No beach No Party! Guadalcanal: Blind Sniper (J) vs Foliveti (A)

[Oberst_Klink]

I am playing the same as IJN, but Rabaul is constantly under attack by 40-50 B-26s and Gasmata gets hammered by B-17s. That's from turn 1 onwards. IMHO the Nips haven't got enough Aviation Support to protect even Papua New Guinea. Docking or having ships in Rabaul is also a big no-no... I am surprised your opponent is not pursuing the same course like my brutal adversary.

Klink, Oberst

[Blind Sniper]

If the sub makes it back, give the commander a medal for completing the mission!

I will do! [:)]

I am surprised your opponent is not pursuing the same course like my brutal adversary.

Uhm...are you playing with Advanced Weather on?
Because is not possible to attack every day (with bad weather the attacks are less effective) and at Rabaul you can put on CAP about 40 fighters at the beginning, Allied B-17 are still to few to close the airfield, surely later but not immediately.
If your opponent is using short range LBs they are at PM, that means he cannot put too many aircraft in CAP and you can use your Bettys in airfield attack after some sweep missions.
Maybe I'm wrong...

[Blind Sniper]

Air Warfare
B-17s attack every day but only one operational loss so far, these pilots are very good [:(]
I launched another port attack on Lunga but no damages.

Naval Warfare
My ASW TFs are not so good like American ones and sometimes they became the ducks!
SS Grayling hit an APD but fortunately the torpedo failed to detonate.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Oberst_Klink

I am playing the same as IJN, but Rabaul is constantly under attack by 40-50 B-26s and Gasmata gets hammered by B-17s. That's from turn 1 onwards. IMHO the Nips haven't got enough Aviation Support to protect even Papua New Guinea. Docking or having ships in Rabaul is also a big no-no... I am surprised your opponent is not pursuing the same course like my brutal adversary.

Klink, Oberst

Oberst_Klink

Just to be sure: are you both playing the same scenario? This is NOT the stock version of the Guadalcanal campaign, it is the Babes version which has lots of changes to forces available and even extends the map. This could play a big part in the observed difference in B-17 strikes.

[heibernt]

ORIGINAL: Blind Sniper

Uhm...are you playing with Advanced Weather on?
Because is not possible to attack every day (with bad weather the attacks are less effective) and at Rabaul you can put on CAP about 40 fighters at the beginning, Allied B-17 are still to few to close the airfield, surely later but not immediately.
If your opponent is using short range LBs they are at PM, that means he cannot put too many aircraft in CAP and you can use your Bettys in airfield attack after some sweep missions.
Maybe I'm wrong...

I was Klinks opponent in those games, and yes, we were playing Babes with advanced weather on. The point is that even though the japs has some Zeros, he dosent have enough to both contest the landing on Lunga, and fly a decent CAP over rabaul. So when Zeros and Bettys tried to intervene over Luanga, and got cought up in A2A fights with LRCap from my carriers, i launched the strike with the b-26s. I think i managed to launche around 40+. That they didnt launch every day wasnt a problem, they still brought enough pain. That started to hurt Rabaul AF so much that, also considering his F losses agains my Wildcats (1:1 around 20ish), he later was unavailable to fly a decent cap, let alone provide escorts for his bettys. That made an opening for my CV force to close on rabaul and AF attack with DB, wich permanently closed that base. Wich again opened the way for a landing in Buin, and subcequently fightercovver over Rabaul.

The point is, i really dont belive the jap airforce is strong (or plentifull enough) to both contest the landing, and CAP Rabaul. You said you lost 20 fighters A2A, well then i fear rabaul is wide open, atleast it is if you continue offensive air operations. I think the only viable course is to wait for KB, and start the counteroffensive only then, with all LBAs intact.

I am ofc quite new to this game, so i might be totally wrong [&:], but i dont see how..

Anyways its great to read an AAR of this scenario, and GL. Lets hope his b-26s are tucked away safely in the rear areas..

[Blind Sniper]

Hello Heibernt,

reading your analysis I think the main point is:
"The point is, i really dont belive the jap airforce is strong (or plentifull enough) to both contest the landing, and CAP Rabaul. You said you lost 20 fighters A2A, well then i fear rabaul is wide open, atleast it is if you continue offensive air operations. I think the only viable course is to wait for KB, and start the counteroffensive only then, with all LBAs intact."

I agree but surely I will not start a landing operation without CVs, air cover from bases is not reliable for this kind of operations, moreover LRCAP cannot be sustained for long.
Generally speaking I try to plan my strategy in respect to my opponent tactics, that means a lot of recon/naval search and I will try to react accordingly, if I perceive an enemy bombers concentration that base will become my main concern.

About my game: he put a lot of fighters on PM therefore I'm not trying to attack his airfield but I'm doing offensive operations instead, of course not every day because I need to keep a reserve.
He attacks almost every day my bases with B-17s but they still are too few to do real damages, when they will grow I will not have any defence against them...I guess.
If PM was full of bombers I would have tried to hit hard the airfields, he cannot put a strong CAP and many LBs effectively, after few flights the aircrafts will start to wait the necessary maintenance.

Anyhow I'm not an experienced player either, therefore I can be totally wrong too [:)]

[heibernt]

Adjusting stategy and tactics based on your opponents sounds quite smart [;)], Anyways, I atleast couldent make the b-17s reach rabaul from Aussie mainland, and the other bases are too small, so the b-26s from PM the only real threat. They are however just a preface to the real strike, the AF raid by the carriers. Every sweep or AF bombing over PM is just a way of reducing your CAP, fatiguing your pilots and planes, and will eventually make a counterattack on the carriers when they move into striking range imposible. And that is the killer move, Rabaul will be unable to rise again after a full fledged DB attack.

But we`re drifting away from this AAR, It was never my intention to flood it with allied stategies Have Tassafaronga fallen yet?

[BBfanboy]

heibernt, did you replace your bomber commanders? Perhaps that would explain the difference in effectiveness of the bombers too?
Just trying to figure out what works in this game, and investing political points has to be done carefully. I usually concentrate on naval leaders but I need to know if replacing bomber sqn. air leaders is worth it.

[heibernt]

Nope, it was just the normal commanders. Its not a problem making a couple of raids like that, but since they met reduced opposition the effect was substancial. Getting the best possible commanders would proabably increase the effect Maybe i just got lucky with some dice throws, but the same happened in next time we tried it.

But lets not hijacke this from Blind Sniper

[Blind Sniper]

I agree that against a determined Allied attack the Japanese cannot hold the position, the trick is trying to delay this attack.
Anyhow even if the scenario is small there are enough opportunities for both players to render tha game interesting.

About Allied tactics feel free to post your comments, given that there is not the opposite AAR what you are posting can be useful to other people. [:)]

[Blind Sniper]

General

Nothing new, just Buin expands fortifications.
Normal B-17s raid but this time one bomber result as loss.

[Symon]

I think you are doing very well. IRL, the Japanese butted heads with the Marines in drips and drabs. You seem to be better prepared and more organized. Build up the mid-Island bases so they can oppose the Cactus Airforce, and be closer to the point of action, so that Netties and short range Zeros can be more effective. Under that umbrella, Japan can do nasty things with Vella and Bouganville defenses.

Don't forget the New Guinea front. Delay, delay, delay, until you can get Salamaua, and appertaining places, wired for bear.

So far, so good, Blind. Ciao JWE

[Blind Sniper]

Thanks to all for the advices!

After two days break for work travel I can continue the game! [:)]

[Blind Sniper]

Air Warfare

I noticed trasport ships at Port Moresby and Milne Bay, PM is full of fighters but MB not so much, time to try an attack with my Betties.
Even if there were only 4 Kittyhawks IA on CAP they made a very good job against my 14 Zeros, 2vs2 losses and one of them shot down a Betty, my congrats!
Anyhow I managed to torpedoed three ships (no one reported sunk):
xAP Ormiston, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Bontekoe, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
xAP Mildura, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Naval Warfare

Finally TF 110 is ready at Truk, 5 CAs, 1 CL and 6 DDs but unfortunately I need to refuel it, moreover BB Mutsu and CS Chitose join the party.

[Blind Sniper]

Highlights

4th KuK-2 bomber hit xAP Bontekoe, for 20 aircrafts with 75 Naval Torpedo experience is not so good but there was heavy cloud as mitigating...

[Symon]

ORIGINAL: Blind Sniper
Finally TF 110 is ready at Truk, 5 CAs, 1 CL and 6 DDs but unfortunately I need to refuel it, moreover BB Mutsu and CS Chitose join the party.

Irl, much of the time Yamato spent at Truk, she was a floating fuel tank. Japan couldn't see its way clear to use her operationally because of her monster fuel consumption, so she became a gas pump.

The way we have been modeling this is to NOT refuel a TF at base, rather form a TF of Yamato (or any other BB of your choice) and some of the more fuel starved ships, and hit "refuel from TF". That will help distribute the bunker fuel for big ships to smaller ones. "Then" let the other ships get fuel from the Base; add back in the ships that refueled from Yamato (or your BB of choice) and hit "refuel from TF" again to distribute the fuel more equitably among the ships in your TF.

Takes some extra clicks, and a turn or two to get it done right, but that's how Japan did it, so don't feel bashful. [;)]

Ciao JWE

[Cribtop]

I do this often, even using the big merchant ships. I call them my "Aggie Oilers"

[Blind Sniper]

I'm doing something similar with transport ships and their escorts, never thought about to distribute evenly among the ship although.

How many fuel do you retain on the BBs? I don't know, enough for 100 hexes or just for the mission and then to use the minimal/tactical refuel option?

[Blind Sniper]

General
"Mendicant Operation" is still underway, several transport ships are gathering supply/fuel from bases around the map.

Air Warfare
Another B-17s attack but this time 2 of them are reported crashed for damages [:)]

Naval Warfare
I-172 hit an enemy DD near Kirakira:
DD Worden, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
By now are several days that my subs and his DDs are in the same hex therefore I'm starting to think that these TFs are escorts for something of value at the port of Lunga...
Three AO arrived at Truk.

Ground Warfare
Second turn that 30th Aus Brigade is bombarding Horii group but the jungle is a good place in defence at least.

[Blind Sniper]

Highlights
Another victim for my subs, this time a Farragut Class DD is sunk!