Fabertong vs Speedy: The view from the Pole

[fabertong]

The CENPAC.........in one months time this map...I fear ...will be very different....

[fabertong]

13th May 1944......

Steven is back...and the war continues......

and it continues in the same old way........with Speedy's subs sinking an AK off Amboina........

A Invasion force has been spotted north of Darwin....heading North/Northeast.......he may well be heading for Amboina......or other bases in this area.......I've dispatched ....a SAG with Fuso and Yamashiro...from Pelau to Wasile......just to back up this area......as my DEI SAGs are the wrong side of Kendari....to support......

Otherwise the Combat report takes about 20 Mins to run...all because of the endless air-raids that Speedy runs every turn..........porr Burma....

[fabertong]

14th May 1944......

Speedy is heading for Bulla.....he will take it as I have a scant 200 mines as the only defence....another good move......he should be able to take Sarong...and Amboina.......shortly after...once he gains air supremecy......

SAG 2 is on the way ....covered by 2 Tony sqdrns......but is two days out.....so little hope of a good intercept.....

His invasion force includes the Carriers that hit my forces off PM a few weeks ago.....so with about 60 Hellcats at his disposal.....I am not going to send in any airgroups to oppose this invasion........

Having Burma compared to the ACW...Grant vs Lee.......I find myself in more of a Joe Johnston before Atlanta position here......looking for a mistake by Speedy to allow me to fight a battle I can win.....while backing away all the time.......and now I feel like looking over my shoulder to see if someone is going to relieve me of my command.......still, I refuse to fight battles that will wreak my forces.....before I really need to.......

Lost an AK to Subs........

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: fabertong


Having Burma compared to the ACW...Grant vs Lee.......I find myself in more of a Joe Johnston before Atlanta position here......looking for a mistake by Speedy to allow me to fight a battle I can win.....while backing away all the time.......

IMHO the comparison to Grant and Lee is more apt. For one thing, you haven't retreated much yet, while Johnston gave up a third of Georgia before he was canned. For another, there was a diversionary invasion against Lee commanded by Benjamin Butler -- which went nowhere as Butler's campaigns usually did.

[fabertong]

True...Capt......True.....

19th! May 1944........sorry...my dates have been wrong for the last few combat reports.....it is the 19th......

Speedy hits Bulla.....and 2 of his AKs hit mines on the way in......as much as I could expect with only 200 mines at the base......he will take it next turn.....but.....PLEASE....PLEASE....PLEASE.......SAG 2 is unspotted and should be in next turn (should....though this is not always the case)....and he has his CVs in the invasion hex.....(probably CVE/CVLs)......I'd love to see what 14 inch guns can do to those thin skinned beasts....he has no BBs (AFAIK) with the escorts.......so fingers crossed that they don't stop 1 hex short and get slaughtered by his carrier airgroups.....

A TK was hit and badly damaged off the PI.....bugger....and another AK was badly damaged...by subs.......

Also an amendment to the last CR........his DBs hit one of my ASW groups....near Maccasar....and sank 2- PGs......

[fabertong]

20th May 1944....

Well today didn't go quite as planned.....you'll be surprised to hear......

Speedy Carriers moved north away from the beaches.......SAG 2 encountered a Surface groups near Bulla......consisting of the CL Houston and 3 destroyers.......after 2 combat rounds.......Houston and escorts were sunk......but I lost the DD Arare.....

SAG 2 then turned for home.........not making it to the transports........

The sun came up and 5 seperate groups of Avengers.....attacked SAG 2.......my 2 Tony SQDRNS did little damage....but did disturb their aim....as only 1 torp hit the FUSO..........

but........one of Speedy's subs was waiting ....and then put 2 more fish into FUSO....now 65sys 68flt........3 hexes from Wasile where 4 fighter SQDRNs await...both her and Kirishima.......

Speedy will I suspect chase her and try to get both BBs......so I have moved 4 Betty 2 Sqdrns into position......not that they will have much chance against the Hellcats........

He has Taken Bulla.....and is landing also to the south........

Also lost a ML off Pelau..........

Thread help me.........

[fabertong]

Last nights surface action........

[DuckofTindalos]

I almost congratulated you on killing that cruiser, but now...[X(]

[fabertong]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

I almost congratulated you on killing that cruiser, but now...[X(]

I was disappointed not to make the transports....until I realised...I had been intercepted short of my target.......

[fabertong]

21st May 1944........

Fuso still one day out from Wasile......a lvl 2 port....but at 99% to being lvl 3...so next turn or 2...Speedy's carriers withdrew.....but the waters are surrounded by subs....as my recon planes spotted at least 6 in the vicinity........so Fuso looks trapped...even if she makes port.....

Lost a ML to subs.....

Lost the damaged TK of 3 turns ago to subs.....

Speedy has found 10 more Chinese Divs...and placed them at Mandalay......he now has 8,500 av to my 3,300.....and my supply situation is at about 1/4 capacity........so life is getting very rough in Burma.....

My staff had advised me that we should hope to make it to VE day...Rather than VJ day.......but at this point ....even that is looking a bit over optimistic.........

[niceguy2005]

Still, over all, its nice that you can still put together a surface group of two. Small groups work best in the DEI IMHO. Maybe split them up for the next invasion?

You wouldn't happen to have a few PT boats laying about somewhere would you? DEI are ideal for their operation.

[fabertong]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

Still, over all, its nice that you can still put together a surface group of two. Small groups work best in the DEI IMHO. Maybe split them up for the next invasion?

You wouldn't happen to have a few PT boats laying about somewhere would you? DEI are ideal for their operation.

I agree that smaller groups work well in the DEI........esp. if you run the faster CAs in....if, as in this case Speedy has no BBs in this Theatre........so I am splitting some of my SAGs....and with Fuso...out of the war for 8 months(maybe to the end).......I'll strip SAG 2 of Yamashiro...and save her for other work......and make this SAG a CA/CL group for this theatre......

Sadly ....we Japs. get very few PT boats...otherwise I would be flooding the DEI with them.....I have 8(yes8) PT available........some in the Marianas.....and Some around Palambang......perhaps I'll move those down........

I have 2 SAGs at Soerabja....one with 2 BBs and one with CA/CLs....and another CL based SAG at Devao.......

SAG 1 ...with Yamato and Mustu is at Palau........

[Capt. Harlock]

Congrats on getting a successful intercept, even if you couldn't catch the transports. (Story of WWII, the Japanese turned back before they could reach the cargo ships.) Getting a battleship tagged was just the fortunes of war; an acceptable risk. One point: you needn't fear many Hellcats from CVE's -- but the FM-2 model of the Wildcat seems pretty fierce in its own right.

[fabertong]

Thanks Capt.......if his sub hadn't have popped up in just the wrong place.....life would have been better...for sure.....


22nd May 1944......

Fuso makes Wasile...which upgrades to size 3 port and allows all my cripples to disband...........

Lost an AK to subs......near Guam........

Speedy still probes at Mandalay....but, I fear will attack soon........and I fear the results........

Kaga down to 16 sys.......Hiyo to 18.........and my other Carrier airgroups have trained up to about 50..............when they hit 60....I will consider them Operational........

My last troops at Gilli Gilli ( a sp.bf) is loading for shipment home........

[fabertong]

23rd - 24th May 1944.........

In the last 2 turns I've lost 4 AKS and an AP in the sub war....but have badly damaged SS Storm in return........

but the 24th was a good day for penguinkind.......Speedy ...desperate to catch Fuso.......raided Wasile(where she is docked)......Fuso escaped unscathed as my last crack fighter pilots in Zekes/Georges held their own against the Wildcats/Hellcats........then from a nearby base....my Betty 2s escorted by Jacks and Zekes(1 sqdrn of all three types of planes).....counter attacked.......The CVE Neheta Bay was hit (badly damaged).....as was the CVE Kitken Bay.......fresh airgroups have flown in....let's hope he carries on North.....though I expect him to retreat....

He also Del. Attacked Mandalay....and was thrown back.....hit loses ran to 24,000 men ........mine about 2,500.......so the line holds for a while longer........

[DuckofTindalos]

One small waddle for Penguin, one giant hop for Penguin-Kind![:D]

[fabertong]

25th May 1944.......

My airgroups from Amboina.........had a bit of a judgement problem ....as they went after the undamaged CVs(6 hexes away)....rather than the 2 - damaged CVEs(3 hexes away).....grrr.......and then the first strike went in unescorted...the result....18 lost Betty 2s....complete with their exp. 75+ pilots..........the second strike......had then only 2 healthy Bettys....both got through....but no surprise they didn't hit anything..........as a punishment ...every third man at Amboina will be killed.......

Lost 3 more AKs ....to subs.......and only scratched one of his subs........

50,000 more supply left the HI for Camranh Bay.........

Large Troop transport TF left Pelau for Truk....to pick up the 65th Brig......the last large combat group outside of my inner defence ring..........that is not cut off......will look to drag as much out of Truk and Rabaul in the next month.........

[witpqs]

Penguins mess up and you decide to kill every third man. You penguins are brutal overlords.

[DuckofTindalos]

And people thought the Roman Army was brutal... They only killed every tenth man when punishment was due...[X(]

[BrucePowers]

So true[:)]