Vettim89 vs Greasylake - Reversal of Fortunes

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

The big things is to look forward to where you can base the B-29s out of and where he cannot get to that base except by sea (which you should now control). I would look for small isolated bases that you can use para to take and then use Fast Transports and/or transport planes to quickly reinforce.

Well there are the Marianas bases of course. The following bases I already control can be used by SuperBees: Rangoon, Darwin, Wyndham, Katherine, Derby, PH, one of the Aluetian bases (Adak?) and several bases in India. Bases that could be used include: Kota Bhura, Georgetown, the Marianas bases, Formosa, and Clark Field. There may be a few more but not a lot. I am not including Chinese bases as we have a HR about no Strategic Bombing in or from China.

At present, I am planning a Marianas Assault but with the US CV's in the SRA, this will take longer (lot's more CV's due soon). If my Borneo operations go well, I may consider invading either Luzon or Formosa. I really like the idea of usinf Formosa as a base for SuperBees as it is a hair closer than the Marianas and the bases are already built for me.

[Capt. Harlock]

Kendari is essetially empty now (8 bombers, 14 Auxillary). Port still lists 12 ships including a CA and a CS even though none were seen during the attack. My attention shifts NW.

That's bringing the hammer down!!

[vettim89]

15 February 1944

The assault continues. The Allies shift there attention 300 nm West and Sweep Macassar. For the cost of 3 P-38J and 6 F6F during the PM counterstrike, the Japanese lose 33 Ki61 KIAc Tony, 24 Ki-44 Tojo, 33 A6M5 and 8 J2M Jack. The AB attack cost the Japanese 17 Sally, 13 Topsy, 6 Jill and 5 Emily on the ground.

The PM counterstrike nets a wipe. Besides the fighters the Allies down 9 Helen. Total losses were 143 to 20 with the bulk of the Allied losses Ops. The Maumere TF has sailed. The US CVTF will drift west with this unit to bar interference. A huge SCTF with three Baltimore class CA's is going along too.

[ny59giants]

Are you ready for a possible need to accelerate your series of invasions in the DEI if the ground resistance is as one side as the air war was for the last few days?? If he cannot slow you down in the air, then he will need to use SC TF to interdict your transports, if he is still able.  You may need to double check to see if the logistics can keep up. 

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Are you ready for a possible need to accelerate your series of invasions in the DEI if the ground resistance is as one side as the air war was for the last few days?? If he cannot slow you down in the air, then he will need to use SC TF to interdict your transports, if he is still able.  You may need to double check to see if the logistics can keep up. 

Counting what is unloading, there is 300 k at Darwin with 75 k heading to Lautem and Dili. The TF for Maumere has 100 k with it. A TF with almost 300 k just left Townsville for Darwin. The supply from southern Oz is being brought north. There is a additioal 200 k at Cooktown. Convoys are costantly in bound to Townsville from WCUSA.

Next turn I will start loading troops for Pinrang which is just north of Macassar and connected to that base with good roads. This is the back door in I was planning on using. Hopefully the Maumere and Pinrang will pass each other with one going each way

[vettim89]

16 February 1944

Things settle down a bit as the Japanese lick there wounds. Highlights of the day:

* LBA hits Kendari again destroying about a dozen of various types of a/c on the ground

* Makassar is swept but the Japanese don't fly. Once Kendari is empty of a/c, I will switch over the 4 to this base.

* TF fill the Banda Sea as troops and supplies move forward

* CV air hits Kendari's port again with only two ships now left in port. There was no combat ships here. Its odd that FOW would keep feeding me a "CA" reading in port as this was a constant reading over a three week period. So it looks like the bag was an AD, a ML, and about 10 AP/AK.

* A US fleet boat hits an AK NW of the Marianas.

[vettim89]

17 February 1944

What's that they say about war being endless periods of boredom violently interupted by brief periods of terror? After months of inaction, every turn sees somethig these days. Highlights of the day

* The Japanese have all but abandoned Makassar and Kendari with only a token force left at Macassar

* Miss Betty came calling and hit the tranports headig for Maumere. A AK and a DD are hit by sigle torpedoes. Both will be out of the war for a very log time I fear. This TF fell ito the one hex CAP gap I inadvertantly let slip

* Miss Betty and her consorts came to pay a call on the US CV's. Alas, Miss Betty and her beaus met with an unfortunate accident and none of them made it home.

* Air losses 147 to 17 today with 3 F6F being my worst loss.

The Maumere TF will pass through Lautem next turn then pass Dili before hitting the beaches in about three days.

[vettim89]

18-19 February 1944

The troops approach Maumere and will hit the beaches tomorrow. The USN CV's will take up position 60 M NW of the hex. Larry has been throwing the kitchen sink at my forces but I think is having less and less in the sink to throw. Again, with major operations threatenig a vital iterest, the Japanese have dozens of bombers in the Marianas and Malaya trying to sink subs. Other highlights:

* LBA raids Gerogetown and empties that port. A Ro-Boat is sunk (I beleive the one that hit POW) and a AS.

* The Pinrang troops are about loaded but the CVTF's need to refuel. This op will be delayed by three or four days.

* CV Bunker Hill still sits at SYST 7. That is now about two weeks of no movement. I hate the repair system

[vettim89]

20 February 1944

The troops come ashore at Maumere and find it is occupied. Larry must have flow a SNLF in by float plane. Got a full Aussie Cav Div so it shouldn't be much to eliminate them. I had deliberately stopped reconnig the base to hide my intentions. Good news is two Recon units just landed at Cooktown. Once they are repped up, I can start reconning lots of bases simultaneously to hide where I am heading. Larry has loaded up Makassar's AB so big air battle likely next turn. I am meeting the threat as follows:

* Kitthawks at Dili LRCAP the transports at Maumere.
* P-47 at Dili LRCAP the US CVTF's
* P-47 at Lautem LRCAP the US CVTF's
* P-38 at Dili/Lautem sweep Macassar.
* B-24/PB4Y from Darwi hit Makassar AB (One hex too far for the B-17 which will hit Koepang just for thoroughness)
* F6F are set at 90% CAP.

In other action today:

* Fighters from Hainan Is hit Pakhoi's AB and are met by A-36. Japanese lose 33 Tojo and 13 Tony
* Betty's try to hit the US SV's and transports at Maumere - no hits 17 Betty's dead
* Helens from Koepang (presumably Kamikazes) are shot down over Lautem
* A US fleet boat (Pickeral) and a RN T class are both hit off Singers by LBA
* PB4Y form Wake hit Marcus at night losing one Liberator for 2 A6M3a on the ground
* The RN CV's will make Trico in two turns. TF are already there with 300 K supply loaded for Padang. Troops start soon
* The IJA AV finally falls below 3000 at Ban Don. Allied AV is earing 4400

[vettim89]

21 February 1944

Air battle goes according to plan with the possible exception that my F6F losses were a little high at 14. Day unfolds as such:

* P-38's sweep Makassar and find no opposition
* B-24's hit Makassar AB and destroy a good number of a/c on the ground. AB damage is now 47
* Japanese strike the transports off Maumere and are wiped
* Japanese strike the CVTF and are wiped
* Deliberate attack at Maumere takes the base and wipes out the SNLF (never had that happen before)

Elswhere:

SS Cabrilla is hit by LBA off the Marianas
I-10 is hit twice by Liberators off Rangoon
Allied Shock attack about eliminates the pocket west of Lautem - only one unit remains
CV Bunker Hill remains at SYST 7

[vettim89]

The first strike. I was messig around with a stock game and buggered my art work - fixing it now

[vettim89]

The second strike on the US CVTF

[vettim89]

In the last eight days the Japanese have lost at least 777 a/c. Most of those were first line fighters. My losses were about 100. That should disipate the force for a while

[vettim89]

22 February 1944

Larry moved his airpower back to Kendari which is still at 21% damaged. Two Kamikaze missions flew. The first one hit the SCTF off Maumere. Three USN CA's were hit but only one even moderately - Indianoplis is at 19 SYST, 0 FLOT, and 10 Fire. She will likely be repaired in theatre. The second strike hit the barge TF west of Lautem and sank a LCVP - that has got to drive Larry nuts. AIr losses on the day were 168 to 20. Larry has got to be feeling the losses now as he has lost nearly 1000 a/c in the last nine days.

Other notable actions today:

* Maumere goes to level 1 AB. Hallelujah! AV support being flown in. Fighters will be flying in two days.
* A US fleet boat is hit off the Mariana again
* A US fleet boat hits an AK north of Pagan
* A US fleet boat hits an AK in the Makassar Strait
* AVG sweep yields 25 fighters lost to no P-38 losses
* Troops load at Trico for Padang. That operation should go tomorrow.
* Japanese troops arrive at Yenen and Bombard
* CV Bunker Hill remains at 7 SYST

Thoughts:

I need to get the Centpac offensive going but with the Kamikazes, I really feel I need more CV support. Bunker Hill's repair issues are getting to me. As Larry has again loaded another Atoll up with troops, Marcus is going to be tough. Of note, we have a 30 k troops limit on Atolls. This is the third time Larry has exceeded that numer by about 10% - 33 k there now. I am not going to make an issue of this but it does weigh on me. With Kakikazes in play I feel I must take Marcus to make sure my SLOC are clear.

I was planning on going to Macassar through the back door at Pinrang. This will expose me to a couple more days of Kakikaze attacks and it is at extreme range of my LBA fighters. I may just bull my way into Makassar instead. Kendari was going to be bypassed but todays actions may tell me I need to rethink that. I hate to have to devote my 4E to suppressing that AB all the time. There are 52 K troops there. Have to contemplate this one

[ny59giants]

What about taking Raba??
What size AF is there and what potential does it have??
It may cause him to think you are headed for Java while you use it just to anchor your flank and further cut off Koepang.

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

What about taking Raba??
What size AF is there and what potential does it have??
It may cause him to think you are headed for Java while you use it just to anchor your flank and further cut off Koepang.

Raba ia a SPS AB as are all other AB along that axis until you get to Bali which is currently 3(1). As that seems a stretch right now and would divert me from my true goal which is to isolate all the oil/resources in the SRA, I will hold off.

23 February 1944

The Japanese pull back once again. How quickly can Larry replace 1000 airframes? What about the pilots. Maumere jumped to level 2 AB in a day! There are now about 75 fighters there and that number is climbing. The US CV's may pull back soon. I think I have some AO's at Darwin. I might load them up and move them to Lautem to replenish the CVTF. Indianapolis is at 21 SYST damage and the fires are out. SHe is heading back to Darwin. PT's now at Maumere to discourage any SCTF hijinx.

Other notable action today:

* I-18 was trying to sneak up on the CVTF. She is hit and sunk by a SB2C
* Japanese hit ground troops out of Hankow but lose 9 Ki-61 KAIb Tony
* LBA hits Hong Kong's port scoring hits on 3 AP and a PC
* AVG raids Kompang Som and destoys 1 Ki-61 KAIc Tony
* Japanese Bombard Yenen. Base AV is 1459 to 983 in favor of IJA. Level 9 forts are present.

I almost forgot the inf BGD's for the Padang Op - they are loading now. TF depart next turn

Edit: I forgot to mention that I realized some more fighters in the SRA might be helpful. I used some PP and bought off about 200 from SoPac and Centpac to send down there.

[vettim89]

24-27 February 1944

After a freetic pace for 10 solid days that saw the Japnese lose 1000 airframes, things have slowed. Highlights of three days of action:

* US fleet sub attacks a lone AK in the Java Sea twice puts 4 TT ito her and she sinks
* LBA out of China sink an AK at Hong Kong
* CV Bunker Hill falls to SYST 5 - finally
* The Huge covoy with 47 k of support troops will arrive at Darwin in two turns
* The Padang TF are now about ten days out.
* LST are split off the Maumere force and set back to Darwin. The will load up three ARM uits for Makassar
* US CV's are heading Darwin as Lautem is not a big enough port yet to replenish sorties.
* SS Sea Dragon is attacked five times in one turn by ASW TF off Saipan for .......... no hits!!!!!

Fortunately the ARM BTN's will load in a day. Still haven't decided if I am goig for Makassar or Pinrag. Advatages and disadvantages to both. If I time this right the Padag Op and Makassar Op will hit simultaneously. Larry will have to pick his poison. Now if BH would just rep up, I'll hit the CentPac too.

Had to include the scree shot of possibly the oddest TF itel you'll ever see.

[vettim89]

28 February 1944

Just waiting for various convoys to arrive:

* LST two days out of Darwin to pick up Armor and an HQ for Makassar
* First convoy arrives Darwin with 4 CB and a MAW
* Large convoy with 47 k support troops arrives Darwin in two days
* Padang Convoy now nine days out and will likely be spotted by recon a/c out of Sabang next turn. Larry will have to guess where they are going though

Other news:

* SS Tang sneaks into Saipan harbor, torpedos and sinks an AP with the 24th AV RGT aboard[:D]
* LBA hits the mysterious TF at Hong Kong and mauls two patrol craft and an AP. Larry's shipping losses have really picked up of late
* CV Bunker Hill falls to SYST 4!!!!

An epiphany:

As I have played this game I have pretty much stayed within the historical operational philosophy of a CentPac driven cross ocean assault on the Japanese inner perimeter. Our game has certainly followed an ahistoric line with the major battles of 1943 being in SEAC, Gilberts/Marshalls, and the SE SRA. I have diverted a lot of resources in those directions as that is where the fight was coming to me. Of late I have been trying to put the pieces in place for a Marianas drive. The two reasons for that being to acquire bases for B-29's and to an extent follow the next logical step of progression especially as it applies to history. Then it occured to me that I was too rigid in my thinking. I have found a weak point in the defenses in the SRA. Why not exploit it? I have so much lift at PH sitting there waiting for the CentPac offensive to get enough CV's to cover it. Why not take what Larry is giving me? The mere presence of the US bases and US capabilities is probably enough to deter Larry from weakening the CentPac too much. I am considering two lines of approach:

A. Move as much of CentPac/SoPac forces into the Darwin area as possible and move aggresively forward as indicated on the attached map. Drive hard through western NG and the Celebes and possibly into Mindano

B. Move SoPac Units into the SRA follwing the indicated path at a slower pace while Centpac clears the Carolines and NW NG. This would allow a shortenig of SLOC. I would still have to swing south around the Marianas

While this is ongoing (whichever route), SWPac continues to advance through Borneo. With these goals accomplished, I could take my ever growing strength either NW into Malaya and Indochina or North into the PI and eventually Formosa. As to the SilverBees, they can reduce Oil and resources in SEASIA and conduct counter air ops. If I make Formosa, I can hit Japan from there. To be honest, strategic bombing is not really consistant with my plans other than to accumulate points. I plan to starve Japanese industry rather than destroy it. I would really like to hear peoples opinions on these thoughts

[Capt. Harlock]

I am considering two lines of approach:

A. Move as much of CentPac/SoPac forces into the Darwin area as possible and move aggresively forward as indicated on the attached map. Drive hard through western NG and the Celebes and possibly into Mindano

B. Move SoPac Units into the SRA follwing the indicated path at a slower pace while Centpac clears the Carolines and NW NG. This would allow a shortenig of SLOC. I would still have to swing south around the Marianas

While this is ongoing (whichever route), SWPac continues to advance through Borneo. With these goals accomplished, I could take my ever growing strength either NW into Malaya and Indochina or North into the PI and eventually Formosa. As to the SilverBees, they can reduce Oil and resources in SEASIA and conduct counter air ops. If I make Formosa, I can hit Japan from there. To be honest, strategic bombing is not really consistant with my plans other than to accumulate points. I plan to starve Japanese industry rather than destroy it.

It seems to this humble observer that choice B will get you to more valuable resource areas and sooner. Either way, however, Kendari will be a key base. Historically, the U.S. was able to neutralize and bypass the huge bases as Truk and Rabaul by establishing convoy lanes to the north. Bypassing Kendari would be much more difficult: there's not as much ocean to maneuver with. At the minimum, Kendari's ability to host Betty squadrons must be neutralized.

2000th post!

[vettim89]

March 1 1944

We lose a day. Seems the game engine decided it would take 29 February 1944 off. I guess I can understand why as it would mess up a lot. Still seems odd to just skip past it.

Japanese MS is hit this turn. USS Guardfish hits two separate large TK off Brunei. She is out of torps and a bit dinged; so, home she goes. I vector in five US fleet boats in the SCS to try to get the stragglers. An AK and an AP are hit at Hong Kong. Bunker Hill falls to 3 SYST. Americal Div is loading at Townsville for lift to Darwin. A huge Convoy with 500 k supply is loading at SF. My only concern right now is fuel. I have a lot moving SW but TK are scarce compared to AK. Padang force is 6 hexes NW of Sorong and has not been spotted

I considered my previous post and decided that everything presetly labled SOPAC is heading to Darwin. Thats three ID, a Cav RGT, a RCT, 2 ARM BT, three CBT ENG BTN, two ART BTN, a HQ, and an air HQ leaving PH. In addition, three HQ, two ARTY BTN, two EAB, and three CB depart SF. Centpac units are held in HI for now. I will stew on their fate for a few days.

Capt. Harlock: I looked at the Map and don't think opening a southern arm to the CentPac offensive is the way to go. To accomplish this I would need to take the following bases: Ponape, Truk, Wolei, Admiralties, Wewak, Hollandia, Ulithi, Yap, and Palau. Lae would also have to be taken and possibly Kavieng. That is eight bases for sure and possibly ten. Six of those ten are Atolls and I have had my fill of Atoll combat. Instead, I will use NG as a natural barrier and invade: Babo, Amboina, Sorong, Weda, Manoc, Kendari, Jolo Is, and Zamboanga. Possibly I could add Palau attacking from the SW. That is only one Atoll invasion (possibly) and I will end on the door step to the PI. I think this is the route to go.