Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Cap Mandrake]

China: The ambush at Chungking doesn't go so well. The Hurris return to base and don't intercept any following raids.

Morning Air attack on Chungking , at 76,45

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 24



Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 10


No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed

[sprior]

Supply permitting, Admiral Lord Sprior might even be able to attack

Or not:

[sprior]

But looking better at PH:

[Sauvequipeut]

Why do you need to sue the airgroups on Horn Island to provide backfill? I know they're Yanks, but surely you could try just ordering them to do it? [&:]

[Cap Mandrake]

Hey look! I found "The Count". He made Group Captain in WWII(c). That really makes me feel good, a man of his brilliance and all. It always seemed to me his talents were wasted in tranport administration in vanilla WITP.

[Cap Mandrake]

The bad news: We have achieved neither tactical nor strategic surprise. [;)]


The good news: We are right on schedule. [:D]

Leander (now at Gove) could make Darwin after daylight...but is that really a BB NW of Darwin? Also, there could be Hell to pay with the Vals and Netties. Might be worth it???

[Cap Mandrake]

Kopeang has 55 fighters and 45 bombers (probably Netties). That will be a serious threat when we get within Zero escort range. Wyndham seems to have few planes. I think Darwin still has some Vals but they must be getting pretty beat up by now.

Australian paras flying in to Tennant to stage for Fenton. The spring coils.

[Cap Mandrake]

Admiral Lord Sprior;

You have a feel for naval attack timing? Should we send Leander?

[sprior]

If we could get a LRCAP over Leander and mates then yes. If not, no.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

If we could get a LRCAP over Leander and mates then yes. If not, no.

Yes, that would be iffy. The Beaufighters from Gove might do the job but the supply situation is still poor there. They have refused their "sweep" order for 3 days straight. We can compromise. Have them take up station East of Darwin but out of Zero escort range from Koepang for possible night attack tomorrow. Also, if the surface group closes on Darwin , the subs might give us better intel.

[sprior]

Go for it.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Admiral Lord Sprior;

You have a feel for naval attack timing? Should we send Leander?

What size is the Allied AF on the Australian side of the Gulf of Carpenteria? They one north of 'Groote'? I can't say that without snickering...

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Admiral Lord Sprior;

You have a feel for naval attack timing? Should we send Leander?

What size is the Allied AF on the Australian side of the Gulf of Carpenteria? They one north of 'Groote'? I can't say that without snickering...

I think you mean Gove. That is 1.86. In a couple of days we can put SBD's there. No Air HQ there yet.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Admiral Lord Sprior;

You have a feel for naval attack timing? Should we send Leander?

What size is the Allied AF on the Australian side of the Gulf of Carpenteria? They one north of 'Groote'? I can't say that without snickering...

I think you mean Gove. That is 1.86. In a couple of days we can put SBD's there. No Air HQ there yet.

That may explain why your 'sweep' orders have been so wantonly disregarded. AF < size 2 are really only good for local CAP. Moreso with 2E FBs. Perhaps when you go up to size 2 your airdale Allied fighting dogs will regain their composure?

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy



What size is the Allied AF on the Australian side of the Gulf of Carpenteria? They one north of 'Groote'? I can't say that without snickering...

I think you mean Gove. That is 1.86. In a couple of days we can put SBD's there. No Air HQ there yet.

That may explain why your 'sweep' orders have been so wantonly disregarded. AF < size 2 are really only good for local CAP. Moreso with 2E FBs. Perhaps when you go up to size 2 your airdale Allied fighting dogs will regain their composure?

Assuming the Cap has not read the manual ..

7.2.1.13.1 SIZE 1 AIRFIELDS
The following Missions will not be flown from airfields with a current size of 1:
»» Airfield Attack
»» Port Attack
»» Naval Attack
»» Ground Attack
]»» (Fighter) Sweep
These airfields were too small to support these kinds of offensive Missions

However.. LRCAP works ..

[Cap Mandrake]

D'oh!

I hope that RAAF squadron commander isn't sore about me sacking him.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

D'oh!

I hope that RAAF squadron commander isn't sore about me sacking him.

It really sounds like an unlawful employment discharge lawsuit .. Wei, Cheetum, and Howe specialize in this ... you should be getting a subpoena for a deposition soon ..

[Cap Mandrake]

Two days or recon from long range USN recon bombers over Maumere (Flores) and now there are 76 fighters and 50 bombers there. [:D] I love recon spoofs.

I guess they know we are coming but not EXACTLY where. [;)] Even so there are 2K extra LYB's at Darwin and a CM. The air over Darwin is crawling with LYB planes. There are some Nicks flying CAP over Katherine too but the bombers get through anyway.

[Cap Mandrake]

OK Admiral Lord SPrior. You wanted to "run the crabs" or some such Jackspeak phrase.[:)]

Now what do we do?

I propose we send in the PT flotilla near Darwin to be followed by Leander and then Portland and Trenton on surface attack. They can all reach tonight and then clear to the East. Alternatively, Leander could join the other crusiers and follow the PT boats. This would give us more punch in a surface battle but two groups would increase the chance of getting at transports. I suspect the mouseover intel is wrong and that IS the transport group at Darwin.

Indiana and Washington could then move West for a surface bombardment the night of 21/22. The carriers could move somewhere West of Merauke (for possible employemnt against the CVL NW of Dobo) and hope they don't get spotted.

[sprior]

I just sent my turn to you, concurring with the idea of sending in the surface ships to Darwin.

According the mouse over there are now 24k troops there. Bastards.