Thinz2 vs Zuluhour

[zuluhour]

November 2nd 1942

West Coast: 164th Rgt/Americal Div, 27th Inf Div, 43rd Inf Div, 129th Rgt/37th Inf Div, 3rd Marine Rgt/3rd Marine Div all move to strategic mode and prepare to board transports for SoPac. Surface and CV TFs are in the final stages of refits and repairs. Tankers and Cargo ships are loading first.

CenPac: 1st marine Div combines and is issued orders.

SoPac: Marauders from Ndeni take a beating on low alt. runs over Tulagi. Fortresses score much better with no loss as we begin to surpress the Solomons. Liberators begin to hit Munda (results below). PagoPago refuels Yorktown. The Langley departs SoPac for CenPac and a forward seaplane base in the southern Gilberts.

Australia: The ship yards are still full from the disaster in the Coral Sea.

India: Air raids over Burma have had no results and we take heavier losses than expected.

China: Mounting pressure on Kukong may lead to a colapse on the southern Yangtze line. I forgot to capture a map. I will present soon.

B24 raid over Munda


Japanese Ships
ACM Takunan Maru #10, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

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



Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 11
Port hits 11
Port fuel hits 5
Port supply hits 2

[zuluhour]

November 4th 1942

West Coast: More transports and escorts arrive.

CenPac: DDs taken off ASW and replaced by better equiped SCs. DDs will do quick repairs and report to the west coast for convoy duty.

SoPac: IJAF using front line models in the Solomons. Marauders handled roughly over Tulagi are given shore leave. B17s and B24s stood down to receive replacements and rest as well.

Burma: Raids go poorly as well with heavy loss of pilots and planes. Time to to rebuild the squadrons and train new pilots.

China: Heavy bombing has unhinged the Kukong defensive positions. With the arrival of 20th Corp in Chungking supply drops and replacements dry up. I hope temporarily.

[zuluhour]

SitRep: Burma: November 4th 1942

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

Burma: Raids go poorly as well with heavy loss of pilots and planes. Time to to rebuild the squadrons and train new pilots.

Do you have a regular on map pilot training program?

[zuluhour]

Do you have a regular on map pilot training program?

I do train groups heavily on map in rear areas. The US reserve pool is quite strong, the RAF pool is not. The Dutch pool is nil. A bigger problem for the Burma airgroups is replacemnent Blenhiems, Mitchells and Wellingtons. I really no longer have an effective medium bomber force left on the Bruma frontier.
I transfered one squadron of Liberators there so there are 30 plus heavies but again the replacement rate is not optimal and Tojos and upgraded Zekes and others are in substantial numbers accross the frontier. He bushwacked 14 more 2Es yesterday at long range CAP.

[Mike Solli]

I see. I guess it's easier having to manage only 2 brands air forces and not the dozen or more that you guys need to manage.

[zuluhour]

Mike, just checking on the "depth" of your AAR in regards to logistics alone makes me think the game should be rated:

Allies: Expert
Japan: Super Duper Expert [:D]

[zuluhour]

November 5th 1942

PI: The day starts out well enough as our newly formed SubDiv reaches the northern Philipines and claims Niati Maru.

Bay of Bengal: But it does not continue that way. RO-61 sinks a picket AK deep in blue water.

Burma: Air raids scheduled on fields around Mandalay. We are going to try and get some bombers on the ground. weather is good.

China: Kukong falls. Heavy casualties. Retreat looks orderly however. The road to Changsha is still blocked. Three IJA divisions identified at Kukong.

CenPac: Elements of the IJN to be deteremined show up south of the Gilberts and sink Langley and her escort. We spot several CVLs. If this is Kido Butai and it intends on raiding the SoPac we may have a real problem. No field has over 125 fighters to CAP against 200+ Zekes we assume will sweep prior to raids by the bombers. Yorktown TF, BBTF, and a CL/DD TF are close by. Yorktown is ordered to retire while we try and screen her with two light SCTFs. We will try to position ourselves behind the KB looking for oilers with them.

SoPac: I-34 deep sixes an AK resupplying Port Morseby just off shore. Transport and support shipping is ordered to sea in the rear areas. Spitfires and Lightnings may make their debut.

[zuluhour]

November 6th 1942

West Coast: Wasp is ready.

CenPac: Yorktown expected at Pearl on the 9th.

SoPac: Kido Butai spotted. PBYs report cruisers and fleet carriers. We expect a combined KB. Signet report Soryu is afloat. TF251 and TF 55 attempt a night intercept if the KB continues towards PagoPago or Suva. Heavies hit Tulagi digging deeper at the infrastructure. Smaller heavy raid scheduled again for tomorrow. Port Morseby receiving supplies and a base force, unloading by the amphib. BF should be complete by dawn. Cruiser force from Australia puts to sea heading ENE from Sydney.

China: We try and hold the road to Changsha. Supply situation is gloomy, even in Chungking.

Burma: We sweep Shwebo and the RAF scores 7:1 on the sweep. B24s follow up doing some field damage.

[zuluhour]

SitRep: SoPac: Evac Op:

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

November 5th 1942

... CenPac: Elements of the IJN to be deteremined show up south of the Gilberts and sink Langley and her escort. We spot several CVLs. If this is Kido Butai and it intends on raiding the SoPac we may have a real problem. No field has over 125 fighters to CAP against 200+ Zekes we assume will sweep prior to raids by the bombers. Yorktown TF, BBTF, and a CL/DD TF are close by. Yorktown is ordered to retire while we try and screen her with two light SCTFs. We will try to position ourselves behind the KB looking for oilers with them...

If you are confident that your opponent will launch a 200+ sweep, you could consider taking advantage of this modus operandi by putting up zero CAP and putting every fighter to escort Allied bombers on naval attack. This would have the benefit of:

1. Not losing any fighters combating the superior fighters of the KB.

2. Takes advantage of the reduced CAP over the KB (which is otherwise engaged in sweeping empty air over your airfield) to deliver undisturbed bombers over the KB.

3. You should be able to put up into the air sufficient escorts to ensure the bombers take off against the KB (subject to weather conditions) so there won't be airframes left at the airfield to be destroyed when the KB's Vals and Kates come in after the sweep.

Scratching 1 enemy flattop in exchange for a completely trashed Allied airfield is an excellent outcome for the Allies.

Alfred

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

November 5th 1942

... CenPac: Elements of the IJN to be deteremined show up south of the Gilberts and sink Langley and her escort. We spot several CVLs. If this is Kido Butai and it intends on raiding the SoPac we may have a real problem. No field has over 125 fighters to CAP against 200+ Zekes we assume will sweep prior to raids by the bombers. Yorktown TF, BBTF, and a CL/DD TF are close by. Yorktown is ordered to retire while we try and screen her with two light SCTFs. We will try to position ourselves behind the KB looking for oilers with them...

If you are confident that your opponent will launch a 200+ sweep, you could consider taking advantage of this modus operandi by putting up zero CAP and putting every fighter to escort Allied bombers on naval attack. This would have the benefit of:

1. Not losing any fighters combating the superior fighters of the KB.

2. Takes advantage of the reduced CAP over the KB (which is otherwise engaged in sweeping empty air over your airfield) to deliver undisturbed bombers over the KB.

3. You should be able to put up into the air sufficient escorts to ensure the bombers take off against the KB (subject to weather conditions) so there won't be airframes left at the airfield to be destroyed when the KB's Vals and Kates come in after the sweep.

Scratching 1 enemy flattop in exchange for a completely trashed Allied airfield is an excellent outcome for the Allies.

Alfred

If he has 200 Zeros and if he will sweep with 50% fighters, and 50% on CAP that will require ~200 or more allied fighters as escort to launch attack. I am not sure is this 2x or 2,5x more fighters from KB CAP.
Also all fighters must be from single AF

[Alfred]

You have left out the fighters which will need to escort the Vals and Kates.

Alfred

[zuluhour]

November 7th 1942

I only had time to watch replay before work. The good news, TF-55 makes early morning contact:

[zuluhour]

results:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Savaii at 150,153, Range 26,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CV Junyo, Shell hits 1, on fire
CV Hiyo, Shell hits 2, on fire
CVL Zuiho, Shell hits 1, on fire
CA Mogami
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 1
CA Kumano, Shell hits 1
CL Abukuma
DD Arashi
DD Hagikaze, Shell hits 4
DD Asashio, Shell hits 5, heavy fires
DD Oshio, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Natsugumo, Shell hits 1
DD Arare, Shell hits 2, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Chicago, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Sims
DD Stack, Shell hits 1
DD Sterett, Shell hits 2
DD Mahan, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Cummings
DD Dewey, Shell hits 1, on fire

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

Do you have a regular on map pilot training program?

I do train groups heavily on map in rear areas. The US reserve pool is quite strong, the RAF pool is not. The Dutch pool is nil. A bigger problem for the Burma airgroups is replacemnent Blenhiems, Mitchells and Wellingtons. I really no longer have an effective medium bomber force left on the Bruma frontier.
I transfered one squadron of Liberators there so there are 30 plus heavies but again the replacement rate is not optimal and Tojos and upgraded Zekes and others are in substantial numbers accross the frontier. He bushwacked 14 more 2Es yesterday at long range CAP.

My experience from both WITP and AE is that the Allied player needs to make major transfers of both American fighters and bombers to India from day one of the war-especially if you have Japanese control of production and upgrades. For the following reasons.

1. To help defend against any early Japanese move into India.

2. To support the eventual move back into Burma,

3. And later to provide an area where there are always large airfields in range of Japanese bases where you can utilize your surplus of units to constantly keep the Japanese air force engaged. Sometimes in the Pacific you are short of advanced bases to use many of your air units but that is almost never the case in SE Asia.

I try to move six bomber and six fighter units in the first few days of the war and then send a lot more later on. They can actually be skeleton or training squadrons as they can be converted as needed but need to be in place.

You will never have enough British aircraft. That is for sure.

[zuluhour]

November 7th 1942: follow up

Chicago succumbs to damage and goes down. Follow up air attacks finish Mahan, Sterett and Sims. The IJN TFs are in a position midway between PagoPago, Suva and Loganville. This will be a difficult turn.

Alfred: Checking AFs in SoPac, your advice is timely and practical. None of the bases, of which there are four, have the strength to CAP a sweep by a large number of fighters. I hate to admit this, but most of the attack aircraft withdrawn from these bases when the KB appeared in the Coral Sea are still in Australia. Rock and a hard place. I should have 200 dive bombers in theater. I hope circumstances allow me to get 50-75 in the air with an equal number of escorts. This will only occur under optimal circumstances and correct assumptions about the KBs movement. Pausing now to think.

crsutton: I will examine the air group situation in detail tonight. Finding 70 heavies and 150 fighters is a tall order right now. The vast majority of B17s and B24s are in SoPac raiding the Solomons. One group is strung out between San Diego and Christmas Isle (B17). I also need to reexamine my P40 pool to see if I can upgrade some stateside groups and see whether they are eligable for transfer. I do have several more Canadian squadrons to look at in Vancouver as well. Two more Liberator squadrons have arrived in Karachi but they are not at strength (2-per). I am experiencing a major shortfall in PPs as I just finished releasing two full US infantry Divisions to Ist Amphib. Corp.

[zuluhour]

After a close look at the US airbases, there is very little in the way of deployable aircraft as most belong to IV Fighter Command. Pearl may be a little over protected though and I am examing what really should be there.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

After a close look at the US airbases, there is very little in the way of deployable aircraft as most belong to IV Fighter Command. Pearl may be a little over protected though and I am examing what really should be there.

I am at that same stage Zuluhour ... getting stuff into the right theater with the right support ...

crsutton has an excellent point .. as I do not have the B-17's in India and only moved B-25's .. these lB's do not have the range to project power and thus I am limited to controling the skies over Mandalay ...

[zuluhour]

these lB's do not have the range to project power and thus I am limited to controling the skies over Mandalay

I was so concerned about the Kido Butai I believe I left another raid out on Madalay which at the same alt. etc. is going to get mauled. The emperor does not give me any slack with regards to being absent minded. Fortunately one of the squadrons has many aces and I hope they can hold their own.