RIDERS ON THE STORM-THANK YOU

[Gen.Hoepner]

In the meantime supply levels are rising up at Karachi. 280,000 supplies present today with more 30,000 coming from Aden and more 110,000 which are being loading at Bombay that will arrive at Karachi (if the KB doesn't ruin my plans) within the next week or so. Let's say that in a month i'll be able to mass some 350/400,000 supplies at Karachi. Not bad at all. Some 20,000 oil is also moving on TK towards Karachi in order to make the HI running fine and smooth for some more time.
 
Looking at the replay screenshot (the one that shows the KB moving along the western coast of India) i'm thinking that he's not really coming for Bombay. I guess he wants to smash Mangalore ord Pangim harbour and land there, so to estabilish an AF close enough to Bombay and a port on the western Coast.
While if he's really coming for Bombay...well i'll lose some ships, probably some planes...but nothing serious. (i hope)
 

[TenChiMato]

Several questions/ideas regarding your available air units in India/PI :
No way you can upgrade a RAAF squadron from Hudson to Beaufort?
Perhaps you can also upgrade a US fighter group from P40 to early P38.Ok its a one shot action due to the low replacement pool, but still a nasty surprise for him, especially if his elite fighter daitais are very tired from constant realocation

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: TenChiMato


No way you can upgrade a RAAF squadron from Hudson to Beaufort?
Perhaps you can also upgrade a US fighter group from P40 to early P38.Ok its a one shot action due to the low replacement pool, but still a nasty surprise for him, especially if his elite fighter daitais are very tired from constant realocation

No way, i could only downgrade them to Dakotas (and that's what i did in order to be able to rescue those 2 important units trapped at Mangalore and i also hope to save the Madras base force all the same).

- The P-38 isn't a bad idea, gotta take a look if it's possible cause i think i still do not have 24 P-38s ready....gotta check!

[Gen.Hoepner]

Checked...only 18 P-38s ready...no way to change them...good idea however![;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

Ok, got the turn file.

As you can see from the screen shot, our P-40s did a pretty good job in the PI last turn. 12 crack zeros shot down, along with some bombers. Not that bad.We lost 27 P-40s but mainly the non-experienced pilots...those who were above 60 exp managed to stay alive.
Now i've rebased them at Manila, along with 2 bomber groups. I wanna force him to keep on bombing Luzon.
Clark is still more or less operative. If he doesn't bomb it again tomorrow i could rebase here my bombers!

In India, we have a problem.
I'm not that sure that the one i see from my naval recon is the real KB. We've spotted and identified the CVE hosho, in a TF with- what my pilots say- 4 CVs. The problem is that the entire KB cannot be contained in only 1 CVTF, so i think it is only 1 CV division, probably a reinforced baby-KB...so where the hell is the real KB!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Anyway 3 more BB TFs are moving along the coast. Considering the overcast weather forecasted for tomorrow i think it's plausible an attack en masse against Bombay Fortress.
He has TONS of planes at Bengalore, in range to smash Bombay...3 BB TFs are a bit to much for a bombing run against Pangim or Mangalore...so Bombay must be the target. I've rebased my fighters which now are spread in more bases and left at Bombay only 10 Catalinas.
At Bombay there are also some 30 ships that are loading fuel and supplies...they are expendable, while my fighters are not!

I've also ordered to my transport planes to try a sneaky action:save 3 depleated units from the shock-pursue combo of his tanks! If i manage to bring every men back in one turn i can slow him down considerably because he won't be able to jump one hex per day no more...let's see.

RN is at sea, just in case.

I've converted the U.S. group of Mohawk at Karachi to P-40s...need the best i can for the final defence!


In the pacific, i've ordered to form the sub screen west of the Marshalls...20 subs are dispacthed for this task. Their goal is to inform us if the KB is coming...if it's so we must reconsider the invasion...[:(]...my CVs are a bit late...however tomorrow we'll start to bomb Kwalajein and in 3 days we'll land at Tarawa with 2 NZ Bde, 1 CD unit, 1 Base force and 2 arty units. The Tarawa landing will have two goals: place my catalinas closer to the area of operation and distract him from the real target. At the same time we'll put every effort in the PI bombing campaign in order to force him to keep his nells there.... It's risky, i know but we need to gamble

[Gen.Hoepner]

Indian theatre.

As you can see our retreat is going just fine. If we manage to cat-n'-mouse at Bombay for a bit we should delay him some more....and there are 1900 mines waiting for his BBs at Bombay[8D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/12/42

Ok, it's confirmed it's not the whole KB. just a baby KB escorting some 4 BB TFs heading for Bombay. I managed to evacuate most of my transports from Bombay. Just 5 TKs will probably be left beyond because i forgot to give them the right orders last turn. However all my planes are safe![;)] and can fight another day!
Now the porblem is: the the KB is?????? It will be the most important task for the next days...find the KB!!! If the KB is in the pacific i think i'll have to completely change my plans....first rule: survive and fight another day!

In China he sent his bombers from Formosa to hit Whuchow, where my bombers had moved. just 4 are lost on the ground, so not a big problem. Now my B-25s are back at Luzon, while my B-17s are moved back to India. Gotta keep him concentrated at Luzon.

The air bridge in India went perfectly! We've saved what remained of the badly depleted Indian regiment and when he shocked he didn't find anyone to pursue[;)] This will slow down his advance...

Bad weather in CentPac...my bombers won't take off tomorrow from Wake[:(]

There will be some news in China tomorrow...[:'(]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Wuchow , at 42,39 *not impressive!*

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
G3M Nell x 29
G4M1 Betty x 53
Ki-49 Helen x 16

Allied aircraft
I-153c x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
I-153c: 3 destroyed
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed
IL-4c: 1 destroyed
B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 26


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 15,9 *the baby Kb managed to find and sink 2 AKs near Bombay...not a big deal and we have the confirm that only CVE and CVLs are present...*

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 33

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Spray, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Trust, Torpedo hits 6, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 16,6 *his subs have started to operate again between Aden and Karachi*

Japanese Ships
SS I-169

Allied Ships
AK Empire Rani, Torpedo hits 1
MSW Banka



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Raipur *CUCU, nobody is here to follow[;)]*

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1192 troops, 0 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 25

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Japanese max assault: 42 - adjusted assault: 12

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Raipur base !!!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Malir *he tried to close my back door with a paradrop....you can catch me off guard with the same trick only once my dear friend[;)]*

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 98 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 7

Defending force 6566 troops, 118 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 51

Japanese max assault: 8 - adjusted assault: 0

Allied max defense: 51 - adjusted defense: 31

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)


Japanese ground losses:
53 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/13/42

Ok, i was wrong. The whole KB has sprung from nowehere and went hunting my ships between Karachi and Aden. So he didn't want to bomb Bombay with his BBs....wonder why he has brought with him the BBs if it was only a CV raid...[&:]
However i've lost several ships. Mostly AKs but also some Aux vassels used for the ASW. Nothing serious however. The main fleet is safe...oh, well...almost safe. Let's see if tomorrow the clouds or some easy luck will make my BBs arrive at Aden unseen...let's cross the fingers. My CVs will try to LRCAP over my main combat fleet..it will be a risky operation!

Anyway, for what concerns the land war in India, we managed to save also the last Indian Bde trapped at Hydebarn. The shock attack of the japs found noone to follow or pursue[8D]. Now my units all reached the defensive perimeter (see picture). I'll wait untill he advance and then i'll move back from Bombay to Ahmadabad and from Bohpal and Delhi to Jaipur...doing well i think.

In the PI he didn't bomb today but his planes remain at Formosa...which is good. With the KB in the Indian Ocean i ordered to speed it up the Marshall operation.... If the weather will be good (thunderstorm forecasted) tomorrow we'll start bombing Kwalajein and in 2 days we'll land at Tarawa...

However there isn't any more traffic in the China southern sea...he had to divert his main convoys[:D]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slaughterhouse in the Indian ocean

Day Air attack on TF at 13,4

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Lakeland, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Empire Tana, Torpedo hits 2, on fire


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 16,1

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
D3A2 Val x 26
B5N2 Kate x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A2 Val: 2 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Empire Lynx, Bomb hits 1
AK Empire Wyclif, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Voice, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 16,1

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 4 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Empire Wyclif, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK City of Manchester, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Lynx, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 16,2

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 47

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied Ships
MSW Bendigo, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PC Circe, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Burnie, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Maryborough, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
PC Raub, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
PG Indus, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 19,8

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
TK Empire Emerald, Bomb hits 1, on fire
TK Empire Amethyst, Bomb hits 1, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 19,2

Japanese aircraft
D3A2 Val x 25
B5N2 Kate x 26

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
SC Nigella, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Cromarty, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Cromer, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
SC Aster, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Lismore, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SC Hollyhock

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 19,2

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 21

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
MSW Lismore, on fire, heavy damage
SC Hollyhock
MSW Cromarty, on fire, heavy damage
SC Aster, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 20,3

Japanese aircraft
D3A2 Val x 21
B5N2 Kate x 21

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
PG Shoreham, Bomb hits 1, on fire
SC Cyclamen, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Poole, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
SC Genista, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PC Netravati
SC Fritillary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 20,3

Japanese aircraft
D3A2 Val x 25
B5N2 Kate x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A2 Val: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Virginian, Bomb hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Homer, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Empire Chaucer, Bomb hits 1, on fire



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hyderabad

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 2956 troops, 0 guns, 79 vehicles, Assault Value = 346

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0[:D][:D][:D] *there's none to pursue neither here my friend[;)]*

Japanese max assault: 154 - adjusted assault: 79

Allied max defense: 0 - adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 79 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Hyderabad base !!!

[Gen.Hoepner]

Honestly i'm quite happy about the overall view. I was terribly scared the KB would have slipped away unseen from India and that it was heading towards the pacific. While it seems that he's concentrating every effort in the Indian sub-continent, leaving a good door open in the pacific. If i manage to get ashore and estabilish a solid bridge head in the Marshalls the tide can really change.
Anyway now my main concerns are about India. We have to see how much time the KB will spend near Karachi. It's gonna start a very interesting war of supplying karachi. I'd like to add to its defence also a tank unit that is coming within 10 days at Aden but i have to be carefull not to be caught there by those damned CVs...which however will surely have to sail back to Tricomale sooner or later to refuel and refit a bit.
It's gonna be like Malta in the WW2...yes, it's going to be cool and very interesting.
With this retreat plan i think i'll be able to master easily 2500 AVs at Karachi for the final stand. With some luck 3,000. His BBs will surely play a foundamental role in the siege...i'm terribly looking forward to see how this war will unfold[;)]

[Mistmatz]

KB still in the IO is really good news. I wonder how he reacts when you start assaulting his islands in the pacific. Should be a terrible christmas present for japanese morale.

Strategically I think he already lost the game. He simply cannot withdraw that many forces from India without risking to loose the whole continent again. On the other hand those forces will be terribly missed in the PI and Pacific area. But I'm sure he still has some tricks up his sleeve. The next weeks are going to be interesting. [:)]

[Feinder]

Good grief Hop, you've got a 15 page AAR, and it's only 02-15...
 
[;)]
 
-F-

[Admiral Spruance]

Well, now you have finally confirmed that the bulk of KB is _DEEP_ into the Arabian Sea......now you have at least 3-4 weeks for your Marshalls offensive(or even transport supply/reinforcements to the PI). I have a feeling that KB has replenishment TFs standing by and will be interdicting the sea lanes from Aden to Karachi for some time to prevent 7th AIF or 7th Armored from reinforcing Karachi.

Did you manage to get a command HQ(SEAC or Malaya) and a corps HQ(III Indian) 100% prepped for Karachi to Karachi?

After the Marshalls ops, any chance of using the USN CVs to ferry some Marine F4F-3s to the PI?

[Elladan]

What are your plans for after you get your bases in Marshalls? Do you plan to push farther if circumstances allow or do you hope to draw forces from India operation?

[Jim D Burns]

How many divisions could he potentially have afloat right now? He may be going for an invasion straight for Karachi or Aden with this move, otherwise all the other shipping he brought with KB makes no sense.

Jim

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 02/14/42

What a carnage!!!!
His CVs are spread all along the Karachi gulf, just stopping any shipping lane between Karachi and Aden. NEarly 30 ships sunk, luckly none of them till now had any troop aboard...just supplies...however my ASW RN fleet is lies on the bottom of the Arabic Sea right now and i simply cannot interdict his mighty carriers...just have to suffer and wait that the storm is passed by[:o]
It doesn't seem to be any transport TF along with the CVs, not any replenishment TFs...so probably this is just a raid to find my combat fleet, which is now safe at Aden (well, safe so to say...). I'm trying to cat-mouse between Bombay and Karachi with my RAF, but as soon as he decides to destroy it there won't really be no hope to hold both his CVs and his LBAs.... Today he stormed Poona, finding only some Dakotas[:D]that managed to get safe the Madras BAse force before Mangalore was conquered and the garrison in it surrendered.
The strange thing is that there are 2 transport TFs heading for Bombay...[&:] without any CV cover....quite strange...let's see if we can make him a present here[;)]....i have to keep in mind that my goal is to gain time....gain time to let the americans do something good in the pacific....the second front so to say!

As you can see from the second screenshot attached the 7th Armoured Bde is arriving at Aden in 9 days... i do not think he has anything particularly big loaded right now for a landing at Aden...there are so many troops in India...he will need at least 4 divisions for the Aden adventure...probably even more considering the 9 forts and the urban hex and those 16inch guns....nor i think he can keep his KB forever at sea...all those big ships drink so much fuel!!!

Today he smashed again Clark Fields with the same force that attacked it 4 days ago. That means his Nells and zeros are still up there...but he totally forgot Manila, where my bombers now have been rebased along with some more 30 fighters...

...and finally tomorrow the forecast says clear weather over Wake...my bombers should start to ruin Kwalajein!At the same time tomorrow we'll land with a Fast transport TF at Tarawa, which is empty from enemy units. then the next day will land the bulk of my invasion NZ force and 24 catalinas will immediately be based here.

18 B-17s are getting ready at Darwin...wanna start to give him some problems also at Ambonia and Kendari asap!

The Retribution operation is going well. undetected we're grouping south of Johstons. The CVs are just 2 days away...tomorrow we'll start to move towards Maloep! Can't wait guys....


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 16,3 *he has deployed a great numbers of subs with his CVs in the Arabic Sea*

Japanese Ships
SS I-20

Allied Ships
AK Empire Oryx, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat at 12,2 *just at the beginning of the Aden Channell*

Japanese Ships
CA Tone
CA Chikuma
CA Takao
CA Atago
CA Maya
CA Chokai
CA Haguro
CA Nachi
CA Ashigara
DD Yugumo
DD Kuroshio
DD Oyashio
DD Hatsukaze
DD Natsushio
DD Yukikaze
DD Hayashio
DD Maikaze
DD Amatsukaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Nowaki
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze
DD Ushio

Allied Ships
MSW Banka, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
AK Empire Johnson, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Empire Morn, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Empire Rowan, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
AK Empire Sunrise
AK Empire Zephyr

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Poona , at 19,12

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 104
Ki-21-II Sally x 160
Ki-15 Babs x 7

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-II Sally: 1 destroyed, 15 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
Dakota I: 2 destroyed
C-47 Dakota: 5 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
31 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 16

This raid was particularly uneffective!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Clark Field , at 43,51 * 150 bombers...i have to keep these bastards away from the Marshalls...*

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25
G3M Nell x 80
G4M1 Betty x 52
Ki-49 Helen x 38

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 4 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
130 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Airbase hits 14
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 61

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 11,1 *i avoid to post every single attack against my shippings near Karachi...let's just say that i've lost 33 ships today...*

Japanese aircraft
D3A2 Val x 24
B5N2 Kate x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AK Empire Zephyr, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Empire Sunrise, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Poona , at 19,12 *again an ineffective raid against Poona*

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 31
G3M Nell x 156
Ki-15 Babs x 1

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell: 3 destroyed, 17 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Dakota I: 2 destroyed
C-47 Dakota: 1 destroyed


Allied ground losses:
35 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 8


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Mangalore * We lost here the Mangalore base-force-garrison along with a fragment of the Madras Base force*

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 25030 troops, 93 guns, 115 vehicles, Assault Value = 551

Defending force 7224 troops, 35 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 74

Japanese max assault: 888 - adjusted assault: 755

Allied max defense: 65 - adjusted defense: 61

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 1)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Mangalore base !!!


Japanese ground losses:
70 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
8666 casualties reported
Guns lost 14

[Gen.Hoepner]

The reinforcement scheldue for Aden

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Feinder

Good grief Hop, you've got a 15 page AAR, and it's only 02-15...

[;)]

-F-

Yes, i'm amazed how much this AAR is becoming popular[:)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Admiral Spruance

Well, now you have finally confirmed that the bulk of KB is _DEEP_ into the Arabian Sea......now you have at least 3-4 weeks for your Marshalls offensive(or even transport supply/reinforcements to the PI). I have a feeling that KB has replenishment TFs standing by and will be interdicting the sea lanes from Aden to Karachi for some time to prevent 7th AIF or 7th Armored from reinforcing Karachi.

Hi,
As said i have not noticed any replenishment TF along with the KB....
The 7th AIF is already at Karachi, while the 7th arm. Bde will arrive in 9 days..

Did you manage to get a command HQ(SEAC or Malaya) and a corps HQ(III Indian) 100% prepped for Karachi to Karachi?

Indian HQ and SEAC HQ are at Karachi, 40% prepped for it, while the III Indian HQ is at Aden waiting for a chance of getting to Karachi...

After the Marshalls ops, any chance of using the USN CVs to ferry some Marine F4F-3s to the PI?
Well, it's a chance...but if the Marashall operation goes very well i think the next target will be the Mariannas, in order to create a brigde with the PI...

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Elladan

What are your plans for after you get your bases in Marshalls? Do you plan to push farther if circumstances allow or do you hope to draw forces from India operation?

If i manage to get ashore at Maloep, i'll use Kwalajein as a training camp for my air crews and at the same time i'd like to push further...MArcus Island and the Mariannas could be an idea, but i have to play carefully...i really think that the next main goal would be to streghten is a certain way the PI, hoping that in India the Brits won't be kicked out of the war

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

How many divisions could he potentially have afloat right now? He may be going for an invasion straight for Karachi or Aden with this move, otherwise all the other shipping he brought with KB makes no sense.

Jim

Hi Jim,
Potentially 4/5, not more. I've seen in the last 3 days at least 3 divisions and the 65th Bde in southern India, so i do not really know...

Going directly for Aden i think it's too risky, while Karachi is a possibility...however i really do not see how he can do that without having a close supporting port for his BBs and an AF close enough to bomb the hell out of Karachi... I have 500 AVs at Karachi right now, with the 7th AIF division which is an elite division, with more 300 AVs at Malir...sounds quite tough to go for Karachi right now....however let's just see...i'm ready to order a general retreat as soon as i see any big transport formation approachin Bombay