Aussies vs Amis - World Defence(no Joe or Nik)

[LoBaron]

Any chance to train the 4eng on low value targets? Thats if you can afford one or the other pilot/plane loss on op.

And about Tony´s question: I´m more a visual person and so I have a bit of a hard time to translate the text into valuable information. But:
isn´t exactly the current situation an indicator that its better for now to hold and to start the A2G meat grinder instead of advancing now?
Looks like a close call and its only Aug ´42. If he has the patience then he will have much better chances to encircle them decisively later without even committing
all his force. Without being attacked I don´t think they will retreat just to consolidate except if the losses become unbearable.

[khyberbill]

I think though Tony is going for a frontal penetration... he is that kind of guy...

Kinky chap.

[jrcar]

We are now in an operational pause, and we have started to train the bomber crews and bring them up to strength. I hate to let them dig in... but the reality is we need a break as well.

Cheers

Rob

[jrcar]

31 Aug 1 Sep
Subs
A few attacks, no bangs.

Burma
In two days of assaults at Ramree Island the defences are lowered to 1...

DEI
Air battles over the contested hex of Kaimana continue. I have a PT boat squadron there now, and we are both LRCAPing the area.

A second unit has upgraded to P-38F on Aru.

SWPAC
Baseforces and supplies arrive at Lae and Finshaven. We will probably move forward to Madang and build it up.

Fuel is becoming a real problem.

SOPAC
Rabaul and Gasmata fall to airbourne assualts, they got out just in time. Oue aircraft sallied but didn't hit any of the fleeing ships.

I'm expecting KB to come in and trash the place in retribution....

We are starting to plan our bases in the area.

CENTPAC
No change.

NORPAC
No change. Our troops are pretty beat up and will take a while to recover... probably need another regiment or two.

China
We continue to hold our own in the south. They are using a lot of airpower. We counter attack with SB2 hitting a Tk regt nicely.



We now need an operational pause to bring troops and fuel forward. KB is still a potent threat and we expect them to raid our bases as we are spread wide and thin at the moment.

Cheres

Rob

[jrcar]

1 Sep 1942 China
Here you can see China. They are slowly advancing in the sth, and going around our flamks. The main bases are all level 3-4 frts and have around 800AV, but supplies are an issue.

So far they have failed to generate enough mass anywhere... but we expect that to change.
The aim at the moment is hold and delay, make them dig us out while the forces inland get stronger.

Mainly it is a waiting game for us.

[jrcar]

1 Sep 1942 SOPAC

Here is the SOPAC. We are rapidly moving forward to Rabaul, lots of forces loading at Suva.

The CV's will return to the west coast soon for upgrades.

[jrcar]

The next target for SOPAC is TRUK.

To do this we need to shift the VIIth bomber HQ from Aru (it will be replaced by a 5th AF HQ) and base B-24 at Kavieng as they have the range to begin the reduction of TRUK.

Rabaul will be the main SOPAC forward base.

Madang will be built as the SWPAC base to support a move up to Hollianda.

We really need to reorganise now, there is stuff everywhere. We have enough transports to do it... but fuel is critical (hence the CV's shall return to the West Coast).

Lots of Aussie air baseforces have arrived, but most Aussie air units units are restricted, and Tony has just used all the PP"s to free Indian armour units. But this area is next for PP's, unless we free another regt to operate at Adak...

[jrcar]

Future DEI intentions.

The USA 32nd Div (currently at PM) is preping for Boela.

The USA 25th In atTownsville is 100% prepped for Ambon.

At Darwin a bde of the UK 18th div is fully prepped for Dili.

B-17F and P-38F will be used from Aru to close down the further bases, while mediums will be used in closer.

Kaimana will be secured.

Taberfane will also be built up once Aru is where we want it size wise.

But first we need to move force around, rest and train pilots and build airgroups... which will allow them time to dig in

[aoffen]

I was going to ask where you are spending all your PP's. See the total is only 37. Are you paying to be able to load Indian units onto transports for deployment elsewhere or is it other things? Do you spend much realigning your air units with HQ's?
Regards
Andrew

[jrcar]

Tony has just paid 1000 PP to release restricted Indian units to use in Burma, we think that is fair.

Yes will start to reorganise forces better (things aren't to bad)... we will need all our ducks lined up for future operations, up until now we are just trying to maintain contact as they withdraw faster than we can follow up!

Cheers
Rob

ORIGINAL: aoffen

I was going to ask where you are spending all your PP's. See the total is only 37. Are you paying to be able to load Indian units onto transports for deployment elsewhere or is it other things? Do you spend much realigning your air units with HQ's?
Regards
Andrew

[Cribtop]

Don't be discouraged by the operational pause. Y'all are WAY ahead of the game for 1 Sept. 1942. Yes, in part this is the enemies' "hard inner perimeter" strategy; but in part it is good play. You have taken all you can expect and more given these realities. Take some time and ensure your next moves are solid. Why? Because no matter where you move from here (except maybe in the Marshalls and they aren't really worth it) - be it Truk, further into DEI, or to points West of Hollandia - you will hit that "hard inner perimeter." The conundrum near Rangoon is an example of this. Get your house in order and then really take it to them in 45-60 days.

[jrcar]

Thanks Cribtop, even though you are on the dark side you are correct!

But as Aussies we were always told to patrol hard, maintain contact and ambush everywhere...

It is hard reconciling the two...

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Don't be discouraged by the operational pause. Y'all are WAY ahead of the game for 1 Sept. 1942. Yes, in part this is the enemies' "hard inner perimeter" strategy; but in part it is good play. You have taken all you can expect and more given these realities. Take some time and ensure your next moves are solid. Why? Because no matter where you move from here (except maybe in the Marshalls and they aren't really worth it) - be it Truk, further into DEI, or to points West of Hollandia - you will hit that "hard inner perimeter." The conundrum near Rangoon is an example of this. Get your house in order and then really take it to them in 45-60 days.

[jrcar]

We are getting "itchy in the middle of the back" feelings about KB and Rabaul...

As I noted above I felt that it is likely KB will attack to close the field and port for as long as possible...

We have the three USMC regiments not far away on the way in to Rabaul... but we now agree we will either divert to Shortlands (which is equally as exposed, but a much less likely ambush point)... or PM... I just hope we aren't too late...

We are flying in some aviation support to try and get search aircraft up....

There is a lot of sea now between us... and for the moment KB owns whatever part it is in, and we own none of it!

(like the Jungle the sea is neutral)

[Cribtop]

Uh oh. To paraphrase Cuttlefish in his AAR - "If you don't know where KB is, your ships may have only seconds to live." Your estimate seems likely given that KB was on the north side of NG and now has gone quiet. Steaming toward Rabaul is a likely move on their part.

[jrcar]

Well Tony is in charge of the ships in the area, so it will be his incompetence not mine that will/could/has been on display!

Good thing about team games, you can blame your partner while praising the enemy!

Cheers

Rob

[jrcar]

02-03 Sep 1942

Subs
We hit a Japanese sub near Merauke.

In the inland sea we attack and hit an xAKL and a TK, but no bangs

Burma
Two days of sustained attacks sees Ramree Island fall... still lots of enemy to kill though.

Enemy troops appear to be moving out of Rangoon to Pegu... maybe they will shorten their lines by another hex!

DEI
Sabang falls and the last Dutch forces surrender.

Lots of air action over Aru and environs. Our heavy CAP shoot down 6-10 searching Nell, 3-5 Jake, a couple of Val and a few other odds and ends!

Val and Mabel are sighted, so CV's are probably back in the area (unless they have been dismounted from the CV's), but don't attack.

Sorong becomes a level 2 port. Definatelt a key location in their plans now!

Sigint indicates that the "24th Infantry Regiment is headed to Kendari".

SWPAC
Kavieng falls to paras.

KB doesn't attack.

Buna makes a lvl2 afld. Development will cease and these forces will move forward.

SOPAC
Luganville makes level 5 Afld.

Ndeni makes a level 3 afld.

CENTPAC
TB makes level 4 afld.

NORPAC
No change to normal. This is acting as a good pilot training ground!

[jrcar]

Again this turn has confused us.

It confirms they are digging in on a strong defensive line.

Sightings of Val and Mabel, but no attacks (weather wasn't great though).

And a failure to trash Rabaul.

It all points to a continued desire to minimise CV air losses (although this fails in part due to the massive CAP over Aru, over 120 fighters are still based there).

But the shear passiveness of the actions are disturbing...

We need to be careful to not be lulled into a false sense of security... but also we need to continue to seek to engage and destroy the enemy!

Ah well, I look forward to reading their AAR, I think they are a bit dispondant, and are crediting our airforce to be much stronger than it is (it is in OK shape, but very fragile, a couple of big hits and we are in trouble).

Looking forward to seeing the turn.

Cheers

Rob

[jrcar]

Well the shipping ended the turn at Rabaul, so it will unload there. We were lucky, agressive play may have seen us loose most of a USMC Div!

In the DEI a small? CVE/CVL/CS force is at Babo, it lost a lot of Jakes to our CAP as noted, and doesn't have the strike punch to do much... but I suspect is there trying to stop forces being flown in to Timokea.

At Merauke we are unloading forces destined for the Ambon invasion. I have moved them up as I'm concerned I don't have enough ground combat strength at Aru... this way I can FT/fly forces in rapidily.

Need to move the SWPAC HQ from Horn Island to probably Aru, waiting for escorts.

Also need to move a 5th Airforce HQ to Aru to swap for the VIIth (which needs to go to Rabaul).

My plan is to move the II Fighter HQ to Madang and it will support the movement up the east coast of PNG, while the 2 HQ's of the 5th will move up the west coast and support actions in the DEI.

The B-17E and B-24D units are starting to fill towards full strength, but need to train a bit before they are recommitted.

Cheers

Rob

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: jrcar

Sightings of Val and Mabel, but no attacks (weather wasn't great though).

This doesn't necessarily mean carriers are in the area. I occasionally move training DB/TB units to an area and put a small % of them on naval search just to give the signature of a carrier. I hope it gives my opponent fits. [:D] He never really knows where KB is. And when he does know for sure, it's too late. [X(]

[Mike Solli]

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