re Mines in the Pacific - No EUBanana

[PresterJohn001]

I'm EUBanana's opponent (Steve) in the game i believe he AAR;s about in the above topic...

This game is great, especially pbem so much respect to eubanana for playing me and John my other opponent
I play the Japanese in both games


Bloody hell he just raided Lexington and Enterprise into the channel by Balikpapan.. i think he was after a BB force i had stationed there to prevent him raiding into the sea above it.... The KB however was in support behind but much to my frustration and shouting only my divebombers attacked..(torpedo bombers all turned back..eh ..eh what...somebody is for the sword) scoring (according to my intel) 4 bomb hits on Lexington and 2 on Enterprise. Allies air was def down in the PM (AM hits were on the big E). The allies apparently got a load of hits on BB's and CS's + some AKLs but between you and me one BB took moderate non fatal damage and a CS took heavy potentially fatal damage but its near a port so i hope it will survive....

Needless to say i have every naval asset (which are considerable) including just about every carrier of all types i own.. vectoring in.. and every air asset either looking or loaded up with bombs torps or whatever else they can carry heading towards the area with an intensity that Sauron looking for the one ring would respect....

I love this game, wish me luck JFB's....


and am open to questions about the game but obviously no spoilers [:)]

[PresterJohn001]

looking in more detail my Kates attacked but the Vals didn't... just out of range it would appear.. no less frustration...8 hexes away...

[PresterJohn001]

Two days of fruitless chasing.... a couple of night surface actions where despite superior firepower (BB, 3 CA and CL vs 2 CA) and suprise (once) i sunk a single dutch CL and one US CA. no contact against the US CV's. My losses have been light, a DD went down to carrier planes from Balikpapan, presumably they fled there after their carrier was hit.

Reports indicate Lexington and Enterprise sunk... but with only a few 250kg bombs i seriously doubt the report.

My BB ise took a torp on the way home... serious but she will hole up soon and be safe. All the CS's are safe now. One of my CA's is in trouble but should make it to safety.

Overall a lot of damaged Japanese ships, no loss of significance vs a couple of allied cruiser losses and a couple of damaged carriers..an opportunity lost i feel.

Still elsewhere with Singapore and the Northern PI in my hands as of 21 Jan plans for the Japanese empire progress....

[PresterJohn001]

5th February 1942


An Allied Task Force deftly slips into Rabual, avoiding the 100 or so mines and engages the Japanese standing force:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 1,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba, Shell hits 15, heavy fires
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 1
CL Yubari
DD Sazanami, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Ushio

Allied Ships
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CA New Orleans, Shell hits 4
CA Australia, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Perkins
DD Preston, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
DD Reid, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD La Triomphant, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk



Low visibility due to Rain with 78% moonlight...
Maximum visibility in Rain and 78% moonlight: 6,000 yards...


Meanwhile my Nells at Batavia target a decoy force:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 49,98

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 13



Allied aircraft
B-339D x 2


Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged


Allied Ships
AMc MMS B, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AMc MMS A, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AMc MMS D, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
12 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo


at least they hit something....unlike

Morning Air attack on TF, near Gasmata at 104,128

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
G4M1 Betty x 12



Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged

Allied Ships
CA New Orleans



Aircraft Attacking:
5 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb
7 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 6000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 4 x 60 kg GP Bomb


The follow up attack on the allied ships fleeing Rabual


This victory (at Rabual) makes up for an earlier battle at Manus where the odds were in my favour but i got hammered


Aoba and Sazanami will both survive but need some yard time. I have too many ships in repair yards right now.. including a couple of light carriers that were hit by low flying dutch bombers.

EU plays an aggressive game with his ships and i like tp push forward so we've had a fair number of battles to date!

[PresterJohn001]

EU Continues to play hard and fast with his fleet, a US Carrier raiding towards the Makassar Strait, catching 3-5 xAK and a few bombs bouncing off a BB. His Carriers ended up 1 hex away from where the BB fleet started and KB is 1 day away..

[PresterJohn001]

KB is supporting the Invasion at Merak which is my main thrust to take Java. The fighting for Sumatra is all but over. Palembang was undefended and most of the place has fallen. The plan for Java is to just land at the north and march down. This way less naval support is needed and KB can head elsewhere for other operations. Mini KB is out of action for a while and with EU being aggressive in defense i need cover.

I suspect that the US carrier may try and interfere with the landings in N Java....

[PresterJohn001]

Well as we enter mid March the Japanese make their play - India!!

To set the scene, the DEI are almost conquered with Japanese forces controlling Sumatra and halfway down Java with no indications of any major resistance. I have plenty of air there anyway.

In the SE Pacific, i have taken port Moresby with a division and and have advanced to Lunga. I am trying to slowly backfill the islands there although conscious i have minimal CV support for the region.

Central Pac is quiet, i am slowly fortifying the area.

KB and the major Japanese thrust is into India, i landed a Division at Diamond Harbour and took it. Lots of support is on the way and the plan is to take Calcutta and the surrounding area. Hopefully i have trapped a lot of British forces in Burma. My attack there has been slow and i have only recently (the past few days) taken Rangoon (this was on purpose). Lots of Brits in Burma. Paratroopers took Akyab and air transports shipped in some air support. The base is to become the transit area for the amassed Oscars i have ready to land in Diamond Harbour.

tbh i'm not sure how much ground attack i need in India, ive 2 divs landing, plus another 2 for immediate reinforcement, and another couple that can get there soonish, plus tank and artillery support. My hope is that much of the allied force is still in Burma, waiting to be pocketted and destroyed!!!


On the turn i landed at Diamond Harbour, the brits hit the amphib fleet and bombard fleet with their air force. In total in lost 1 transport. Also Nagato took a few hits (bombs) and a torp, but that translated into 10 sys damage and 2 float damage. sniff, attack magnet.

[Wirraway_Ace]

Good luck Prester John!

How do you plan to exploit your initial success in Bengal? To trap the BURCORPS, are going to have to control the length and breadth of Arakan against attacks from the East and West.

[PresterJohn001]

Wirraway_Ace - Pour as many troops as i can into the area and take Calcutta, the good resource hex nearby and then push back towards Burma. I'm not currently anticipating a major push to take India, but we'll see how it goes.

Brutal Air Combat turn for the allies. I've been playing a bit of cat an mouse.
1) Turn 1 - Invasion unloads whole division in 1 day. Allied air sinks a single Transport and Nagato needs a new paint job.
2) Turn 2- i pull everything out of Diamond harbour about 4 hexes off shore into the KB hex - EU knows KB is there and only a few
Blenheims attack - shoot down about 10 of them for no damage. Diamond Harbour taken by ground assault.
3) Turn 3 (this one) - i sail KB with transports into DH (BB cover fleet should have gone to oops). Allied airforce comes in with vengeance on its mind and leaves in flames! KB sinks a few fleeing transports too.

Only a few allied bombers got through the cap, no hits.

[PresterJohn001]

The invasion of India continues with units pouring into Diamond Harbour. A couple of divisions are moving to Calcutta and armour is going to sweep around to cut rail links (hopefully). The allies have stopped trying to bomb the Japanese ships and the KB moved out of Diamond Harbour and is now covering the transport route.

The allies pull one of their little suprises as the Colorado pays Shikuka a visit and sinks 4 transports and 3 escorts. It could have been worse. Air search is beefed up in that part but the Colorado makes good its escape.

A couple of notes here:

1) I have very little naval asset in the region, i'll have to put togther a home defence force. I have some carrier assets and a BB near enough to do this duty, but it will take a week to get together.
2) I wouldn't be suprised if the Colorado is hidding in the seas to the NE rather than heading back to Alaska. I'll have to sweep that area before i can be confident that its safe.
3) I need to put some permanent search and possibly a couple of sub pickets here. Too much space to cover and so few air groups at the moment.
4) Most importantly i think i'm going to be in serious trouble sooner rather than later. Ive lost around 70 xAK's and 20 xAKLs so far. Over half to subs, and i don't run unescorted convoys. The rest have been from allied spoiling surface attacks mainly. The sub attacks have often been at Japenese amphib assault sites and my bases. Early on i took heavy hits from the allied surface fleet, although ive sunk a fair few allied warships.
5) The ability to see search arcs in game really helps, saved me already, in fact looking back i'd say the game is much much more difficult without these.

China
Goes slowly - ive conentrated most of my forces around Sian which i want to take, then South to Changsa. I'll be pretty happy then and expect i'll just plaster the central cities from the air and hopefully be able to keep China under control for the forseeable future.

After India - I'm thinking about Sri Lanka although i am hesitant to engage in any more ops due to my transport losses. It may depend on what happened to the 2 US Carriers that are currently listed as Sunk (Enterprise and Lexington). I recall the Lex took 11 250kg bombs and Enterprise 4 250kg bombs. I suppose Lex might have sunk, i guess i'll find out in a few more months!

[PresterJohn001]

The first division makes it into Calcutta, much to my suprise it shock attacks its way in (ahead of schedule too, it was walking there in combat mode and shouldn't have arrived ahead of the reinforcements). I see no river on the map. I also hope that the following units don't have to shock attack their way in else i'll lose the best part of a division before i begin (2000 casualties and about 100av lost on attack).

[stldiver]

Hi PresterJohn,

In my PBEM Spam vs Saki, I also invaded at Diamond Harbor, and yes the lead unit does shock attack from Diamond Harbor and all other directions. I had several units damaged going in piecemal. But fighting in India can be fun.

Good Luck

[PresterJohn001]

Well after a few days fighting we succesfully established a bridgehead into Calcutta. With 950 AV versus approx half that i am going to try a deliberate attack to see what happens. I have plenty more units in Diamond Harbour on their way to Calcutta. A flanking tank unit got severly manhandled but i'm not too worried. It gives the allies something to concentrate on for a while. I seem to be winning the air war although allied air strike around the edges of my advance gain local air superoritory. If i crack Calcutta then i can hopefully swarm through a lot of that part of India. Realistically i'm hoping to take the considerable heavy industry and hang onto it for as long as possible to build a stockpile for leaner times.

There is a lot of allied activity in the Efate area. A couple of turns ago a sub put two fish into the New Mexico and the next turn a single fish into a CA. I've spotted a few big task forces with AV and and CA's identified. I strongly suspect carrier activity and have moved my local supply shipping back. We'll see what happens, i have zero's and torpedo LBA ready for an attack on Lunga. The KB has been supporting the Indian Invasion so is out of the picture and mini KB is impotent/out of position due to damage and the Colorado attack.

I hold Port Moresby in Divisional strength so that should be ok. i'd not want to lose Lunga this early, but its an obvious target given the Japanese area of activity atm. We'll see.

Reading the other AAR's has made me determined to get Timor safely under control asap. Also keeping KB hidden as we move towards the end of the year will be vital.

[PresterJohn001]

The allies sortie the fleet out of Calcutta, Exeter, Glasgow and some destroyers. At the same time the Japanese send a cruiser and some destroyers into Calcutta to take out the allied destroyer bombarding the Japanese in Caclutta. The expeditionary fleets miss and in nighttime combat the Japanese sink the allied destroyer at Calcutta and the allied fleet meets the Heavy Covering fleet of the Japanese. In a close range duel the allied CA, CL and 3DD's best the Japanese 2 BB's, 2or3 CA's and 3ish DD's (nerf allies).

Comment - feels like i always come out worse in night battles.

Anyway the combat breaks with no actual losses and then resumes in daylight, whereupon the Japanese Battleships actually hit stuff, which is nice, and the two allied cruisers and a DD go down. The Japanese ships take varying lowish levels of system damage and some light flood damage.

Some rearangement of the covering force to repair damage, 1 BB heads home but another heads into the fray from Singapore. I feel pretty secure here from outside naval assault - with CV, BB's and LBS support.

The allies also try to raid Diamond Harbour with their air. It ends badly for them, losing some 30 aircraft to to under 10 (really about 3) Japanese losses.

I've also shifted my approach slightly. Even with 4-6 Divisions, approaching 2000AV (not all there atm, next week total) im thinking Calcutta is going to be a long hard fight. I do have more and better troops so i am going for manoever. I'll keep what ive got at Calcutta to pin the allied trops there, and move the rest around to Capture the bases. I've moved more Army air to the area and am going to pound Dacca into the ground as it look to be the only decent airfield nearby. A couple of paradrops have also taken place to keep the allies busy - Comilla with some engineers airlfited in as well, allied counterattack here - and Silchar - i'm moving to Imphal from here, looks to be a base force only guarding the base.

Theres been lots of Naval Combat so heres what my Intel Reports ive sunk:

[PresterJohn001]

more allied losses

[PresterJohn001]

and my losses

[PresterJohn001]

Well its turned into a bit of a slog so far in India. At first i pushed everything into Calcutta but after a probing the defences figured it would take a lot of force from my side. Its a strongpoint. I pushed my reinforcements around the outside and have just taken Jessore as can be seen on the Map below. Hopefully this breaks open India. I have sufficient force to surround Calcutta and trap the 15 odd units there. I doubt EU will allow that to happen so he may withdraw. With my superior fores and the main defensive point down i can hopefully take large swathes of India.

To facilitate trapping the Burma Army i have paradropped to cut the rail lines out of North Burma. Also paradropped next to Imphal and walked into Imphal, forcing the allies out. I'm learning the benefits of transports as i fly air support in and use these bases for fighter support.

I think i have the advantage in th air war. The allies do not cap their bases and their bomber strikes are greatly reduced.

The Oscar at maximum altitude more than holds its own in sweeps. The Zero is still pretty much king of the skies.

China is slow.

I have built the airbase in Lunga up to level 1! but It will get bigger quicker now. This is as far soith as i expect to go.

The DEI is almost over, another couple of weeks and then i will have 2 full divisions and support available. I'll probably send even more to India but that is situation dependant. I may try to take some of north Australia - more defensive buffer. maybe maybe Darwin.

Fortification of the Kuriles has begun.

I admit it, i read the other AAR's.

The one big question i have unresolved is what to do with the KB. I can keep it hidden and that seems to prevent the allies from making damaging raids, but is somewhat passive. I do like the allies not knowing where it is tho. OR i can raid with it, maybe do some damage but give its position away.

Certainly from my reading of the other AAR's, a known KB position is a huge benefit for the allies, how many times have i read - i'll do this only if the KB reveals itself....

[PresterJohn001]

The date is 8th May 1942

The Japanese advance in India has been painfully slow.

Ramshi and Howdrah (red circles) are contested and we had to withdraw from Jamshedpur. I'd expected to have captured these
weeks ago. Intercepts from allied HQ indicated that an Indian Division arrived the day a massive assault of Ranchi occured, saving
the base. However three full Japanese divisions have just landed and i expect the allied resistance to break soon.

The big objective however of trapping the Burma Army looks to have been completely succesful. Whilst we were thrown (embarrasingly, Swords were denied) out of Imphal we have lots of allied units trapped (yellow circles). We must ensure they are anhilated to the man..

Strategically from India i think i am getting a few HIs but am also creating Space for my Burmese conquests - out of range of allied air. Plus i am wearing down the allied fighters and probably more importantly bombers. Intercepts from allied HQ indicate that bomber reinforcements are in short supply.

The air war (in India) seems to veer from marginal Japanese defeats, to Japanese victories as recently i shot doen 40+ allied for under 10 losses. Uncoordinated strikes and poor allied fighters going into mass Japanese Good Quality units are a recipe for disaster. I should say that the Japanese are far from immune from coordination cock ups and i tens to try not to use my bombers where i expect allied air defence, its too costly without massive fighter support.

In other news a british CV had been spotted lurking in Colombo a few days ago by a Sub Launched Glen....

[PresterJohn001]

KB had from mid April ish been sailing my interior lines, first towards Truk and Rabual - i'd spotted allied movements around Efate and thought the allies might be up to something here. No dice. Then they move towards Java and sailed up the West Coast of Sumatra covering a couple of amphib fleets taking the Islands on the Indian Ocean side of Sumatra (Siberoet etc).
About this time the (Sub) I-29 with its Glen spotted a British Carrier in Colombo. The British Task force seemed to stay there for a couple of days and i sent KB directly towards Colombo. I moved the I-29 away so that the British fleet wouldn't be spotted - so as not to spook them.

8th may KB finally got into range:
-----------------------------------
AM STRIKE

Morning Air attack on TF, near Colombo at 29,48

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 160 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 60 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 57
B5M1 Mabel x 13
B5N1 Kate x 18
B5N2 Kate x 78
D3A1 Val x 70



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 4
Hurricane IIa Trop x 5


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5M1 Mabel: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed, 41 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed, 24 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar II: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB Warspite, Bomb hits 10, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CV Indomitable, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CVL Hermes, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CV Formidable, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Cornwall, Torpedo hits 1
CL Emerald
CLAA Van Heemskerck
DD Isaac Sweers
DD Paladin
DD Nizam
DD Panther
DD Nestor



Aircraft Attacking:
10 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
12 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
9 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
17 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
10 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
23 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
5 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
24 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
16 x B5N1 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
12 x B5M1 Mabel launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
3 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
6 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
11 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
10 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
No.806 Sqn FAA with Fulmar II (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes
No.605 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIa Trop (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(5 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CVL Hermes
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Indomitable
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Formidable

--------------
British Counter Strike- AM

Morning Air attack on TF, near Koggala at 32,54

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 58



Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 6
Fulmar II x 4


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 3 destroyed
Fulmar II: 3 destroyed

-----------------------------
PM STRIKE

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Colombo at 29,48

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 84
B5M1 Mabel x 23
B5N2 Kate x 52
D3A1 Val x 85



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 1
Hurricane IIa Trop x 4


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5M1 Mabel: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 13 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed, 23 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIa Trop: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CVL Hermes, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CV Formidable, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CV Indomitable, Bomb hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Warspite, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CL Enterprise
CLAA Van Heemskerck
CL Emerald, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Cornwall, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CL Marblehead, Bomb hits 2
DD Napier
DD Isaac Sweers



Aircraft Attacking:
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
22 x B5M1 Mabel launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
5 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
9 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
19 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
13 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
11 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
19 x B5N2 Kate launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
7 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
9 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
7 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
3 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
7 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
8 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 12000 feet
6 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
5 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D3A1 Val releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb

CAP engaged:
No.806 Sqn FAA with Fulmar II (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(1 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 23 minutes
No.605 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIa Trop (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
No.888 Sqn FAA with Martlet II (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 5 minutes

Training flight from No.888 Sqn FAA has been caught up in attack
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Indomitable
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Emerald

--------------------
PM Counterstrike
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Koggala at 32,54

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 54



Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 4
Fulmar II x 3


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 2 destroyed
Fulmar II: 1 destroyed

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

Not a bad days work. I'm going to withdraw the KB rather than stay to pound the port and any survivors. I can expect a vigorous responce from transferred LBA and don't really want any stray heavy bombs hitting me. Still might happen as they have lots of range but the further away i am the better.


Previous battles and combat losses report still suggest that the Lexington has gone down (but not the Enterprise).
Whilst the British Carriers arn't great, its still a blow. btw the 250KG SAP bombs bounce off British flight decks!!!

[PresterJohn001]

Well its been a while, so a few updates for the interested [>:]
 
In Game date is now the 7th August
 
The fighting in India has bogged down, mainly due to enough allied forces to stop me unless i commit everything to a hex and also to the allied 4E bombers.
My troops cannot operate in an open hex. They die.
 
The main fighting has been attritional air combat. I spent a good while putting the airforce up and slogging it out, casualties were horrendous and i used my Oscar reserves up completely. Pretty much P-38 lightnings kill my fighters. Otherwise the home base fighters seem to do best with a bias towards highest alt. Unescorted bombers, especially the blenheims, and of course all unescorted Japanese bombers tend to get mauled. The allied bigger stuff does damage, Wellingtons are pretty nasty in night air raids against my airfields. In July the allies finally got enough B-17's and these are a freaking nightmare. They fly right through my cap and bomb me to pieces. The Japanese response has been to withdraw from the fron line air fields almost entirely. Occasional moving of massed fighters forward had produced some good ambushes and made the allies wary. Still if the allies catch your airforce on the ground with b17's you can kiss a lot of it goodbye.
 
Its not been all bad by a long shot tho. In Burma the last allied units have been wiped out. In China Si-An falls and the Japanese attack up the road to Lanchow, whilst deliberating their next moves.
 
With the stale mate in India, another plan is hatched - Ceylon.
 
A number of carriers had been damaged but a decent combined carrier force was available to be used in early August. 4 Divisions prepared and the landing site - Tricomalee - chosen. Not sure if this was a good choice, what with the fort and the 6 x 6" guns of doom that rained entirely plausible havoc on my fleet landing in a 30 mile hex and the naval bombardment fleet that helped a day or do later with its short range BB guns. This site was chosen becuase of the port and air base.