Thinz2 vs Zuluhour

[zuluhour]

Sorry for delays in posting, we are getting failure to load messages often now and have to resend them. This is screwing with our 2-3 turn a day regimen. Anyone else starting experiencing this??

[zuluhour]

As we are still having difficulties with the turns opening, I thought I'd share some stuff Zulu HQ does on the side. The Americal Division off Lunga Point.




Presently in game time the 23rd Inf Div has regiments (164th) on ships bound for Suva, diverted from Loganville by the Kido Butai, 132nd at Loganville, on garrison duty, and the 182nd on Suva, waiting for transport, also due to disruption by the KB to forward area 1 (loganville).

[zuluhour]

Co C of the 182nd Americal Division on board USAT Argentina enroute to the Pacific.

[zuluhour]

It was not long before they came in contact with the Empire of Japan. The landing of the182nd at Lunga Point.

[DOCUP]

Nice pics.  Koniu and myself has not had any issues with the game, with the exception of 2 sync bugs.  Hope you get it fixed soon.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

It was not long before they came in contact with the Empire of Japan. The landing of the182nd at Lunga Point.

What is the double column of smoke in the middle? Is that a transport settling not so gently into the Bay?

Cool pics. I also collect a bunch and try to use them at opportune moments in my AAR.

[zuluhour]

December 4th 1942

Overall: A very quiet week in most areas. While submarine activity has increased, there has been no ground combat and only smallish air raids. The only exception is southern China where Chinese units holding the southern lines are being battered from the air. The IJAF continues to hammer the 19th Indian in Burma where the jungle canopy combined with some movement tempers the raids a bit.

obvert: That is an interesting shot off Lunga Point, I've tried to zoom in on it but can't get any better resolution. The photos are from the 182nd Reg website. Soon the division will combine and form the Americal Division.

[zuluhour]

December 7th 1942
Turn 365: It’s time to make the Emperor dance.

West Coast: It’s about training now. 95% of all assets are in the forward areas, Pearl Harbor or in route.

SoPac: Fish Hook is completed as outlined in December 1941 but has evolved into an ongoing operation designed to facilitate coming offensive Pacific operations. As the new campaigns begin Zulu HQ envisions a new operation: Trident. Trident will move assets from the rear depot areas to the new forward areas we anticipate in the Solomons, Gilberts and eastern Dutch East Indies.

CenPac: Forces have been training on Oahu for the Gilberts. As this is written the spearhead, a lone sea plane tender is at sea halfway to Baker Island to provide better early warning and begin to recon enemy bases. Two Marine Defense Bns will arrive January 1st. Catalina patrol aircraft waiting on the tender to anchor, will stage to Baker in two days. Most of the shipping is in place at Pearl along with escorts and naval invasion assets. Decoy task forces are also in place as we intend to lure the Kido Butai as far to the north as possible, identify it and land in SoPac. When the Kido Butai steams for SoPac we will land in the Gilberts. That’s the plan. Offensive naval air cover is scant as we are operating one fleet carrier; we must lure the Kido Butai around by the nose to make this work. Yorktown is scheduled out of the yards in early April followed shortly by the Essex. We hope to be at phase two by then, threatening the Marshalls while mopping up the Gilberts and taking Kavieng shutting down Rabaul and exposing Truk to four engine massed daylight raids.

Burma: Is a Japanese playground. I’m content for now.

China: The southern front is of great concern. I am paying close attention here, looking for an opening. I believe I can inflict serious damage on the IJA yet. I do not want to pull a knee jerk reaction and open an offensive in the north in response to the extreme pressure in the south except as a last resort. The plan is to hold as best we can while we rebuild Army Groups in the north capable of extended operations and sizeable assaults.

[zuluhour]

Report from the 182nd on Guadalcanal:

[zuluhour]

December 7th 1942

NoPac:CenPac:SoPac: Only sub activity. CVEs fly off aircraft transported from the west coast into the rear areas. Wasp approaches SoPac. An infantry division will unload tonight at Suva. Some small single engine bombers stage to Townsville to try their newly aquired naval bombing skills out from Port Morseby. This would very useful in New Guinea.

Burma: Their is alot of units running around the jungles east of the Irrawaddy river. We may have cut the supply to a IJA division. We schedule a small raid and sweep over the 19th Indian.

China: precarious. 20th Army Group increases 80 more av over the past week and stands at 1796av now. On the 21 November they were at 1611av.

[zuluhour]

Rapidly deteriorating situation in southern China at the close of 1942.

[zuluhour]

December 8th 1942

East Coast: two B17 squadrons withdrawn to get replacements in the pool for SoPac.

West Coast: supply and fuel convoys assemble.

SoPac: The worst day of the war for the allies occurs on the 366th day. NNW of Paga Pago off Savaii elements of the Kido Buati emerge from weather and ambush a large USTF heading for Suva. By the end of the day over 15000 infantrymen with their weapons, supplies and fuel go to the bottom. Wasp and escorts attempt an intercept in knee jerk fashion; while both TFs are spotted neither launch aircraft. Wasp ordered at Flank to the cover of Suva hoping to lure the KB into DB range. Cruisers and destroyers break off and charge the KB. Convoys of seabees and aircraft scatter as the KB lays astride the southern leg of the sea lane to SoPac. There are desperate days ahead.

Burma: The Chinese on the Burma frontier are hit hard from the air. We order an attack on Shwebo for moral as well an attempt to relieve pressure on the 19th Indian accross the Irrawaddy from the town.

China: No ground attacks for several days while Imperial Japan thins our ranks from above.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

... We schedule a small raid and sweep over the 19th Indian...

Assuming this is not code for opsec reasons, I assume you meant you are flying some LRCAP to intercept enemy bombers flying against your unit.[:)]

Alfred

[zuluhour]

You never know with all the TWITs around here. Hopefully, the raid was cancelled due to weather, the strike would have attacked the IJA units there with the 19th Indian and not commited fratricide. At first I thought the Emperor had some mighty good tea leaves, but now I'm thinking the TWITs in charge, particularly Knee Jerk, DumDum, Dimwhit and Firstthought (Yes they all have names) may be working for both sides....hmmmm M&M TWITs......

[zuluhour]

December 10th 1942

SoPac: KB escapes again! I cannot lure it into the rear areas where we have a shot at putting 100+ escorted DBs on top of him. The mobile force is spotted due north from its last position and is entering the western edge of CenPac.

Burma: IJAF hits Ledo in Burma, I assume to cut down on the tonnage I am lifting to the beleagured Chinese.


Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 111
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 34
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 30



Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 33


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed, 13 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
Liberator II: 1 destroyed on ground
C-47 Skytrain: 9 destroyed on ground
B-25C Mitchell: 2 destroyed on ground
Blenheim IV: 3 destroyed on ground


Allied ground losses:
20 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled


Airbase hits 19
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 23

Those Skytrains really hurt as the pools are empty and replenishment scarce. Liberators are also in short supply and it looks like early spring before we really see replacement figures rise. Its the same in SoPac as the fall air campaign in the Solomons scored well there was no strategic value and we used up many aircraft better left in the pools for an offensive with a purpose. Now that a whole division (tasked with the Munda invasion force) is in Davey Jones locker, the two prong attack I envisioned in the Solomons needs much more consideration.

[Alfred]

Let me guess, you've assigned two of your best TWITs at HQ Zuluhour, Knee Jerk and Firstthought, to investigate the issues identified at Ledo and they have been tasked to report back next week with a comprehensive set of recommendations.[:)]

I wonder if Knee Jerk and Firstthought are holding public hearings and prepared to take submissions from the public?[;)] Or is it only an in camera inquiry for opsec reasons.

Alfred

[DOCUP]

All I can do is laugh and shake my head.[:D]

[zuluhour]

If the freak'in TWITs would actually think first we might turn this thing around.[:D]

[zuluhour]

India: Some positive news from the front; The Encounter reports sinking RO-65; sonar reports three hull breaches followed by thesounds of an imploding hull.

Sub attack near Koggala at 31,52

Japanese Ships
SS RO-65, hits 7, heavy damage

Allied Ships
DD Encounter

CenPac: NoPac: SoPac: reorganizing the chaos after another visit from the Imperial Navy. We do get another report on a partially succesful ASW attack in SoPac.

China:We are taking unsustainable losses on our Pearl River defense on the far left (our military right[;)])



Morning Air attack on 52nd Chinese Corps, at 74,55 (Liuchow)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 22 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 50



No Japanese losses


Allied ground losses:
105 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Alfred: The TWITS are always open to suggestions, they certainly need to quit "giving me more useless information designed to drive my imagination, I can't get no".

[DOCUP]

I can't get no SATISFACTION.