Fulkerson (J) vs Moore (A) ( no Moore )

[larryfulkerson]

TF 41 has just finished loading some more resources and I was wondering how much time I have left before I have to have
these guys in Port Arthur to help move the 14th Division to somewhere to be determined. Probably Manila. I looked up the 14th Div and
it's still moving to the west, only just now making it to Mukden and it's going to be another couple of days before the 14th Div sees the
surburbs of Port Arthur and so I DO have enough time to unload this TF in Nagasaki and still make it to Port Arthur in time. Probably.

[larryfulkerson]

Kushiro is convieniently located close to Ominato and so on and is one of the better places to go for resources and Kushiro still has
enough on hand ( in port ) to pay for another trip yet. With the net balance of resources being +840 ( 860 - LI ) I'm pretty sure that I can
nurse resources from Kushiro for a long time yet before it runs dry. Maybe. Depends on the drawdown rate I guess. I'm going to be
sending TF's to Kushiro for the next couple of days at the very least.

[larryfulkerson]

In the TF name field I said something like I had planned for this TF to be in Port Arthur on 8Apr and it's 2Apr now and I'm wondering if I
should depart NOW before unloading and unload at Port Arthur just to be there in time or should I play it by ear and see how far to the
west I can go to find a better port to unload in BEFORE I get to Port Arthur. Decisions, decisions. I'm going to head west w/ these guys
and hope I run across a good empty port on the north coast of Japan somewhere and failing that I'll just unload in Port Arthur and be at
least on-station if not 100% ready yet.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's something curious I just found. TF 53 is almost at it's destination, Yokohama, and yet in the list of TF's there's the mention of
something like 1680 for "endurance needed". And yet it's adjacent to it's target destination. Hmmmmmmmm.

[larryfulkerson]

What's the record for the number of ships in one TF that is docked at a pier? Here's 57, all docked and unloading......only 4 PB's.

[larryfulkerson]

Those Allied CV's operating off the west coast of Sumatra seem to have gotten together and looks like they are headed for Rangoon.
I don't have the gas ( AO's ) to chase them and they have the numerical advantage just now and so it looks like the Japs have missed
the opportunity to sink something Allied. Again.

[larryfulkerson]

Here's an example of what I was talking about earlier, about having my returning sub have a couple of torps left to take on targets of
opportunity like what's presented to I-123 just about now. She's winchester and is going to continue on to Oosthaven rather than try to
take a shot at a CV. D'oh.

[larryfulkerson]

TF 66 is returning from Port Hedland where she laid 35 mines. Probably a waste of mines but if it slows down Jim even just a little I'll be
happy. I'm putting together a program of midget subs where I'm going to produce them at Truk and distribute them w/ the sub carriers.
They aren't good for much but they make nifty picket ships. Just drop them in the water and sail over the horizon leaving them there.
What could go wrong w/ that? I'm not sure how long they will last by themselves in a deep water hex however. Is there a shelf-life to the
midget subs? Anybody know?

[larryfulkerson]

TF 69 is acting as a picket ship on the Cocos Island hex. It's expendable and is only a placeholder for me while I put together some kind
of rude invasion team. The Cocos is one of the places that has resources and all I have to do is invade and take them. I think I may have
streatched myself too thin on the ground. If I can't find an LCU to invade the Cocos then I'm too thin on the ground.

[larryfulkerson]

So it appears that there are Allied TF's at both islands Baker and Canton. The Cavalry is riding to the rescue however racing east as
fast as mission speed allows. I'm going to regret this probably but I'm not sure I have an AO lined up to rescue the rescuers because
that BB-heavy group moving east is going to need some fuel when they get there and Baker Island and Canton Island are both so far to
the east that the necessary AO's for this operation are already in motion or this operation is in jepardy. D'oh. I got to think further ahead
on these things.

[larryfulkerson]

TF 73 reports that an Allied TF has come to Pago Pago and should he hold fire or shoot? I said shoot, by all means, and what with the
other Allied intrusions I may have to let Pago Pago go for now. I'm not able yet to be in more than one place simultaneously.

[larryfulkerson]

TF 74 is an "ASW-group" that I'm using to patrol this hex, with other ASW-groups. The idea is to have at least one ASW-group in each
defendable hex to keep the subs moving w/o my having to do any moving. The only reason to leave the station would be for a ship to
go winchester for DC's. Which has happened twice already. And I don't have to do a lot of micromanaging of the ASW assets around
the Japan ports for that reason. They move there, they patrol there, they run out of ammo there, they return to port. Simple.

[larryfulkerson]

TF 75 had originally the destination Ocean Island but that has dried up as a good spot for awhile. So I've redirected them to
Catbalogan for resources. They are around Truk now but in a couple of days, maybe a couple more, they'll be there to start sucking up
all the resources that Catbalogan has. Well, no, there will be enough for one trip after this one but then it'll have to lay fallow for awhile.

[larryfulkerson]

TF 78 is unloading yet another trip from Pesky Doors to PI. In spite of unloading I don't know how many boat loads of supplies onto the
PI the ports aren't showing a lot of it. I'm hoping it's making it's way to the combat area(s). My guys are still in supply so far so we're
cooking w/ gas and the show must go on.

[larryfulkerson]

TF 84 is another picket ship sitting on Billiton for me so I can tell at a glance that there's no mines at Billiton. Also, she's doing recon on
the island for me. I don't think there's anybody home at Billiton but I'm not sure to be perfectly honest so I'm hoping that just one of
those Naval SNLF thingies will do for the invasion job.

[larryfulkerson]

TF 473 just delivered 12 Nates to Singkawang and now is off to Saigon for some supplies for somewhere or other. The Nates are still in
a crate and have to be re-assembled again.

[larryfulkerson]

TF 486 has a special kind of mission. I evacuated all the transports from Christmas Island IO because of the threat from PBY's about
two days ago and now there's a submarine threat as well. So TF 486 is there to make the sub go away if possible. But this TF is under
threat from PBY's as well.

[larryfulkerson]

Jim and I have exchanged emails and I've watched the movie and here's some fresh combat results: I'm hoping those 5 hits will convince
that sub to go away.

[larryfulkerson]

There were a couple of night air attacks on Darwin and neither did much damage.

[larryfulkerson]

And then there was a night naval bombardment of Darwin: