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

[JeffroK]

So you are resigned to being stuck in Karachi, why not get your best LCU out and use them?
You seem to have countered every possible line of approach in your mind, and assume rader knows all of this as well.'

A quick jump to Aden then ship them around to Panama/Pacific. If you cant afford this, then you probably cant afford an Indian campaign.

IMHO, you credit rader with amazing powers, if he has them, why the quagmire he found in the Solomons?
Why hasnt he moved either on Karachi or elsewhere in the PTO?

Even at the least make him sweat a bit, might be a shadow Army like the one that chased you some months back.

[dekwik]

If you could take Diego Garcia you open up about 1,000 miles of Sumatra that he doesn't have to protect much right now. I know that's easier said than done, but once you leave the worm hole he only gets to attack for 2 or 3 days. You will have plenty of CVE's soon. Of course they'll take losses, but it might be worth the price.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: dekwik

If you could take Diego Garcia you open up about 1,000 miles of Sumatra that he doesn't have to protect much right now. I know that's easier said than done, but once you leave the worm hole he only gets to attack for 2 or 3 days. You will have plenty of CVE's soon. Of course they'll take losses, but it might be worth the price.

I think the issue is the shortage of landing type ships. Greyjoy has lost a good many and has to pick and choose where to use them. Right now what he has are in the Pacific.

[GreyJoy]

Sorry guys, very little time to reply...just to let you know that the americans are cloning japanese tactics...and it's working!

Sep 30, Oct 1 1943

4 Fletchers approached at night Shortland. The goal was to catch the numerous single ships that every day leave this bay to supply Thousands and Russell and the other forward japanese bases...
We arrived during a dark night...storms everywhere...we slipped at flank speed into the bay...unseen...and, instead of the merchants, we found a strong cruiser TF with many CA/CLs and some DDs....the americans arrived unseen and caught the japs by surprise...at 1000 yards we start firing against CA Maya, launching many torps at her...3 of them hit the target and, in few seconds, the proud ship became a flaming wreck...many more hits were shot at the poor ship and at her twin...we recieved a couple of hits that damaged a turret and a radar system but nothing more than few points of sys damage...my commander crossed the T and then, when he saw that the Maya was sinking and the other ships were starting to respond, left at max speed the battlefield and arrived at dawn at Tulagi...safe and full of glory!

[:D]

We bombed the base in NG where we spotted those 150 enemy bombers...when we arrived all but 4 of them had already left...:-/

Our search planes attacked and sunk an APD near Thousands, while another APD approaching Auki was sunk by SS-47...

The KB remains near Kavieng....

Enemy cruisers spotted near Christmas Island[&:]

More later....


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Sep 30, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Shortlands at 109,131, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 3 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Takao, Shell hits 3
CA Maya, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CA Mikuma
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 1
CL Abukuma
DD Shimakaze
DD Tamanami
DD Hayanami
DD Natsushio
DD Shiranui
DD Nowaki
DD Tanikaze
DD Takakaze
DD Hikokaze
DD Susukaze

Allied Ships
DD Fletcher
DD Beale, Shell hits 1
DD Eaton, Shell hits 6
DD Hammann



Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions and 3% moonlight: 1,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
Range closes to 3,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 1,000 yards...
Heald, W.S. crosses the 'T'
CA Furutaka engages DD Hammann at 1,000 yards
CA Maya engages DD Eaton at 1,000 yards
CA Maya engages DD Beale at 1,000 yards
CA Takao engages DD Eaton at 1,000 yards
Range increases to 2,000 yards
CA Maya sunk by DD Hammann at 2,000 yards
CA Mikuma engages DD Eaton at 2,000 yards
CA Takao engages DD Eaton at 2,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages DD Eaton at 2,000 yards
DD Tanikaze engages DD Beale at 2,000 yards
DD Hammann engages DD Nowaki at 2,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages DD Beale at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 4,000 yards
DD Hammann engages DD Shiranui at 4,000 yards
DD Eaton engages DD Nowaki at 4,000 yards
CA Takao engages DD Eaton at 4,000 yards
DD Fletcher engages DD Tanikaze at 4,000 yards
DD Hayanami engages DD Eaton at 4,000 yards
Task forces break off...



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Afternoon Air attack on Nadzab , at 98,125

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 73 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 25 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights


Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 85


No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
21 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Airbase hits 64
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 102

[ny59giants]

Bravo Zulu [&o]

[Canoerebel]

We Allied players need to declare a national holiday to truly celebrate every Japanese CA sunk during the war. Those are critical ships to Japan. They are literally irreplaceable. And you just sank more than 5% of rader's CAs.

[DOCUP]

Nice job GJ. 

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP
Nice job GF. 

Girl friend?

[&:]

[DOCUP]

Sorry typo It was suppose to be GJ.

[GreyJoy]

About India...

Jeff, i understand your concerns. I may be uverstimating Rader but i cannot efford another disaster, not now. And, as far as i can tell, Rader's position in India is strong everywhere and he keeps reinforcing it. There may be some weak spots (colombo for example is for sure lightly defended), but to counterinvade there i should re-deploy everything to Indian ocean (and i mean everything)...thus losing more months...months that i don't have. Moreover that will be a terrible risky situation.
My POV is that, considering the actual situation, my best strategy is to force him to remain committed heavily in India, even at the price of letting him use indian industry for many more months, and use this extremely extended perimeter of his against him.
Diego is a good choice but CRsutton is right about my lack of APA/AKA....i barely have 15 APA right now...and i need them in the pacific... It's too late to change my gran strategy back again.
NW OZ and SOPAC are my chosen vectors. I have to stick with them.

However, my CV fleet is organizing at Fiji and my landing fleet is moving towards Ndeni where my 4 divisions will be loaded, under a CAP of 400 fighters and 500 bombers.
The landing fleet will then move towards Tulagi and then to Thousands, covered by 3 SCTF and preceded by 3 bombing runs.
4Es will hit the target base, while CVEs will provide a close-CAP support of 200 Hellcats, while Tulagi, Lunga and Tassafaronga will give home to more 450 fighters.
CVs will stay east of Tulagi, screened by a wave of 22 subs.

The Code Name for this operation is "Hairy Hammer"

[Cribtop]

Nice!

[ny59giants]

I think many of us forget the amount of troops Rader could buy out from China that could be transferred to India. For every division he gets moved there, you will need about three divisions to overcome it.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I think many of us forget the amount of troops Rader could buy out from China that could be transferred to India. For every division he gets moved there, you will need about three divisions to overcome it.

i've made some bombardments in China with what is left of my scattered chinese units...my guess is that Rader has left in China something between 6 and 8k AVs...not much more...

Oct 2, 3 1943

A sleepy turn with lots of logistical movements...organize a big landing armada is a PITA!!!

The first Havoc Night Fighter unit arrived at Lunga, while 9 more night fighters are based at Ndeni...

3 of my BBs will bomb Russell Island Tomorrow, covered by a SCTF composed by 4 CLs and 8 Fletchers. Night fighters will provide CAP, while 3 DDs will bomb Rekata Bay.
Enemy CAs spotted at Rekata last night sinking 5 PTs...
Many enemy subs moving north of Ndeni...

KB still close to Kavieng...Rader is prepping something....600 fighters based at Shortland and more 400 in the bases south of it...

Enemy CAs are moving away from Christmas...very strange move indeed....

[GreyJoy]

Oct 4, 5 1943

Today we sunk an enemy sub 12 hexes north of Ndeni, where Rader is moving lots of wolves...probably he has sniffed that my CVs will position north-east of the solomons and he's trying to deploy his sub fleet there...i'm sending 3 different ASW TFs to hunt in those waters, along with 4 dedicated Air ASW squadrons operating from Reef island (north of Ndeni) and Karaikira.

His CAs retired again from Rekata Bay, while one of my DD division bombed Munda and Rekata Bay again, causing small damages but encreasing the sense of peril that his ships must have in the waters south of Shortland.
Another DD division (3 Fletchers) moved again towards Shortland at night, causing all his ships to flee the harbour...no contacts but again a growing sense of controll of these waters for the allies...we're pushing him back...
His KB remains near Kavieng...he moves every day in order to avoid my subs but i don't really get the meaning of that positioning...Rabaul would be safer

Moon is at 56%...we'll wait for the full moon for our landings...
My landing fleet is approaching Ndeni, while my CVs are leaving Suva harbour right now... I have organized my CVs in the following way:
1 Carrier Division: Yorktown, Saratoga and Lady Lex + 2 CLAA + 1 CA + 9 DDs
2 Carrier Division: Wasp, Essex, Hornet + 2 CLAA + 1 CA + 9 DDs
3 Carrier Division: Yorktown II, Lexinton II, Enterprise + 2 CLAA + 1 (fast) BB + 9 DDs
4 Carrier Division (light): Bunker Hill + 4 CVLs + 3 CAs + 7 DD

My CVEs are grouped in 2 TFs, composed of 4 and 5 CVEs + 2 CAs and 8 DDs each.


There has been a air fight today over Tulagi. We sent 24 strafers (with crews skilled for LOWground attacks) from Karaikira to Tulagi, in order to test the effects of the low ground attacks against an enemy without AAs... some georges came to CAP those poor 17k bastards that are rotting on the Tulagi beaches since jannuary... we lost 2 planes (1 Hellcat and 1 SpitVc) shooting down 9 georges[8D]... These enemies are from a leaky CAP from Rekata Bay based squadrons... Our crews are still very good and now my superior machines are really starting to show their qualities.

We also bombed Russell island with our BBs on our way back to Ndeni


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Russell Islands at 113,136 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 6 damaged
E13A1 Jake: 3 destroyed on ground

37 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
BB Indiana
BB Washington
BB North Carolina
CA Australia
CA Wichita
CA Quincy
CL Santa Fe
CL Montpelier
CL Cleveland

Japanese ground losses:
376 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)



Airbase hits 23
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 97
Port hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Rekata Bay at 113,134

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 3 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 7 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed on ground
N1K1-J George: 3 damaged
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed on ground
D4Y3 Judy: 2 damaged
N1K1 Rex: 2 damaged
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Perkins
DD Cushing
DD Conyngham
DD Case



Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11
Port hits 6
Port supply hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on 5th Division, at 114,137 (Tulagi)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 6



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 4
Spitfire Vc Trop x 6
A-20A1 Havoc x 11
P-38G Lightning x 3
P-38H Lightning x 3
P-40K Warhawk x 7
F4U-1 Corsair x 9
F6F-3 Hellcat x 15


Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire Vc Trop: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ichiki Det. , at 114,137 (Tulagi)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 1



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 6
Spitfire Vc Trop x 5
B-25G Mitchell x 11
P-38G Lightning x 7
P-38H Lightning x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 15
F6F-3 Hellcat x 13


Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Reef Islands at 123,135

Japanese Ships
SS I-168, hits 8, heavy damage

Allied Ships
APD John D. Edwards
APD Fox



Tomorrow 150 4Es from Ndeni will bomb Thousands again...wanna burn as much supply as possible!

[House Stark]

Are you going to have a surface group in the same hex as your carriers? I know you're short on battleships, but it seems that most of your CV TFs have more destroyers than heavy warships, and you wouldn't want Rader getting BBs or CAs in shooting range.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: House Stark

Are you going to have a surface group in the same hex as your carriers? I know you're short on battleships, but it seems that most of your CV TFs have more destroyers than heavy warships, and you wouldn't want Rader getting BBs or CAs in shooting range.

I get your point mate, but it's i have to make trade offs... I need battleships to support my amphib landing TFs, i need strong surface assets to defend them, i need bombardment TFs in order to keep shut his nearby AFs, i need battleships to absorb 250kg bombs instead of my CVs, i need battleships in front of them etc etc etc... i have to chose... and i prefer to have some "light" and nimble CV groups with some independed SCTFs with BBs covering my landing forces...
My CVs will be defended by 2 (light) SCTFs composed by 4 DD+1 CL (omaha class) each...nothing more...

[dekwik]

Have you thought about the orders you'll be giving the CV TFs? In some respects it's riskier to use CV's in an amphib support role than against his shipping.

When you're up against other CVs mid-ocean you pretty much know it's mutually assured destruction- to some level or another anyway. Kind of an exchange of queens. But in a situation like this if I was Rader I'd be parking a CVE or 2 near Shortlands as a sacrificial goat to bring your CVs within massed netty attack. Perhaps with the KB around Rabul to react into the "fun."

If you have your CV's follow an ASW TF that might keep them from chasing him. On react zero and with a cautious (usually bad....) commander And maybe position a bit farther south.

Or keep the CVs out of it even. As an allied commander I'd be more afraid to have the CVs loitering here than when you were considering sending them in against the KB off Sydney.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: dekwik

Have you thought about the orders you'll be giving the CV TFs? In some respects it's riskier to use CV's in an amphib support role than against his shipping.

When you're up against other CVs mid-ocean you pretty much know it's mutually assured destruction- to some level or another anyway. Kind of an exchange of queens. But in a situation like this if I was Rader I'd be parking a CVE or 2 near Shortlands as a sacrificial goat to bring your CVs within massed netty attack. Perhaps with the KB around Rabul to react into the "fun."

If you have your CV's follow an ASW TF that might keep them from chasing him. On react zero and with a cautious (usually bad....) commander And maybe position a bit farther south.

Or keep the CVs out of it even. As an allied commander I'd be more afraid to have the CVs loitering here than when you were considering sending them in against the KB off Sydney.

Yes, i understand the risks. The CVs will act only in a support mode. The front-CAP will be provided by land based fighters and by the CVEs. The CVs will remain in a somehow rear position... They will follow a ASW TF that will follow a SCTF. I've chosen the less aggressive commanders with decent air skill...the average is 50 aggression and 60 Air...nothing too good but even not so bad.

I think that i had kept my CVs back for the whole war...now it's time to advance and it's time to accept some risks.


Oct 6, 7 1943

Our 4Es arrived over Shortland and found a strong LRCAP...we suffered badly...the boomerangs sacrificed themself to save the main body but those 4Es that arrived uncoordinated got slaughtered... i've lost 14 4Es today...not a good result...need to start back sweeping the bases i need to bomb...

My Crack Beauforts attacked at night enemy CAs near Torokina...with no luck... but Rader must start to feel the pressure of our steamroller...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Air attack on TF, near Torokina at 109,130

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 66 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes


Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 12


Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VIII: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Takao
CA Furutaka



Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Beaufort VIII launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo



Another bothering DD bombardment at Munda...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Munda at 111,134

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 3 damaged
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 14 damaged
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed on ground
E13A1 Jake: 2 damaged
E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-46-II Dinah: 3 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
DD Perkins
DD Cushing
DD Conyngham
DD Case

Japanese ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 14

DD Perkins firing at Munda
DD Cushing firing at Munda
DD Conyngham firing at Munda
DD Case firing at Munda



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Thousand Ships Bay , at 114,136

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
N1K1 Rex x 4
N1K1-J George x 6
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 15
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 13



Allied aircraft
Boomerang C-12 x 11
B-24D Liberator x 3
B-24D1 Liberator x 148
B-24J Liberator x 3


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Boomerang C-12: 3 destroyed
B-24D1 Liberator: 2 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
25 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled



Airbase hits 30
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 93


Another sub is sent to the yards....always north of Ndeni....

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Nauru Island at 122,132

Japanese Ships
SS I-25, hits 7

Allied Ships
APD Gregory
APD Dent
APD Waters




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Reef Islands at 122,134

Japanese Ships
SS I-19, hits 5

Allied Ships
APD Dent
APD Waters




The day ends with 35 a/c lost for him and 30 for me...the overall score says we killed 19,000 enemy planes against the loss of 8,800 of my own...

[GreyJoy]

Oct 8, 9 1943

Rader's use of subs always amazes me. All of a sudden in the waters around Ndeni, spring up what we counted as 22 enemy subs divided in 4 hexes!!...Thank God we were lucky this time cause the enemy ships didn't score a single hit and suffered many attacks by our air and naval forces present in the area.
In response of that SS Cod managed to put 3 fishes into a jap xAK moving to Marcus Island...
However the presence of his subs always gives me lots of headhaces...Rader uses them in the "german way"...in big packs...and he's always willing to sacrifice them if necessary, even sending them right into the nest of the major allied air and naval fleet (Ndeni).

A cruiser TF (4 CA-4 CLs) bombed Auki again, while 2 DD divisions bombed Munda and Pakkoe (1 hex north of Munda). Enemy ships remain at Torokina wth the entire KB based at Rabaul. Rader is gathering all his bombers and fighters between Shortland and Torokina, with 700 fighters and 350 bombers present here, plus more 150 bombers and 300 fighters scattered between Rekata, Munda, Choiseul Bay, Vella la Vella and Pakkoe...it's gonna be a terrible and harsh air and naval battle...that's for sure!

Now all my ships are at Ndeni and we're starting to load the 4 divisions that will assault Thousands, along with Combat Engeneers, Tanks and various support units (HQ, base forces, AA, Artillery etc...).
We have improoved the already great ASW system around our bases, with 7 different ASW TFs and not less than 100 bombers and patrol a/c exclusively dedicated to ASW role.
In the next 4 days, while my task forces will load their cargos and organize their formations, USAAF and USNAF will provide recon missions in order to determine what type of units are based at Thousands (ground bombings).

In India our Eastern Army is now 3 hexes from Multan. Enemy daily high altitude bombings continue.

2 CVEs and 1 more CVL are ready at PH.

The first marine unit of carrier capable corsairs is active in the Solomons (Tulagi). Will be based on a CVE in order to provide a better CAP than the FM-1 (the terrible wildcat)

[GreyJoy]

Quick question....how do i have to use the landing crafts? I mean those that can be built up in the same way as PTs.... I have a huge supply convoy (with 600k supplies) and i'd like some of them to be converted in the landing crafts in order to help with the landings...but do they have to stay empty?

Can somebody enlight me about this feature?

Thanks in advance