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

[Canoerebel]

It is certainly appropriate that the rader/GreyJoy Battle of Guadalcanal is being fought at Guadalcanal.  Keep it up and watch the enemy reinforce defeat!

[GreyJoy]

I have 4 fast BBs at hand...but i'm pretty uneasy at the idea of committing them...he has the KB south of shortland and LOTS of Betties/Vals/Kates in the area. Is it worth to bombard a base (one of many of his in the area) risking another BB for a secondary target? I don't think so...i'd like to keep them in reserve for when he'll finally decide to invade (if he ever does). If he committs them he for sure can shut down a couple of my AFs for some days...but the risk is very high...as long as i keep my DDs and CLs in the area, if he committs the BBs, he is the one who risks the most between us. A sub-torp, a mine, a lucky PT, a torpedo bomber, a lucky DD...his ships will be at risk...and he has to invade if he wants to save those 5 divisions trapped at Tulagi!

[House Stark]

Nice job! You've trapped an army, continued to shred his air force, and now you've nailed a heavy cruiser. About your kill ratios-from what I've seen on other AARs and from experienced players' comments on this one, you're doing very well. Japan should not be losing 2-3 times as many planes as the Allies before the second generation fighters really start to arrive in droves.

As for your battleships, I agree that you should hold them back. If he comes down in force to land more forces or evacuate, that's when you should try to ram a few heavy surface task forces down the slot to try to interfere. They are your ultimate reserve/hammer. Why should you keep risking more than cruisers if they get the job done well enough? With your subs and planes nearby, you proved that you don't need to outright sink his ships, just slow them down.

[JohnDillworth]

I have 4 fast BBs at hand...but i'm pretty uneasy at the idea of committing them...he has the KB south of shortland and LOTS of Betties/Vals/Kates in the area. Is it worth to bombard a base (one of many of his in the area) risking another BB for a secondary target? I don't think so...i'd like to keep them in reserve for when he'll finally decide to invade (if he ever does). If he committs them he for sure can shut down a couple of my AFs for some days...but the risk is very high...as long as i keep my DDs and CLs in the area, if he committs the BBs, he is the one who risks the most between us. A sub-torp, a mine, a lucky PT, a torpedo bomber, a lucky DD...his ships will be at risk...and he has to invade if he wants to save those 5 divisions trapped at Tulagi!

Good points. If the time and place comes to commit them, pick the absolutely best, most aggressive leader you can. Leaders make a big difference in surface actions. Good luck

[crsutton]

Good fight. You are going to really start getting a lot of new DDs soon. They will help make up your losses.

[dekwik]

I know you get a lot of advice, and have enough to do already, but I'd think seriously about using 4 to 10 long leg CL or DDs in 2 to 5 STFs operating from Pearl. There's a big air gap between Wake and Marcus, and Marcus to the Aleutians that allows you to "sneak" a few raiders through. It's pretty porous to small TF's at the best of times, and the way Rader puts all his force at the point of his spear, it's hard to believe he is using anything but amphib planes for his search perimeter. Even if he has some LBA on search will he also have it set to naval attack? And will it be close enough to his Air HQ's to use torpedoes against your agile ships?

If you raid ports from 15 hexes or so you can be away before he reacts with 2 day turns. Naval search is pretty "iffy" over 300 miles unless there's a heavy concentration. Obviously you need to stay away from his current focus and a few hexes radius from potential Air HQ locations. But the Bonins are vulnerable, and perhaps even the Marianas, and the supply line between the two.

It's not a war winning tactic, not will it cost you the war in ships lost (and you will lose some). But if it forces Japan to move some LBA back to protect his supply line, it's better than shooting those planes down, since we already know he seems to have an almost infinite ability to replace them.

Keep up the fight!

[GreyJoy]

Every advice is precious and well appreaciated Dekwik! Thanks!

I think about it...i have many subs in those waters and they don't seem to spot anything up there, while the Helens ASW is very active in the Bonins... However i have some ships at PH that could be used for that pourpose...even if i badly need everything to face his dreaded naval armies in the Solomons...i'll think about it.

For the moment i've ordered a general air retreat towards Karakira for next turn. All our SCTFs will retire to Karakira and Ndeni, along with my planes. We can never stay too long on the same base with the same force concentration...i'm hoping for another CAP-TRAP over karakira...300 fighters present and my best SCTF (The Boise CL with 6 Fletcher DDs).

Now i really wanna see what he's up to...what is he waiting for?! He has everything at Rabaul...all his army, navy and aviation...The whole Combined Fleet is there... talking about a clash of titans

[House Stark]

This is looking like another Karachi. He moved a huge army to a staging point in preparation for a massive attack, and then proceeded to attempt to soften up the target with aerial and naval attacks. As at Karachi, he has not succeeded. Perhaps he's having doubts about whether he should go all in. If he wins, he's set you back a long time. If he does nothing, he loses several divisions. If he loses, then he's probably suffered considerable losses in men, ships, and aircraft.

As for surface raiding-do you know if he has Netties guarding Sakhalin? Maybe a quick dash from the Aleutians could get there, and the weather is more likely to be poor and hamper strikes. I'm playing mods so I'm not certain of what he gets there in stock, but isn't there resources and maybe oil? If so, you're certain to find shipping there.

[GreyJoy]

Karachi was an easier "beast" for him imho. I was cornered, with only 2 bases left, cut out from the USN fleet and he didnt need to do any amphib landing...
Here it's different. Landings are a tricky thing, even for the mighty japanese. At PM he could march 5000 AVs...here he cannot. He has to risk an amphib landing and he has to committ everything if he wants to have a chance... but to do that, to risk his KB and his combined fleet in a big-scale landing operation he needs to have the complete control of the skies...and he hasn't achieved it yet. He's keeping his waves of Helens out of the battle since Jannuary...for sure he's building a HUGE force of bombers...but he needs to shut down 4 AFs at the same time to be sure my AirForce won't be there waiting for him when he comes...and that's not an easy task. Moreover i still have my 6 USN CVs that soon will be equipped with Hellcats...he should hurry up...every day my defences become stronger ...if he landed at Tassafaronga just one month ago he'd had found only a regiment waiting for him...now i have two CD units, 3 Regiments, 2 artillery units, 1 Combat Eng Rgt and 1 Tank Bn supported by the Corp HQ at Lunga and by the Army HQ at Kirakira...

I don't feel very confident with the idea of using my precious and limited naval assets in some minor operations behind enemy lines...risky and without any real possible gain...however, just in case i change my mind, i'm sending a CL and 4 DDs to Midway...

My Eastern Army left hyderabad today. Marching towards Multan...he still has 1200 a/c at Jodpur and for sure 29 units at Multan plus 81 at Jodpur...and yet he's not bombing me...[&:]

[House Stark]

Maybe he's not bombing you because he wants to get your units far out enough into the open that he can bomb them to dust without them being able to to gradually make their way back to a city or defensive terrain. That's the worst case scenario.

And Rader's delay in the Solomons should prove that-like at Karachi-for all the times he has second guessed you over the course of the game, he's failed to realize and act in time in two of the most important cases, allowing you to build up strength and prepare to blunt strike. He's skilled, but not perfect. Also, I'd wager he most prefers and is best at land warfare. In both this game and the one where he invaded Russia, his expansion has favored land campaigns. He hasn't gone for Hawaii, the South Pacific, or Australia (where there are several different regions relatively cut off from each other). Instead he's gone for Russia, China, and India. This could just be a fluke, but it might not be. Consider, as you said that he didn't hesitate to march over the mountains and overwhelm Port Moresby, but he's hesitating on follow up amphibious assaults on Tassa/Lunga/Tulagi. He's good with managing his economy and production, but for whatever reason you're killing him in the air. Numbers alone might be sustainable for Japan in 1942, but not once the game progresses and the Allies replacement numbers increase in greater percentages than his production. Now he's possibly paying the price in pilot quality. I'm not Nemo or anyone else that is an expert at judging an opponent, but these things do seem to stand out to me.

[GreyJoy]

mar 14, 15 1943

A quiet turn.
I moved my CAP over Karaikira and he swept with 250+ fighters Tulagi and Lunga finding no opposition, while 40 Vals escorted by 30 Tojos attacked the Boise TF at Karaikira....losing more than 50 planes in the process and hitting the Boise with a couple of bombs causing minimal damage.
Our 4Es bombed Auki destroying 30 planes on the ground while our Corsairs and P-38s swept the same base doing pretty well.

[GreyJoy]

Now i foresee a mass-attack at Kairikira. I've based there 200 of my best fighters and only the Boise TF (1 CL Brooklin Class + 6 Fletcher Class DDs).
I forgot to say that he conquered back for the 4th time Rennell Island with a para landing. We'll answer to that with a counter-para landing,supported by 50 2Es and by a sweep mission of wildcats.
The situation in the Solomons is stable and pretty good. All my 3 bases are well defended, well supplied and forts are up to 6 everywhere now (with lunga at 7). 15 days to go for the HellCats and he hasn't reached the controll of the airspace yet.
Tomorrow our 4Es will bomb again Thousands Ships Bay, which is already back fully operational...it's a Pita to keep those bases closed...he has brought there tons of eng and they're really doing a good job.

[GreyJoy]

Another turn and another slaughter of Japan's bombers.
400 bombers attacked my Eastern Army 2 hexes east of Hyderabad at 6000 ft...result? 250 planes downed by my mobile AA . I gave him the same medicine he gave to my 4Es at Jodpur during the summer of 42! My army is barely scratched and we're on the move again towards Multan!

In the Solomons he swept Tulagi and Lunga with the usual waves of fighters, finding no opposition.
The 1st and the 2nd para BNs re-occupied Rennell Island and are now being re-loaded back to Ndeni. The statlemate continues.
Our corsairs and P-38s swept thousands ship bay, but the results are swfull...1-1 and 8 crack pilots lost for nothing...our 4Es arrived later and closed again the base, destroying 30 fighters on the ground...

Sorry for the mistakes but i'm writing on my blackberry and it's pretty difficoult...

[Canoerebel]

What mistakes?  That might have been your first post that didn't have any GreyJoy creative spelling of placenames. [:D]

[GreyJoy]

however we're organizing a convoy for Tulagi, bringing a tank Bn and 25K supplies. The first step will be Karaikira, where we will stop with a strong escort and under a 185 fighters CAP.then we'll try to jump to Tulagi...i'm pretty sure another battle will occurr...

Today air result is 32 losses for me and 300 for him

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
...Karaikira...

Reverted to form already....

[JeffroK]

No, he's using the CR Atlas of twisted place names.

[GreyJoy]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 20-24 43

Our Convoy directed to Tulagi bringin in a Tank BNs and 25k supplies managed to arrive in the night of the 20th at its destination. A strong SCTF moved to bombard Rekata Bay and intercepted, 2 hexes north of Tulagi,
a strong enemy SCTF which was moving to Tulagi to intercept my convoy - which was close-escorted by the Boise TF. A fierce battle occurred. The japs crossed the T but our guys did their best. The overall result was
a draw with the Hawkins CA(flag-ship ship) eating a fish but with 2 enemy DDs sunk.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Auki at 114,135, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 1
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 4, on fire
CA Aoba
CL Jintsu
CL Nagara
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 1
DD Kazegumo
DD Naganami
DD Onami
DD Kiyonami
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze
DD Natsugumo
DD Kasumi
DD Shirayuki, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Kisaragi
DD Mochizuki
DD Tatsuyuke
DD Uruyuke, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tachekaze

Allied Ships
CA Astoria
CA Quincy, Shell hits 2
CA Hawkins, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Leander, Shell hits 1
CL Trenton, Shell hits 1
CL Cleveland
CL Columbia, Shell hits 1
DD Chevalier
DD Taylor
DD Woodworth
DD Drayton, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Lamson, Shell hits 1
DD Case, Shell hits 1
DD Conyngham
DD Arunta, Shell hits 1



Poor visibility due to Rain with 100% moonlight


Our bombing mission was aborted and our ships retired to Tulagi in cover of the convoy which started to unload unmolested.

When the day came his SCTF parked at Thousand Ships bay, while all my ships were at Tulagi under a strong CAP umbrella.
His bombers didn't dare to interfere, nor his fighters swept...lucky me

On the 22nd i ordered to my damaged ships to get back (the hawkings is safe!) to Ndeni, while the rest of my 2 SCTFs were melted togheder and ordered to chase again the enemy
at Thousand Ships Bay. 5 more DDs were dispatched from Kairakira to Tulagi in order to back up the main combat TF.
My Convoy unloaded safely and managed to steam back to Ndeni unmolested.

So while my CAP was moved back to Kairakira, all my undamaged combat ships moved to Thousands Ships Bay.
Another huge battle occurred...where Lee (my commnder) managed to cross the T. The battle was a draw, with none of our ships really badly damaged...however the DDTF that was following managed to catch
1 CL and 4 DD damaged during the previous battle and dispatched from the main TF. The result was a complete and total victory where we sunk 1 CL and 4DDs...


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 22, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma
CA Mogami
CA Aoba, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
CL Jintsu
CL Nagara
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 1
DD Kazegumo
DD Naganami
DD Onami
DD Kiyonami
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 1
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze, Shell hits 3
DD Natsugumo
DD Kasumi, Shell hits 1
DD Kisaragi, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Mochizuki

Allied Ships
CA Astoria, Shell hits 5, on fire
CA Quincy, Shell hits 1
CL Leander, Shell hits 1
CL Boise
CL Cleveland, Shell hits 1
CL Columbia
DD Fletcher
DD Chevalier, Shell hits 2
DD Cony
DD DeHaven
DD Radford
DD Saufley, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Taylor, Shell hits 1
DD Waller
DD Woodworth, Shell hits 1
DD Conyngham




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 2
CA Mogami, Shell hits 3
CL Jintsu
CL Nagara, Shell hits 6, on fire
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Kazegumo
DD Naganami, Shell hits 1
DD Onami, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Kiyonami
DD Kagero
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Hayashio
DD Isokaze, Shell hits 2
DD Natsugumo
DD Kasumi
DD Kisaragi, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Astoria, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
CA Quincy, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Leander, Shell hits 1
CL Boise
CL Cleveland, on fire
CL Columbia, Shell hits 2
DD Fletcher
DD Chevalier, Shell hits 1
DD Cony
DD DeHaven
DD Radford
DD Saufley, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Taylor
DD Waller
DD Woodworth, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
DD Conyngham, Shell hits 1



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 1, heavy fires
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
DD Kasumi, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Kisaragi, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Jarvis
DD Craven, Shell hits 2
DD Gridley
DD McCall
DD Maury






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Thousand Ships Bay at 114,136, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Tatsuta, Shell hits 21, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Kasumi, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
DD Kisaragi, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Jarvis
DD Craven
DD Gridley
DD McCall
DD Maury



When the day came his 200 fighters swept Tulagi but found no opposition...while all our ships (damaged and intact) reached safely Karaikira and then Ndeni.

Our fighters swept Russell isl, followed by 100 bombers....1-1 kill ratio and the base was not completely shut down...so many eng there...

The 6th Army HQ was unloaded safely at Karaikira and now my disposition in the solomons is finally complete!

At Karachi a big supply TF reached Karachi...lost 4 xAKs due to his betties but 40k supplies have been unloaded and our troops are marching again towards Multan!

Overall a couple of good turns. Our objectives were reached with 4/5 enemy DDs sunk + a CL for no losses on my side. Above all our convoys reached unmolested their destinations
and now we can only think about fighting instead of re-supplying Tulagi and co.

[GreyJoy]

The KB now moved north of Vella La Vella...very close to the Solomons...is he up to something? In any case i'll move my naval assets back to Suva for a couple of turns. Ndeni will be a nest with 650 fighters, 100 torpedo bombers and 400 dive and medium bombers, divided in 4 connected bases with 3 air HQs...waiting for another onslaught. The solomons will be empty but for the PTs...

Anyway he has now 3 fully operative bases 1 hexes from Tulagi and Tassa (russell, thousands and Auki)...he has almost gained the controll of the skies over Lunga but now i don't need anymore to send there transport ships so i can fight him back without risking any convoy.
Few days to go for the Hellcats...

[JohnDillworth]

If he is going to move the the KB now is the time. Hellcats are around the corner so he may be trying to make your carriers "an offer they can't refuse". Engaging your carriers now will be a lot easier then it will be a month or 2 from now. Honestly, if LBA were not in the picture, with his lower pilot quality, it's probably a fair fight now. BTW, when Hellcats come on line will you upgrade carriers first or the front line marine squadrons (or do those just go to Corsairs)?