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

[sprior]

Guess the most boring digital job would be being assigned to some off-map fortress.

You should know that when in the armed forces boring is good. It's when it gets exciting that you can get hurt.

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

Have you thought about occupying "Beizelbob" and Peleliu so you can move stuff a little more Eastward?

We did think about it but then said Phuket.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

Have you thought about occupying "Beizelbob" and Peleliu so you can move stuff a little more Eastward?

We did think about it but then said Phuket.

Exactly! Phuket, Phuket it all!

Besides, the sneak attacks are fun!

There are 9500 extremely motivated crazy SOB's on Beazelbob with 68 guns and 40 Ronsons. The concrete for 40 miniature golf courses has been diverted there to make bunkers and there is an underground Emperor Brand Kool-Aide tank. Peleliu is an atoll. We are just geting our first APA's and LST's and have no LCI's in theater yet. Beazelbob would probably take a 50-turn prepped reinforced division, with artillery support, engineers and tanks, plus naval bombardment and carrier support. We could absolutely take it but it would divert resources from the bigger prize. Already the PI defenses are stiffening.

I am getting ready to tamp down the airfields at Beazelbob and Flores which have been attacking the body of the squid.

[Cap Mandrake]

[font="Courier New"] PACIFIC FLEET FLASH MESSAGE


TO: ALSP, KANDYH, CEY
FROM: FAM, FOBMT,PAP
TIME: 07:07:24:03:13 GMT-8

PLEASE CONFIRM RECEIPT COURIER MESSAGE PREVIOUS EVE STOP HOPE YOU ENJOY FROZEN ABALONE STEAKS AS WELL STOP DONT OVERCOOK STOP SUGGEST NOT SERVE TO SENIOR OFFICERS LIKE AIR COMMODORES STILL LEADING VENGEANCE SQUADRONS AS THEY MAY HAVE DENTURES STOP HOPE VICKY IS WELL STOP REGARDS TO MEMSAHIB END[/font]

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Colonel Mustard

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

Have you thought about occupying "Beizelbob" and Peleliu so you can move stuff a little more Eastward?

And while you're at it, why don't you just "occupy" Tokyo and skip the rest of the war? [8|]

See the Okinawa discussion above. I'm pretty sure those anchor, plane, and square symbols at Babeldaob mean it would be hard.

That being said, a little cleanup of the rear areas wouldn't hurt. One counterinvasion in the wrong place could cut off the beer supplies to Jolo.

I do not see any AAR's by Col Mustard nor any games in progress. I am not sure being demeaning is in your best interest [;)]

But IMHO the big difference between Peleliu and say Okie or Tokyo is the ability to apply the USA/USN airpower coming over the next 6 months. Peleliu is an atoll and requires supply convoys to keep supply. The USN torps are getting to be effective. So a combination of submarines, airpower, and naval bombardment can reduce Peleliu to an invadable target about 25% reduction in firepower and AV and the USN/USA can bring in 2X the firepower and AV. Tokyo and Okie are a lot harder to isolate in kind. Please see the picture below.

There is a problem in that this will deviate from the Northern push into Manilla. So the resources might be already pegged for that operation. Anyway Cap it might be worth the investment if the IJ get more comitted to cutting the supply lines in teh middle of the squid. If this game lasts to Jan 1944 you might need the space to avoid the Kami attacks.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces


There is a problem in that this will deviate from the Northern push into Manilla. So the resources might be already pegged for that operation. Anyway Cap it might be worth the investment if the IJ get more comitted to cutting the supply lines in teh middle of the squid. If this game lasts to Jan 1944 you might need the space to avoid the Kami attacks.

The biggest annoyance coming from Beazelbob so far has been small surface raids, a CL and a couple of DD's or now just single DD's. I think most of the rear area Betty attacks came from Flores.

Beazelbob is indeed an obvious target. JJ started reinforcing there even before the PI. 37th ID just reunited at Manado and is almost done sanitizing the area. Perhaps they could prep for Beazelbob. Beazelbob is indeed already within range of our heavies from Sorong.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: sprior

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

Have you thought about occupying "Beizelbob" and Peleliu so you can move stuff a little more Eastward?

We did think about it but then said Phuket.

Exactly! Phuket, Phuket it all!

Besides, the sneak attacks are fun!

There are 9500 extremely motivated crazy SOB's on Beazelbob with 68 guns and 40 Ronsons. The concrete for 40 miniature golf courses has been diverted there to make bunkers and there is an underground Emperor Brand Kool-Aide tank. Peleliu is an atoll. We are just geting our first APA's and LST's and have no LCI's in theater yet. Beazelbob would probably take a 50-turn prepped reinforced division, with artillery support, engineers and tanks, plus naval bombardment and carrier support. We could absolutely take it but it would divert resources from the bigger prize. Already the PI defenses are stiffening.

I am getting ready to tamp down the airfields at Beazelbob and Flores which have been attacking the body of the squid.

I had two thoughts Cap, one is that the IJ continue to invest too much into PI and for the Allies to take down Beazelbob in the meantime. Mainly because it can be isolated and PI is going to get more difficult I suspect to isolate. As I demonstrated in the picture I took down 'Beazelbob' with airpower and submarines with some BB TF's reducing supply to zero. Then landedin December 43. It did clear the way for supplies to move into South PI.

But you are probably right that continued attirtion moving into Northern PI under 4E cover might just be the ticket.

[Cap Mandrake]

***********************March 25, 1943(c)**********************


Legaspi: Uggh. I thought we might have had another turn to get stuff in there. We have superior surface firepower in the area but can't trust the air cover at Legaspi. Moresby is a picket. The sound of Moresby blowing up would be the signal for the LCT's to bug out.


Night Time Surface Combat, near Legaspi at 82,82, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
CL Tama
DD Onami
DD Hagikaze
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Suzukaze
DD Fubuki

Allied Ships
PG Moresby, Shell hits 2, and is sunk

Well, technically, Moresby was on ASW duty and this guy was the picket. Here is what a 14 in AP shell does to a SC

Night Time Surface Combat, near Legaspi at 82,82, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
CL Tama
DD Onami
DD Hagikaze
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Suzukaze
DD Fubuki

Allied Ships
SC-703, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Well, they volunteered, damnit! Not sure if Keokuk dropped her eggs first.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Legaspi at 82,82, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima
CL Tama
DD Onami, Shell hits 1
DD Hagikaze
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Suzukaze
DD Fubuki

Allied Ships
CM Keokuk, Shell hits 17, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
SC-642, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Rook rike the APD's are thwarted for a second night.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Legaspi at 81,83, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Yayoi, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
APD Alden, Shell hits 1
APD Ward
DE Foxhound
APD Stringham


The LCT's are caught with their drawers down. They were partly disembarked? Crap. Here comes a second surface group, *#&$*$&# Atago.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Legaspi at 82,82, Range 9,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CL Sendai
DD Michishio
DD Shirakumo
DD Sagiri

Allied Ships
SC-634, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
LST-447, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
LCT-59, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
LCT-60, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
LCT-66, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
LCT-67, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
LCT-140, Shell hits 26, and is sunk
LCT-141, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
LCT-142, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
LCT-147, Shell hits 4, and is sunk
LCT-149, Shell hits 19, and is sunk
AM Bayfield, Shell hits 5, and is sunk


Allied ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 47 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 125 (114 destroyed, 11 disabled)

What the hell is John C Freemont doing here?

Day Time Surface Combat, near Legaspi at 81,83, Range 17,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Yayoi

Allied Ships
SC-742, Shell hits 1
SC-750, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
xAP John C. Fremont, Shell hits 12, heavy fires


Allied ground losses:
144 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Hard to believe she did not sink. I blame the staff again.

Submarine attack near Legaspi at 82,82

Japanese Ships
SS I-157

Allied Ships
xAP John C. Fremont, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage


Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Clark Field: Finarry, the sun comes up. Here something workds as pranned.

Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 14 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 6
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 22



Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 9


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

Pretty damn good raid by 24 B-24's. The intel had dipped a bit or it might have been better.

Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 6
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 13



Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 24


Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 9 destroyed on ground
D3A2 Val: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

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



Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 33

[sprior]

Looks like they know we're coming. 45 miles off of Ramree Island:

Sub attack near Ramree Island at 53,48

Japanese Ships
SS I-32

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Torpedo hits 1
BC Repulse
CA Frobisher
CL Ceres
DD Encounter
DD Voyager
DD Nestor
DD Fortune

[Cap Mandrake]

This in sports section..."Meta World Peace suspended" HORY CRAP! That sounds bad! [X(]



Oh, wait, it's Artest.


San Jose: Ritter Yerrow Baahstards go after poor, defenseless Denver (the ship, not Gilligan).

Afternoon Air attack on San Jose , at 78,84

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
A6M3a Zero x 11
B5N2 Kate x 13



Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 5


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CL Denver, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage


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


Port hits 3
Port supply hits 2

80,87: Wait? What? IDIOT staff! Someone turned of the "DO NOT UNLOAD" button.

Amphibious Assault at 80,87

TF 329 troops unloading over beach at 80,87


Allied ground losses:
97 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)


13 troops of a USMC Rifle Squad 43 accidentally lost during unload of 8th Marine
Rgt
13 troops of a USMC Rifle Squad 43 lost in surf during unload of 8th Marine Rgt


Davao: These LYB's fight like madmen (mentally deranged not ad execs)

Ground combat at Davao (79,91)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11639 troops, 333 guns, 318 vehicles, Assault Value = 232

Defending force 4298 troops, 57 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

Allied adjusted assault: 60

Japanese adjusted defense: 100

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
126 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 12 (11 destroyed, 1 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
211 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Assaulting units:
132nd Infantry Regiment
22nd Marine Regiment
161st Infantry Regiment
225th Field Artillery Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion
25th USN Naval Construction Battalion
21/22 Field Regiment

Defending units:
Sasebo 8th SNLF /1
1st Engineer Co
40th JNAF AF Unit
39th JNAF AF Unit
15th Garrison Unit
108th JAAF AF Bn


Manado: Skinny, half -starved Asiatics running around in diapers

Ground combat at Manado (75,99)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 9613 troops, 237 guns, 320 vehicles, Assault Value = 277

Defending force 948 troops, 9 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 8

Allied adjusted assault: 140

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 140 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), disruption(-), preparation(-)
fatigue(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1213 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 74 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (12 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2


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


Assaulting units:
37th Infantry Division
627th Tank Destroyer Battalion
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
821st Engineer Aviation Battalion
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
148th Field Artillery Battalion
43rd Construction Regiment
97th Field Artillery Battalion
Fifth USAAF
1st USMC Engineer Aviation Battalion
Cavite USN Base Force /4

Defending units:
9th JNAF Coy
68th JAAF AF Bn

Naga (Luzon): Well, at least this worked. Another level 1 field. May be no suppries, though.

Ground combat at Naga (81,81)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 80 troops, 3 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 14

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Allied adjusted assault: 3

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Naga !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: op mode(-), shock(+)



Assaulting units:
3rd USMC Parachute Bn /2
503rd Parachute Rgt /1

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

Looks like they know we're coming. 45 miles off of Ramree Island:

Sub attack near Ramree Island at 53,48

Japanese Ships
SS I-32

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales, Torpedo hits 1
BC Repulse
CA Frobisher
CL Ceres
DD Encounter
DD Voyager
DD Nestor
DD Fortune

Still...way more white smoke on my side.

[sprior]

TF 474 detected by Japanese Aircraft at 53,48 near Ramree Island TF 474 is the build-up force TF

Walrus II sighting report: 8 Japanese ships at 29,48 near Colombo, speed 16, Moving Southeast - I bloody hope not.

A busy day for the Crabs and chockheads:

WO Pedersen, E.E. of No.67 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 5
WO Pedersen, E.E. of No.67 Sqn RAF attains ace status!!
WCDR Macpherson, J. of No.67 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 8
WO Warner, J.A. of No.67 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 8
WO Warner, J.A. of No.67 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 9
WCDR Rice E. of No.881 Sqn FAA is credited with kill number 4
PO Blackwell W. of No.881 Sqn FAA is credited with kill number 4
PO Galbraith K. of No.881 Sqn FAA is credited with kill number 5
PO Galbraith K. of No.881 Sqn FAA attains ace status!!
PO Mendizabal, R. of No.54 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 2
WCDR McCulloch, W.N. of No.54 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 4
WCDR McCulloch, W.N. of No.54 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 5
WCDR McCulloch, W.N. of No.54 Sqn RAF attains ace status!!

[sprior]

Most of my planes were grounded due to bad weather. These got through:

Morning Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 17
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 30



Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 8


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged

[sprior]

Still...way more white smoke on my side.

Yep. Intel says JJ is sending more stuff your way:

7/22nd Tank Regiment is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to San Fernando.
5/73rd JAAF AF Bn is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to Aparri.
5/178th JAAF AF Bn is loaded on xAK Kyuma Maru moving to Aparri.

8/22nd Tank Regiment is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to San Fernando
5/55th JAAF AF Bn is loaded on xAK Mansyu Maru moving to Babeldaob..

And he's reinforcing Truk?

3/4th/A Division is loaded on xAK Sinkoku Maru moving to Truk.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

TF 474 detected by Japanese Aircraft at 53,48 near Ramree Island TF 474 is the build-up force TF

Walrus II sighting report: 8 Japanese ships at 29,48 near Colombo, speed 16, Moving Southeast - I bloody hope not.

A busy day for the Crabs and chockheads:

WO Pedersen, E.E. of No.67 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 5
WO Pedersen, E.E. of No.67 Sqn RAF attains ace status!!
WCDR Macpherson, J. of No.67 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 8
WO Warner, J.A. of No.67 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 8
WO Warner, J.A. of No.67 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 9
WCDR Rice E. of No.881 Sqn FAA is credited with kill number 4
PO Blackwell W. of No.881 Sqn FAA is credited with kill number 4
PO Galbraith K. of No.881 Sqn FAA is credited with kill number 5
PO Galbraith K. of No.881 Sqn FAA attains ace status!!
PO Mendizabal, R. of No.54 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 2
WCDR McCulloch, W.N. of No.54 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 4
WCDR McCulloch, W.N. of No.54 Sqn RAF is credited with kill number 5
WCDR McCulloch, W.N. of No.54 Sqn RAF attains ace status!!

Are these all recon aircraft getting shot down?????

[sprior]

Rooks rike it

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: sprior

Still...way more white smoke on my side.

Yep. Intel says JJ is sending more stuff your way:

7/22nd Tank Regiment is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to San Fernando.
5/73rd JAAF AF Bn is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to Aparri.
5/178th JAAF AF Bn is loaded on xAK Kyuma Maru moving to Aparri.

8/22nd Tank Regiment is loaded on a Japanese xAK moving to San Fernando
5/55th JAAF AF Bn is loaded on xAK Mansyu Maru moving to Babeldaob..

And he's reinforcing Truk?

3/4th/A Division is loaded on xAK Sinkoku Maru moving to Truk.

Well great minds think alike [;)] I kind of thought the IJ would be moving stuff forward and my thought was to smack something you could isolate ..

[Cap Mandrake]

Here is the worst thing...down near Cotobato. I swept the spot with 2 or 3 ASW groups ahead of them. [:@] &$#*@(!

Sub attack near Cotabato at 77,92

Japanese Ships
SS I-154

Allied Ships
CVE Copahee, Torpedo hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Monssen
DD Cushing
DD Meade
DD McCalla



Fuel storage explosion on CVE Copahee
SS I-154 launches 8 torpedoes at CVE Copahee

[Cap Mandrake]

Decent air group aboard Copahee too. Damn...that one hurt.