The Power of Inexperience / GreyJoy(A)-Rader(J)

[GreyJoy]

First of all thx CR and AndyMac! Very usefull observations.

But before responding and talking about tactics...i'd like to share with you this incredible 2days of battles over Karachi.
Numbers are hard to be believed. 186 losses on my side and...503 on his side![X(][X(]. I've lost 35 pilots but i don't wanna guess how many brave Saburo he has lost today...
His usual sweeps went in pretty well and badly demolish my CAP. However when it came the horde of 300 bombers escorted by 200 oscars my fighters were re-directed almost immediately towards the bombers and chewed them up badly!
His bombings at Karachi AF have been unsignificant...9 planes lost on the ground...even if flak was less than a nuisance for him as usual.
The KB, instead of the usual sweep-aid, send his bombers against my SCTFs parked at Karachi...i got two CLs pretty badly damaged by his Vals but that was all...and he paid an heavy price in terms of KB crews of zeros, Vals and Kates. Luckly my DDs were able to avoid easily his bombs and my fighters, despite the horrible losses taken in these 2 days, managed to outclass his escorts.
But now the problem...the big problem is that i scraped all my pools...and they're empty! Nothing is left of P-40s, P-39s,P38s or hurricanes.
Anyway, a good day. he cannot sustain these losses for too long. Our new disposition went really good with p-39s acting as baits at very low level... Mohawks performed in a great way and the p-38 squadron reached the incredible kill ratio of 8-1!![&o].

He's now moving 30 units up to 44,19...which is where we attacked his tank army two days ago...he's massing his troops on the border of the LOD south of Jodpur...he's almost ready to attack!

I know it's boring...but i'd really like to share with you this combat report...

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jul 21, 42
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The first usual sweeps
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Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 11 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 8
Buffalo I x 16
Hurricane IIa Trop x 11
Hurricane IIb Trop x 47
Hurricane IIc Trop x 39
Mohawk IV x 14
Kittyhawk IA x 10
Kittyhawk IA x 9
P-38E Lightning x 16
P-39D Airacobra x 28
P-40E Warhawk x 125


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 39



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 8
Buffalo I x 16
Hurricane IIa Trop x 11
Hurricane IIb Trop x 45
Hurricane IIc Trop x 39
Mohawk IV x 13
Kittyhawk IA x 8
Kittyhawk IA x 8
P-38E Lightning x 15
P-39D Airacobra x 27
P-40E Warhawk x 117


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
22 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 25000 feet


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Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 39



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 8
Buffalo I x 14
Hurricane IIa Trop x 10
Hurricane IIb Trop x 41
Hurricane IIc Trop x 35
Mohawk IV x 12
Kittyhawk IA x 8
Kittyhawk IA x 6
P-38E Lightning x 13
P-39D Airacobra x 20
P-40E Warhawk x 105


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
29 x A6M2 Zero sweeping at 20000 feet



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Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 19 NM, estimated altitude 29,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 21



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 7
Buffalo I x 13
Hurricane IIa Trop x 10
Hurricane IIb Trop x 38
Hurricane IIc Trop x 31
Mohawk IV x 10
Kittyhawk IA x 8
Kittyhawk IA x 5
P-38E Lightning x 11
P-39D Airacobra x 19
P-40E Warhawk x 94


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
P-38E Lightning: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
8 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 25000 feet

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Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 45 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 32



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 7
Buffalo I x 12
Hurricane IIa Trop x 9
Hurricane IIb Trop x 31
Hurricane IIc Trop x 28
Mohawk IV x 8
Kittyhawk IA x 6
Kittyhawk IA x 4
P-38E Lightning x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 14
P-40E Warhawk x 86


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
23 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 20000 feet *

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Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 16 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 23



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 7
Buffalo I x 12
Hurricane IIa Trop x 9
Hurricane IIb Trop x 26
Hurricane IIc Trop x 27
Mohawk IV x 7
Kittyhawk IA x 4
Kittyhawk IA x 2
P-38E Lightning x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 79


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 20000 feet *


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Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 47 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 37



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 6
Buffalo I x 11
Hurricane IIa Trop x 9
Hurricane IIb Trop x 24
Hurricane IIc Trop x 24
Mohawk IV x 4
Kittyhawk IA x 2
Kittyhawk IA x 2
P-38E Lightning x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 71


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
22 x A6M3 Zero sweeping at 25000 feet *


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Then it came the HORDE
Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 189 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 60 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 59
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 117
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 125
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 115



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 5
Buffalo I x 11
Hurricane IIa Trop x 8
Hurricane IIb Trop x 21
Hurricane IIc Trop x 14
Mohawk IV x 4
Kittyhawk IA x 2
Kittyhawk IA x 2
P-38E Lightning x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 10
P-40E Warhawk x 59


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 10 destroyed, 4 damaged
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 15 destroyed, 17 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 4 destroyed
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 11 destroyed, 24 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
Wellington Ic: 1 destroyed on ground
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 destroyed on ground



Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 6

Aircraft Attacking:
all bombers bombing from 20000 feet *

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Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 176 NM, estimated altitude 25,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 60 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 25



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 5
Buffalo I x 11
Hurricane IIa Trop x 8
Hurricane IIb Trop x 18
Hurricane IIc Trop x 11
Mohawk IV x 4
Kittyhawk IA x 2
Kittyhawk IA x 2
P-38E Lightning x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 7
P-40E Warhawk x 49


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed



Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 20000 feet *


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Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 181 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 57 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 50



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 5
Buffalo I x 9
Hurricane IIa Trop x 8
Hurricane IIb Trop x 17
Hurricane IIc Trop x 11
Mohawk IV x 3
Kittyhawk IA x 2
Kittyhawk IA x 2
P-38E Lightning x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 5
P-40E Warhawk x 44


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 14 destroyed

No Allied losses


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Karachi at 37,10

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 133 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 49 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 30
D3A1 Val x 15



No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Panther
CL Caledon, Bomb hits 4, on fire
DD Napier


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Karachi at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 176 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 75 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 85
B5N2 Kate x 26
D3A1 Val x 13



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 3
Buffalo I x 8
Hurricane IIa Trop x 6
Hurricane IIb Trop x 16
Hurricane IIc Trop x 10
Mohawk IV x 2
Kittyhawk IA x 2
Kittyhawk IA x 2
P-38E Lightning x 6
P-39D Airacobra x 5
P-40E Warhawk x 43


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 6 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 15 destroyed
D3A1 Val: 6 destroyed

No Allied losses



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 31



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 3
Buffalo I x 8
Hurricane IIa Trop x 2
Hurricane IIb Trop x 13
Hurricane IIc Trop x 9
Mohawk IV x 1
Kittyhawk IA x 2
Kittyhawk IA x 2
P-38E Lightning x 4
P-39D Airacobra x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 36


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed


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Morning Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 44 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 25



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 2
Buffalo I x 5
Hurricane IIa Trop x 1
Hurricane IIb Trop x 9
Hurricane IIc Trop x 6
Kittyhawk IA x 1
Kittyhawk IA x 2
P-38E Lightning x 2
P-39D Airacobra x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 26


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed



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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Karachi at 40,8

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 175 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 65 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 104
B5N2 Kate x 14
D3A1 Val x 38



Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 2
Buffalo I x 2
Hurricane IIa Trop x 4
Hurricane IIb Trop x 9
Hurricane IIc Trop x 8
Mohawk IV x 3
Kittyhawk IA x 1
Kittyhawk IA x 1
P-38E Lightning x 4
P-39D Airacobra x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 18


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed
D3A1 Val: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
Kittyhawk IA: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Java, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
CL Emerald
AM Cromer, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
DD Van Ghent
CL Tromp
DD Evertsen
ML No. 230



AND THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE TWO DAYS OF BATTLE!!!!

[GreyJoy]

.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

I agree plus you get a lot of force when he crosses the line - an Armoured Div, 5 Inf Divs, Corps HQ, Corps Engr Regt and a special convoy with a full Div set of replacement arty, and equivalent to 4 Bdes worth of Infantry replacements (if it was post the data patch) you also get 72 Hurricanes, 72 Spitfires, 36 Vengeance, 72 Wellingtons and 24 Catalinas.

The Spits are Spit VIII's not Vc's so just make sure you somehow get them in the air with decent pilots and watch his losses increase....

Do not underestimate the CP cost if he donest garrison his LOC in India a lot of the bases he has captured will need a full Div to garrison e.g. Calcutta and Madras both need a Div more or less thats a lot of firepower to tie down in th erear areas

To take Karachi with 500k supply lvl 8 forts and 6,000 AV will require a force of 25+ Divs he simple cannot afford that committment just think it through a single Japanese Div needs about 1,500 supply per month in combat double it so say 3,000 now assume wastage to get to the front and an allowance to repair damaged devices lets say 5,000 supply per month per Div has to arrive that means he needs 100,000 to 150,000 supply per month before taking account of the air force or thefuel he will need and it wont be a quick battle.

So what you need to be doing is sending subs into the bay of bengal to harass his convoys, mining the malacca strait heavily every chance you get, using the RN operating out its secure bases in small TF's of 2 - 3 ships to make him supply from the south coast you need to stretch his logistics tot he limit and keep on hitting it - India is a quagmire for the Japanese in AE hamsting him keep him low on supply and when the timer is reight use those 5+ Divs to land somewhere behind him.

If 6,000 AV cannot hold its not likely 8,000 will so dont commit the forces you are about to get hold them back for your Inchon landing after you have bled him.

Think big how does he get that army back in position if in a years time after he has beld white besieging Karachi you land XXI Indian Corps and I Australian Corps into Sumarte and Georgetown closing the malacca strait at thqat point he is screwed.

He need to finish karacvhi quickly or he is so overextended its game over and he loses

That is those kind of infos that really can change my mind Andy, thanks!
So you're basically sayin: forget about bringing the reinforcement divisions from Aden to Karachi. Too risky. Dig in Karachi and wait to use those units later in the game for a big landing behind enemy lines! Brave!
But don't you think that 6 divisions can really change the land war in India (meaning save Karachi) if i manage to bring them into the sub-continent?

And what is a "CP" cost? you mean the victory points lost for not garrisoning?

In August i'm starting to get 65 P40K each month and some 25 P-38Fs...hopefully these new toys will have a decent impact on the Indian air war...

Ok, too tired now...here it's 2 o'clock in the morning and tomorrow i got a full day. Night gents[&o]

[witpqs]

"CP" is a typo, he meant VP.

If you start to withdraw squadrons in India that are overdue those pilots and planes will go to the pools and save you the penalty VPs.

[GreyJoy]

July 23,24 1942

Two more days of battle over Karachi. Two more days of glory and pain.
Our CAP, despite the terrible losses of the week, managed to achieve an amazing 3-1 kill ratio, savaging Japanese bombers that are now really starting to suffer the terrible losses of the last 6 days. Overall losses have been high on both sides. 111 on my side and 278 on his...
At the same time our 4Es attacked the enemy's army at 44,19 but paid an heavy price against a fierce LRCAP made up by Ki-45 Nicks.
The KB sent again his bombers against my CLs at Karachi...didn't score a single hit but suffered heavy losses with his escort and bombers.
It seems that the shield of the japanese fighters(shield that prevented me during the first days of battle in May to achieve a single hit on his bombers when heavily escorted) is getting less effective and, at the same time, my fighters are able to get through the escort more easily.
Rader confirmed me that his pools are getting dry too...and i bet his pilots pool is suffering a lot...i lost only 15 pilots today...Still have nearly 300 fighters at Karachi...but these are really the last ones...
I also think he's ready to cross the LOD...no other reason to park 35 units at 44,19 exposed to my bombers. We've been bombing today the 1st guard Divisions and the 4th Guards regiment...he's defenetly ready to cross.
The KB remains parked there...7 hexes west of Karachi...my subs are desperately trying to get to her but she's always been able to avoid them...however the last days clearly taught me that even the almighty KB may have problems against a stiff land base defence

[GreyJoy]

.

[DOCUP]

Nice AAR Grey really enjoying it.

doc

[GreyJoy]

From a Churchill's speech to the Karachi Fortress Commander( May 15 1942):

"...The so called the Battle of India is over. I expect that the Battle of Karachi is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization in the Indies and the survival of our most precious jewel. upon it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us now. Tojo knows that he will have to break us in this city or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all India may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age, made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say, "This was their finest hour."

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

GreyJoy, your morale swings are totally consistent with what we'd expect for a fairly new player under great pressure.  But you don't need to be down on yourself nearly as much as you are:

1)  Your air losses have actually be very good for an Allied player in mid 1942 in Scenario Two.  There are experienced Allied players that have been looking at your ratios - even those you've bemoaned over the past six days - and said, "Wow, I wish i could get close to 1:1 against Japan!"  You've bled rader badly through the air.

2)  Rader made a humongous mistake letting you have two months to build and supply at Karachi.  I don't know where the KB at the time, but as we've said before, he should have come for Karachi immediately. 

3)  As a relatively new player, you're probably not seeing the big picture very well.  That's really going to hamper you in any operation in the Bonins, Marshals, etc.  Even if you succeed in such an operation, you may not know how to make use of it effectively, so that rader just isolates your lodgements and comes back to deal with them later when his ships are available.  Taking Iwo Jima and other islands doesn't mean anything if you don't know how to make use of them, your enemy ignores it, and then comes later with overwhelming force to reclaim them.

4)  Before you commit to any operation in the Pacific, you need to ask yourself questions about India.  Must you have your carriers there to thwart rader from imposing an airtight blockade?  It may be too late to be asking yourself this question, but I'd be looking at it from all angles.

Concerning point 3 and 4:
I get your point CR. Actually till now in 8 months of war i wasn't able to do anything consistent in the pacific, despite i had plenty of time and resources. In fact i've been almost overwhelmed by the logistic in the pacific and the plans switching has greatly slowed down my capacity of conducing even a limited offensive.
However it seems to me that this is the only window i have to do something. If i wait more (let's say beginning of 43) the scenario may be really much more different (with Rader master of India and his winning troops coming back to garrison every single dot base in the pacific). For sure i know nothing about how to distrupt his comm lines once taken the Bonins...but i think i'll have to learn it the hard way on the field.
Carriers in India? Well...now that the Kb has been seriorusly harmed I'd love to have them at CT ready to come into action...however they're at PH now...and bringing them to CT would mean lose another 2 months...they could arrive when it's too late...once Rader will conquer Hyderabad he won't need the KB no more...and i'm pretty sure once he crosses the LOD he'll be as fast as usual to rush towards Jodpur and Hyderabad... No, i think i've already lost that chance long time ago. Now i need my CVs to cover my pacific operations. Without them i cannot hope to defend my transports from the Netties...

[SoliInvictus202]

are you also gonna fight "on the beaches, on the landing grounds - until in God's good time, the new worlds, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old" ? [;)]

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

I agree plus you get a lot of force when he crosses the line - an Armoured Div, 5 Inf Divs, Corps HQ, Corps Engr Regt and a special convoy with a full Div set of replacement arty, and equivalent to 4 Bdes worth of Infantry replacements (if it was post the data patch) you also get 72 Hurricanes, 72 Spitfires, 36 Vengeance, 72 Wellingtons and 24 Catalinas.

The Spits are Spit VIII's not Vc's so just make sure you somehow get them in the air with decent pilots and watch his losses increase....

For what concerns spits and hurris i'd really love to have them! I'm planning to devote to these twos models 3 very experienced british squadrons, with all pilots in their 70s. These guys, with the backup of P-40Es and Ks and along with a one P-38 squadron will be the backbone of my last aerial defence. For sure 144 planes won't make the difference in the long run, but at this loss ratio Rader won't be in a good shape neither!

Do not underestimate the CP cost if he donest garrison his LOC in India a lot of the bases he has captured will need a full Div to garrison e.g. Calcutta and Madras both need a Div more or less thats a lot of firepower to tie down in th erear areas

To take Karachi with 500k supply lvl 8 forts and 6,000 AV will require a force of 25+ Divs he simple cannot afford that committment just think it through a single Japanese Div needs about 1,500 supply per month in combat double it so say 3,000 now assume wastage to get to the front and an allowance to repair damaged devices lets say 5,000 supply per month per Div has to arrive that means he needs 100,000 to 150,000 supply per month before taking account of the air force or thefuel he will need and it wont be a quick battle.

Despite the presence of the KB i've been able till now to send 5000 supplies weekly to Karachi...And forts are already going up to level 9...I think my 4Es can make a real difference in the upcoming days. They will eat my supplies but will eat more fast his supplies. If i can manage to switch the targets often (as i've been doing in the last 2 weeks) i'm pretty sure i can catch Rader somewhere off guard...and if i manage to close one of his major AFs (sooner or later those AAs will have to be moved up to the front from Surat) the balance of the whole campaign may change.

So what you need to be doing is sending subs into the bay of bengal to harass his convoys, mining the malacca strait heavily every chance you get, using the RN operating out its secure bases in small TF's of 2 - 3 ships to make him supply from the south coast you need to stretch his logistics tot he limit and keep on hitting it - India is a quagmire for the Japanese in AE hamsting him keep him low on supply and when the timer is reight use those 5+ Divs to land somewhere behind him.

If 6,000 AV cannot hold its not likely 8,000 will so dont commit the forces you are about to get hold them back for your Inchon landing after you have bled him.

Think big how does he get that army back in position if in a years time after he has beld white besieging Karachi you land XXI Indian Corps and I Australian Corps into Sumarte and Georgetown closing the malacca strait at thqat point he is screwed.

He need to finish karacvhi quickly or he is so overextended its game over and he loses

That's an interesting idea...but still i'm uncertain...the Indian Corp could really hamper my defences to a point where he can no longer advance...however now i'm studing how to harrass his convoys in the bay of Bengal...it's not that easy with his Helens so deadly on ASW role...every time i get closer than 4 hexes to one of his base i got hit...[:o]

Thanks a lot Andy!!

[Miller]

The loss of pilots must have been catastrophic for Raeder over the last few days, especially those based on the KB, plus the morale of his airgroups must be low acroos the board.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Miller

The loss of pilots must have been catastrophic for Raeder over the last few days, especially those based on the KB, plus the morale of his airgroups must be low acroos the board.

That's what i hope Miller!
If all those downed planes (or most of them) mean pilots lost behind enemy lines (MIA or KIA)...well, Rader must have seen his best pre-war pilots gone for good by now, while, i have to say, my pilots situation is pretty good. The american training program is giving a lot of good pilots with 70 in A2A skill...and the brits have a decent pool of pilots with experience well above 60...
Especially the morale of his bomber crews must have suffered a lot...more than 300 bomber lost in 4 days is a HUGE number...even for Japan!

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

Nice AAR Grey really enjoying it.

doc

Thx Doc, glad you like it[:)]

[GreyJoy]

Ok, i have a question for the grogs here. I was analyzing my air groups at Karachi and noticed that, ceteris paribus, the group still equipped with Hurri Ia are performing defenetly better than most of those equipped with Hurri MkIIb and c...
At the same time i noticed that MkIIb performs, ceteris paribus, better than Mk.IIc...does this make any sense to you?
Experience is almost equal in the analized groups and so i wonder if the "problem" is related simply to the plane.
Should i be happy to get 72 Mk.IIb if he crosses the LOD instead of 72 mk.IIc?

[kfsgo]

Probably - as you go down the Hurricane II line performance decreases! The IIa is faster and more maneuverable than the IIb, which is faster and more maneuverable than the IIc. For the stuff you're fighting - rice-paper fighters and a significant proportion of unarmoured bombers - they're all armed well enough - with the IIa and IIb being preferable vs fighters (higher weapon accuracy) and the IIc probably preferable vs bombers given the 20mm's armour penetration.

Purely from an air superiority point of view you might be better off with 72 IIas instead (probably depends whether you're facing mostly Ki-43 or A6M), but you're not really losing out on anything through getting IIbs.

[dekwik]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

From a Churchill's speech to the Karachi Fortress Commander( May 15 1942):

"...The so called the Battle of India is over. I expect that the Battle of Karachi is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization in the Indies and the survival of our most precious jewel. upon it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us now. Tojo knows that he will have to break us in this city or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all India may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age, made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say, "This was their finest hour."

That's the speech we've been waiting for! [;)]

I'm still not clear what your motive or objective is in the South Pacific. If it's to seize and hold something substantial like the Marianas, it makes sense. -if you think your CV protection can stand up to the LBA, and that it's wise to try that yet. But if it's just to "do something"....... The only south pacific bases you need to care about taking are the ones with substantial airbases or ports. Most of the rest are just (limited capacity) prison camps or at best sub bases or recon posts.

Now if you could threaten Sumatra, Java (even just a lodgement on Cocos etc) that really leaves Japan sticking their neck out....

Just my 2 cents but sometimes a real threat two months from now is better that a minor irritation right now.....

[witpqs]

I agree on the Hurricanes' performance, although I suppose the IIc might be a little better against bombers with that heavier armament.

You might think twice about bombing that army stack until it is closer. Make it harder for his fighters (further from their bases).

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: kfsgo

Probably - as you go down the Hurricane II line performance decreases! The IIa is faster and more maneuverable than the IIb, which is faster and more maneuverable than the IIc. For the stuff you're fighting - rice-paper fighters and a significant proportion of unarmoured bombers - they're all armed well enough - with the IIa and IIb being preferable vs fighters (higher weapon accuracy) and the IIc probably preferable vs bombers given the 20mm's armour penetration.

Purely from an air superiority point of view you might be better off with 72 IIas instead (probably depends whether you're facing mostly Ki-43 or A6M), but you're not really losing out on anything through getting IIbs.

Yes, i agree on the analysis. The only problem i find with the mk IIb is that, with the new rule we have, won't go higher than 20k, while the MkIIc can go higher than that.
Thanks!

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: dekwik

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

From a Churchill's speech to the Karachi Fortress Commander( May 15 1942):

"...The so called the Battle of India is over. I expect that the Battle of Karachi is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization in the Indies and the survival of our most precious jewel. upon it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us now. Tojo knows that he will have to break us in this city or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all India may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age, made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will say, "This was their finest hour."

That's the speech we've been waiting for! [;)]

I'm still not clear what your motive or objective is in the South Pacific. If it's to seize and hold something substantial like the Marianas, it makes sense. -if you think your CV protection can stand up to the LBA, and that it's wise to try that yet. But if it's just to "do something"....... The only south pacific bases you need to care about taking are the ones with substantial airbases or ports. Most of the rest are just (limited capacity) prison camps or at best sub bases or recon posts.

Now if you could threaten Sumatra, Java (even just a lodgement on Cocos etc) that really leaves Japan sticking their neck out....

Just my 2 cents but sometimes a real threat two months from now is better that a minor irritation right now.....

Don't think conquering the Bonins will rapresent just a minor irritating thing for Japan. If i manage to get there, by the time he send his army back from India i'll have plenty of troops, LBAs and CVs that he won't be able to simply steamroll over my positions.
Sumatra and Java are too far away from my major bases (Oz isn't a major base yet, operativly speaking) and too close to his main asset (KB)...