ships near Hawai. And to see KB in the area.
As time pass, things are slightly better each day for the US. Now i was thinking of waiting for CV Hornet ( suppose to arrive mid-february), and to gather these 5 CV. If ever a nasty encounter occur, i could hope for some slight retaliation (but i will not seek for the Death Star...). Waiting for this CV is possible because even if i leave West Coast now, i will never be anywhere in time to react...

[gladiatt]

Just for a childish pleasure: the jap CA don't have a good time in pursuit.... [:D]
Suzuya shouldn't have come [;)]

[gladiatt]

Small question: is there a rule for converting Endurance in fuel ?
For example, a ship with 6000 Endurance require how many fuel point ?

[gladiatt]

So, estimed opponant ( who forget to be stupid) back from holliday. We had a new turn, as 1st februrary.
No pics right now [:o] . But KB is now south of Koepang. The weight of the air above it make it impossible for my few planes in Koepang to flight toward it....something like a Black Hole..... Good news is: if ever it want to reach south of Ceylon, it is tooooo slow, as my ships managed to find fuel ................But it could anyway come and corner my Royal Navy on this part of the map (with Wipt Vanila, no map box to escape [:(][:@][:D][:)])