Lorks-a-lordy, my Empire is on fire! GBL vs 1EyedJacks - Nemo's mod

[goodboyladdie]

The following 3 screenies are the fighters available to the RN. I prefer to field a mix of fighters, but it is tempting to go all Seafire until the Hellcat and Corsair turn up...

[goodboyladdie]

But the range of the Sea Hurricane will allow my attack planes to be escorted at extended range.

[goodboyladdie]

I will definitely NOT be keeping any Fulmars as soon as I have a choice...

[goodboyladdie]

The Japs have expanded the airfield at Miri to size 1.

Rangoon, Singapore (heavy - 2 more PBYs lost, so the squadron will leave), Manila (at least 1 Nell and 1 Betty destroyed by flak) and Clark were bombed.

Brunei took another Oil hit from high flying B-17s. Accuracy is not great, but experience is growing and 94 oil centres are now damaged. 1 Beaufort was destroyed by a Rufe over Miri. A second raid cost 2 more, but a torpedo hit MSW W.2. I am withdrawing the FAA Beauforts until I can get some fighters into Kuching too.

One of my Dutch ASW task forces attacked I-158, but no real damage was caused (see screenie).

Singapore now has damage of 0/67/96. 21st LAA is loading at Madras for Trincomalee.

[goodboyladdie]

SigInt suggests IJA 14th Ind Infantry Brigade is planning for Nanchang.

Over Sinyang a Jap training unit lost 5 Zekes in return for a US Army P-43A and 2 Chinese Lancers when the daily SB-2M raid came in. The Jap unit hit was IJA 3rd Division. 4 Marys were shot down by I-16 mod 4s out of Yenen. 4 Lilys and a Sally fell to the 3rd Sqn AVG near Homan, with FO J. Ward becoming the latest Allied Ace. It's a shame the Chinese pilot with 5 kills disappeared!

[witpqs]

It seems almost like the F-4 was more of a prototype rushed into service.

You are aware of the field upgrade required on the Fulmars? Most of the steps involve removal and replacement of various body panels and structural parts to gain access and then put the birds back together after modification. The critical step is:

"Remove the bricks."

[goodboyladdie]

[:D] Nemo forgot to add a "remove ballast (including Navigator)" button...

[goodboyladdie]

31/01/42

Johnston was hit by 8 Zekes, 1 C3N1, 99 Vals and 107 Kates. The KB seems to be slowly sailing away and my heavy bombers do not look like they will strike - back to the drawing board... Johnston damage is now 0/56/91.

2 AKs loaded with US Army fighter squadrons bound for SEAC have refuelled at Adelaide and will now sail for Colombo. NZ 14th Infantry Brigade, currently at Auckland, will plan for Koumac in anticipation of a change of HQ once I have managed to move the 3 Divisions I currently intend to (Americal to SOPAC reserve, 7th and 41st to the Hawaiian Islands. 2 USN PTs that escaped from Manila arrived in Sydney for repairs.

[goodboyladdie]

The first land reinforcements have finally made it to the Darwin bastion...

[goodboyladdie]

SigInt has revealed IJA Southern Area Army is planning for Singapore. I paid a 300 PP penalty for keeping a much needed DD. My reward was a back to back request for a BB and 2 DDs. Winston can have the fake BB Anson. She has sailed for Aden from Kendari. The Greek CA Georges Averoff is now too slow for the decoy force as the other 21 knot ship is off to withdraw, so she will refuel at Tjilitap before heading to India. Chittagong airfields expanded to size 2.

Rangoon, Singapore, Kuching and Manila were bombed. Manila cost the Japs at least 1 Betty and 1 Nell. Brunei took an Oil hit and has 96 damaged centres.

A Jap deliberate attack at Clark was defeated by my rearguard with 518/12 Jap casualties to my 61/2. The damaged TK Angelina has cleared her flood damage and is loading oil for Perth (56 sys damage).

B-17s from Batavia will mix things up a bit by going for oil at Kuala Lumpur. Calcutta B-17s will go for Tavoy. A supply convoy is unloading at Addu Atoll. 77th HAA is unloading at Colombo, while 67th unloads at Trincomalee. RAF 221 BF is unloading at Chittagong.

In China SigInt revealed 2nd Mountain Gun Rgt planning for Ichang. I do not know if this is residual planning from a retreated unit or an indication of a future counter attack. A Sally and a Lily were shot down by AVG P-40Es. ROCAF 26th Fighter Squadron at Homan has traded in their I-16 mod 4s for the mod 24 version. Jap attacks destroyed 2 Guerilla units at 51,34 and caused a defeat at 50,34 as Mike continues to clean up the messy bits of China.

Here is the end of month summary.

[goodboyladdie]

01/02/42

Victoria expanded it's port to size 2 (according to my notes, but it must be bigger than that as there a shipyard and vessels can disband!), while San Diego became a size 8 port.

Johnston was hit by 9 Zekes, 1 C3N1 and 106 Kates. A Kate was shot down and 3 more PBYs were destroyed. Damage is now 0/65/99 and the KB is withdrawing to the West.

[goodboyladdie]

A further element of 110th USN Base Force loaded at Seattle for Cold Bay. 111th US Army Base Force is unloading at Umnak Island.

10,000 tons of fuel are unloading at Suva and 10,000 tons of supplies from Capetown arrived at Perth

Here are the upgrades/arrivals...

[goodboyladdie]

And here is what the 2/42 Northampton Class upgrade looks like...

[goodboyladdie]

CL (AMC) Kasuga Maru was heavily damaged by a mine at Saigon. Rangoon, Singapore (1 Lily downed), Kuching, Manila (1 Betty downed) and Clark were bombed by the Japs. Brunei, Kuala Lumpur and Tavoy were all missed by the Allies.

The bulk of the recently evacuated 8th Pp BF loaded onto an AK at Kendari for transport to Darwin. The last elements in Manila loaded onto 3 sepearte subs. I am moving AP (Q-Ship) Botlea from Colombo because there is a big under-utilised shipyard there.

[goodboyladdie]

48th LAA is unloading at Colombo, while 21st LAA unloads at Trincomalee. 221 and 225 Aviation Rgts and 225 Group Air HQ are unloading at Calcutta. 46th Indian Brigade are moving forward to Chittagaong from Dacca to address a lack of Infantry in this vulnerable port hex.

Looking forward to next month this is what the Lady Lex and Sara will be getting...

[goodboyladdie]

Near Honan FO Gray of AVG/3 scored his 6th kill (a Lily). I cancelled recon flights over Taan as it appears to have cost me 4 SB-2s over the last 2 turns.

Here is what the New Orleans Class heavy cruisers will get next month...

[scout1]

Johnston Is would seem to be diversionary. Why else land troops under the umbrella of Allied airpower ?

[goodboyladdie]

ORIGINAL: scout1

Johnston Is would seem to be diversionary. Why else land troops under the umbrella of Allied airpower ?

Hi Scott

He has not landed troops (yet!). He has done a few similar raids. He has not been very aggressive in the SRA and the KB has stayed in CenPac performing raids. The KB has been operating at cruise speed. I'd imagine this is because he wants to minimise system damage while he moves all the forces he needs over to his jumping off point. I am picking up more radio reports from places like Nauru and Tarawa too, so I am thinking he is planning to go big. I am limited in sealift and available supplies, so I can only slowly build up defences in the area. As far as Allied LBA goes, he has little to fear as long as he keeps out of fighter range of PH. If I have time to build up Hilo I will move more aircraft over from the West Coast to have 2 mutually supportive large air bases available, but reserves of airframes are thin and I am not really equipped for an attrition battle yet. I will mine his ports and hope I get lucky. As you know from playing me, my strategy is all about slowing the Jap down and throwing his timetables off while I wait to punish any overbalance. I try to maintain a strategic balance that will allow me to defend against all possibilities (this is realistic, I believe) until such time as an opening appears. The most important commodity for me in 1942 is time. I would imagine he is getting some good advice in his new AAR, so please feel free to chip in here.

[goodboyladdie]

02/02/42

USS Barracuda was attacked twice off Ponape. She is making for PH with damage 15/32/0.

Johnston Island damage stands at 0/65/98 as the KB continues it's withdrawal.

[goodboyladdie]

PG Sacramento does not seem to be able to clear her last sys damage point so she is moving from Long Beach to San Diego in the hope that it can be rectified there. AD Dixie is sailing unescorted from LA to PH.

A further element of 110th USN BF has boarded a small AK at Seattle for Cold Bay. 11th AF HQ is unloading at Anchorage.

2nd USMC Def Bn is unloading at Luganville, while 18th Engineers unloads at Noumea.

Here is a look ahead to the Yorktown Class upgrades. I will not show the cruiser and destroyer upgrades as they are all much of a muchness.