RIDERS ON THE STORM-THANK YOU

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: jumper

If he would split his KB and operate those parts separately, joined US/RN CVs could hold their ground against them, but at the current circumstances it will make nearly no difference IMO. You can´t fight against full KB yet and RN CVs will not change it. You won´t be threat for him until corsair arrives, if he will keep KB together..

BUT have you consider moving US and RN CVs to Perth instead of only british CVs to Pacific? What about a raid on Palembang or Java? As it looks now, you can´t use US CVs anyway in Truk area while KB is around.. And KB is not tied to this theater because of your CVs, so you can use them elsewhere. Take it as oportunity. Now you know, where KB is (with good part of LBA) and it means all other places are open to raid.. Or if you think Perth is too far away, you can make much shorter trip and raid his supply lines west of Wake. Hit and run..

Perth is too far away and the brit CVs will however have to pass through the nails of the Indian LBA....mmmm.... I already thought about a raid with my only 3 operative CVs at Marcus Island, trying to catch some of his shipping lanes...but i'm waiting for the July upgrades....mmm...yes, maybe it's not a bad idea. It will keep him honest at least.
However the problem remains: the whole RN and thousands of British troops are stuck at Aden without a chance of threating the Japanese Bastards...

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

Still i have to decide what to do with the RN...i don't see how i can threat him directly in india with only 3 brit CVs...while, at the same time those will be extremely valuable in the Pacific...but the voyage is extremely risky and the ultimate result will be the loss of a HUGE amount of PPs.... any suggestion?

If the British carriers leave Indian waters, he is free to send a lot of his land based air to the Pacific. With their presence at Aden as a threat in being, he needs to keep enough air along his costal bases to oppose a possible British invasion. Take them away and you free up a lot of Japanese airpower.

The only thing you gain by sending them to the Pacific is their armored decks in a long range CV battle. Within torpedo range they aren’t really any better than US CV’s. So if you don’t plan on fighting a CV battle, why send them?

If you do plan on fighting a CV battle, you’re playing right into his hands, as the loss of your remaining carriers would negate the advantage that holding the Marshalls gives you for your counter-attacks in 1943.

Patience, you’ll get to come out and play soon enough, but with KB now lurking in the Pacific, getting adventurous with your remaining carriers will probably end up seeing most of them on the bottom of the Pacific. If that happens, it’ll cost you a full year or more of counter-attack time as you only get one CV in 1943.

Husband your naval forces for later and look for opportunities to hurt him with your land based assets. He has to come to you in the Marshall’s, so you’ll get lots of chances to trim KB down to size over the next year or so.

With all his major goals in Asia requiring carrier support achieved now, he can dedicate KB to nothing else but hunting your naval assets in the Pacific now. So I’d say caution should rule your carrier ops from now on until you’re ready to come out swinging.

Jim

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Mistmatz

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

Still i have to decide what to do with the RN...i don't see how i can threat him directly in india with only 3 brit CVs...while, at the same time those will be extremely valuable in the Pacific...but the voyage is extremely risky and the ultimate result will be the loss of a HUGE amount of PPs.... any suggestion?

Why would the RN in the Pac cost you PP?
Personally I doubt you would look for a carrier battle in the pacific anyway, so there is no need for the RN there. If in turn you are able to get the KB into a traveling mode between IO and Pac the japanese will burn huge amounts of fuel for nothing. But this of course means some serious action on the other end of the map that makes him want KB there...

Because when mr. Winston will ask me for a CV or a BB next month i'll have to say no...and that will cost me thousands of PPs....

But A fake is an idea...mmmm...moving the RN down to the level of Colombo...on the edge of the map...forcing him to use his betties on long range....mmmm...and maybe forcing him to move the KB back to Indian ocean....mmm....and at the same time raiding with the 3 U.S. CVs (the Sara is still repairing at SF) the shipping lanes near Marcus....mmm....just ideas in liberty, but there something interesting here....

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

Still i have to decide what to do with the RN...i don't see how i can threat him directly in india with only 3 brit CVs...while, at the same time those will be extremely valuable in the Pacific...but the voyage is extremely risky and the ultimate result will be the loss of a HUGE amount of PPs.... any suggestion?

If the British carriers leave Indian waters, he is free to send a lot of his land based air to the Pacific. With their presence at Aden as a threat in being, he needs to keep enough air along his costal bases to oppose a possible British invasion. Take them away and you free up a lot of Japanese airpower.

The only thing you gain by sending them to the Pacific is their armored decks in a long range CV battle. Within torpedo range they aren’t really any better than US CV’s. So if you don’t plan on fighting a CV battle, why send them?

If you do plan on fighting a CV battle, you’re playing right into his hands, as the loss of your remaining carriers would negate the advantage that holding the Marshalls gives you for your counter-attacks in 1943.

Patience, you’ll get to come out and play soon enough, but with KB now lurking in the Pacific, getting adventurous with your remaining carriers will probably end up seeing most of them on the bottom of the Pacific. If that happens, it’ll cost you a full year or more of counter-attack time as you only get one CV in 1943.

Husband your naval forces for later and look for opportunities to hurt him with your land based assets. He has to come to you in the Marshall’s, so you’ll get lots of chances to trim KB down to size over the next year or so.

With all his major goals in Asia requiring carrier support achieved now, he can dedicate KB to nothing else but hunting your naval assets in the Pacific now. So I’d say caution should rule your carrier ops from now on until you’re ready to come out swinging.

Jim

Jim, deep in my heart i know you're right...it's just that it's a damned pain to wait another year and a hald to do anything....however it's true: his KB is too powerfull right now to be faced. I'd need the RN mainly to escort a british army to Oz...but that's all at the moment...ok, i'll keep it at Aden, making some sorties just to keep him honest near the Aden Channell and to hunt some of his subs...
The US CVs however will try a raid at Marcus. As long as the KB is spotted near Ponape i can move safely up there and i'll have plenty of time to retreat....and if this move makes him divert the KB from Ponape...the Better!

The 1st Marine division will be moved to the Marshalls. Probably Maloelap within the next week.

[Jim D Burns]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
it's just that it's a damned pain to wait another year and a hald to do anything

That’s part of the reason why New Guinea looks so good right now. If you build up those most northern bases in northeastern Oz, you can cover transport fleets going to and from Port Moresby with land based air cover.

That would allow you to launch an offensive drive up the New Guinea cost without having to risk your carriers. If you make this your main offensive focus for the next year, you’ll be in great shape come mid to late 43 when it comes time to launch attacks into his inner perimeter.

I’d send everything from the US from now on to Oz and start building up the NE ASAP. Once you have a good land based air presence, then send everything to PM and start marching up the coast. As long as you can keep copious amounts of supplies flowing into PM, he won’t be able to stop you. You may be able to take at least half of New Guinea or more by June/July of 43.

Jim

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner
it's just that it's a damned pain to wait another year and a hald to do anything

That’s part of the reason why New Guinea looks so good right now. If you build up those most northern bases in northeastern Oz, you can cover transport fleets going to and from Port Moresby with land based air cover.

That would allow you to launch an offensive drive up the New Guinea cost without having to risk your carriers. If you make this your main offensive focus for the next year, you’ll be in great shape come mid to late 43 when it comes time to launch attacks into his inner perimeter.

I’d send everything from the US from now on to Oz and start building up the NE ASAP. Once you have a good land based air presence, then send everything to PM and start marching up the coast. As long as you can keep copious amounts of supplies flowing into PM, he won’t be able to stop you. You may be able to take at least half of New Guinea or more by June/July of 43.

Jim

I'm already doing it Jim. the first step now is noumea. From there i'll move everything to NE of Oz and from there to PH. I'm already assembling a good air force and a good amount of transport planes in Oz. ...it takes time anyway...it's a long trip from West Coast to Oz...however the flow of troops, ships and supplies proceed quite well.
the Americal and the 32nd Division are now at Noumea, along with 2 base forces and two seabees units. As soon as Noumea is built enough, we'll drive towards PM (which is already at level 4 port and 5 AF)...it's a slow process, but we should be able to accomplish it without many problems

[Historiker]

Keep your CVs there to be able to escort supplies or fresh troops to karachi.

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Historiker

Keep your CVs there to be able to escort supplies or fresh troops to karachi.

Quite a difficult task. At MAlir there are 300 enemy bombers. More 200 at Ademabad (sp!?!?) and Bombay is full of Betties and zeros...if i get too close to Karachi i'll got spanked...and he has strong surface assets there too...so even counting on a terrible weather that prevent the enemy bombers from taking off...i'll face his surface blockade...
Karachi, at least for the next months, will have to rely only on its own strenght...

[jumper]

BTW I suppose he keeps some subs near entrance to Aden. You should have a good number of british DDs with their excellent xp and ASW rating, alongside with MSW/PC/PG. You can have only 6 ships per ASW TF, but noone says you can´t have 5 such TFs at one hex.. I would suggest some sub hunting. Kill his "eyes" and he will be much more nervous about your RN fleet. Cover them with your CVs if you think it is neccessary..
 

[String]

ORIGINAL: jumper

BTW I suppose he keeps some subs near entrance to Aden. You should have a good number of british DDs with their excellent xp and ASW rating, alongside with MSW/PC/PG. You can have only 6 ships per ASW TF, but noone says you can´t have 5 such TFs at one hex.. I would suggest some sub hunting. Kill his "eyes" and he will be much more nervous about your RN fleet. Cover them with your CVs if you think it is neccessary..

Aden channel entrance is covered by betties AFAIK so CV cover IS neccesary. This might be a good opportunity to kill some betties but also a good opportunity for troll to torpedo a few british CV's, either by a lucky sub or by betties swarming the cap.

[jumper]

ORIGINAL: String

ORIGINAL: jumper

BTW I suppose he keeps some subs near entrance to Aden. You should have a good number of british DDs with their excellent xp and ASW rating, alongside with MSW/PC/PG. You can have only 6 ships per ASW TF, but noone says you can´t have 5 such TFs at one hex.. I would suggest some sub hunting. Kill his "eyes" and he will be much more nervous about your RN fleet. Cover them with your CVs if you think it is neccessary..

Aden channel entrance is covered by betties AFAIK so CV cover IS neccesary. This might be a good opportunity to kill some betties but also a good opportunity for troll to torpedo a few british CV's, either by a lucky sub or by betties swarming the cap.

yes, but you don´t have to stay there during the day. You may send ASW TF with retirement allowed. They will arrive at desired hex in the middle of the night, will try to get contact with sub and then retire back towards Aden.. DDs can go 5-6 hexes deep into hostile territory in such way..

[soeren01]

Can you reach Truk with some bombers ? If yes, try night attacks on his ports. With this much ships there you're bound to hit something.

You could do small unit paradrops or sub suizide landings at Kwajalein to lower his supply.

[Fishbed]

ORIGINAL: soeren01

Can you reach Truk with some bombers ? If yes, try night attacks on his ports. With this much ships there you're bound to hit something.

You could do small unit paradrops or sub suizide landings at Kwajalein to lower his supply.

Well, it would be too easy. Remember

5. no night mission except for night fighter and Patrol boat units. Any side could convert a normal bomber unit to night bomber unit. To do so, they first have to be announced, after this, they act as night units and cannot henceforce be given day missions and cannot be converted back.

GH has to give troll a phone call everytime he wants to go have a little fun on his own

BtW GH can you please tell us about the actual means dedicated to the reinforcement of Ponape? How many Daks? No plan to send some Seabees over there to turn the place into a self-sufficient airplate asap?

[jumper]

But those paras are good idea. At least you will get good intel what is on the base..

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: jumper

ORIGINAL: String

ORIGINAL: jumper

BTW I suppose he keeps some subs near entrance to Aden. You should have a good number of british DDs with their excellent xp and ASW rating, alongside with MSW/PC/PG. You can have only 6 ships per ASW TF, but noone says you can´t have 5 such TFs at one hex.. I would suggest some sub hunting. Kill his "eyes" and he will be much more nervous about your RN fleet. Cover them with your CVs if you think it is neccessary..

Aden channel entrance is covered by betties AFAIK so CV cover IS neccesary. This might be a good opportunity to kill some betties but also a good opportunity for troll to torpedo a few british CV's, either by a lucky sub or by betties swarming the cap.

yes, but you don´t have to stay there during the day. You may send ASW TF with retirement allowed. They will arrive at desired hex in the middle of the night, will try to get contact with sub and then retire back towards Aden.. DDs can go 5-6 hexes deep into hostile territory in such way..

Hi, i've been doing these missions since April. I've already discovered that he doesn't risk to send his Betties at more than 8/9 hexes, probably because his zeros, at 10 hexes, will have bad times against the sea Hurricanes and sea fires. BTW i've damaged or sunk at least 4 subs in the last 3 sorties i've made out of the Aden Channell. And i plan to do it another one within the next 2 weeks now that 30 seafires are already on board.

[Fishbed]

ORIGINAL: jumper

But those paras are good idea. At least you will get good intel what is on the base..

GH said he won't use the same kind of tricks he absolutely hates on his own enemy. We've got to live with that, and respect it, cuz that's some gentleman's behavior at its best.

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: soeren01

Can you reach Truk with some bombers ? If yes, try night attacks on his ports. With this much ships there you're bound to hit something.

You could do small unit paradrops or sub suizide landings at Kwajalein to lower his supply.

As Fishbed pointed out we have a strict HR about night bombings. I'm happy with that because i really thinks night bombings is overrated in this game and, above all, Japan has no night fighters at all...

The sub landings are forbidden by our HRs.

For what concerns the paradrop on Kwalajein: i don't think any allied commander would have sent his elite units in a suicide mission with just the pourpose of testing the enemy defences. Sencondly, i don't like this tactic, no matter if it's in the HRs or not. Third, i only have 1 Marina Para Bn at hand...it's a very usefull unit and i won't throw it into the toilet.
Kwalajein won't be assaulted for the moment. We'll let it starve and use it as a training ground for my bombers.
Our fighters will use Koumac, the base north of Noumea, which is empty[;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Fishbed




BtW GH can you please tell us about the actual means dedicated to the reinforcement of Ponape? How many Daks? No plan to send some Seabees over there to turn the place into a self-sufficient airplate asap?

Ok, I have 5 Dakotas group at Eniwetok, which are busy bringing the "A" Regiment of the 2nd USMC Div to Ponape. A DMSs Fast Transport TF is making missions to bring the 8th USMC CD unit.
At the moment i'm focusing on taking to Ponape only units with a good combat value and 100% prepped for Ponape, so to give him the most warm welcome when his huge invasion will come.
I have 2 base forces and 2 eng units ready at Eniwetok to be moved to Ponape, but the firs mission (almost impossible at this stage) is to hold Ponape, so those units will have to wait.

[soeren01]

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

ORIGINAL: soeren01

Can you reach Truk with some bombers ? If yes, try night attacks on his ports. With this much ships there you're bound to hit something.

You could do small unit paradrops or sub suizide landings at Kwajalein to lower his supply.

Well, it would be too easy. Remember

5. no night mission except for night fighter and Patrol boat units. Any side could convert a normal bomber unit to night bomber unit. To do so, they first have to be announced, after this, they act as night units and cannot henceforce be given day missions and cannot be converted back.

GH has to give troll a phone call everytime he wants to go have a little fun on his own

BtW GH can you please tell us about the actual means dedicated to the reinforcement of Ponape? How many Daks? No plan to send some Seabees over there to turn the place into a self-sufficient airplate asap?

Forgot about that HR, sorry

[soeren01]

ORIGINAL: Gen.Hoepner

ORIGINAL: soeren01

Can you reach Truk with some bombers ? If yes, try night attacks on his ports. With this much ships there you're bound to hit something.

You could do small unit paradrops or sub suizide landings at Kwajalein to lower his supply.

As Fishbed pointed out we have a strict HR about night bombings. I'm happy with that because i really thinks night bombings is overrated in this game and, above all, Japan has no night fighters at all...

The sub landings are forbidden by our HRs.

For what concerns the paradrop on Kwalajein: i don't think any allied commander would have sent his elite units in a suicide mission with just the pourpose of testing the enemy defences. Sencondly, i don't like this tactic, no matter if it's in the HRs or not. Third, i only have 1 Marina Para Bn at hand...it's a very usefull unit and i won't throw it into the toilet.
Kwalajein won't be assaulted for the moment. We'll let it starve and use it as a training ground for my bombers.
Our fighters will use Koumac, the base north of Noumea, which is empty[;)]

One could argue that this is not a suizide paradrop but a commando raid aimed to blow up enemy supply's, and the sub landing would be the same but I agree that is gamey and understand your decision not to do these things.
I don't think I could be that patient.