PS - Not sure what you have at Ramree, but if it's built up and the units are not too important it could be a nice place to add a few weeks onto his schedule. He has to either invade amphibiously or risk a shock over the water to enter it. That is good territory, so a shock would be iffy. But you will then lose those troops.
Ramree Isl have Inf ID behind fort 2 an building
Currently biggest problem with Ramrre are supplies. Only way is to air lift them,
27 Float transports is doing that, or fast transport them by sea. I have few FT TF doing that currently.
So he'd need about 1200 AV to knock you out. If you can get to forts 4 before he comes, that's a good long problem for him to solve.
I manage to drop 1200 tons of supplies today. I will drop another 1200 in two days.
Fort is building. For sure i will build it to lvl 3, lvl 4 will depend of how fast allies will move.
If i understood good Ramrre is important for allies as best point to resupply troops in Burma after build to big base?? I think i will probably sacrifice that ID to buy time.
One nice thing is that it's a dot base, so he can't bombard the fields to kill supply. He can naval bombard, but still your supply should be relatively okay compared to having a port/field built, and mining that base could help thwart attempts from the sea.
Interesting he decided to start the offensive just as the monsoon kicks in. That could be good for you. I'd hold Ramree as long as you can in this case.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
I rely hate to abandon plains. From what i see now Docup is moving his troops to hex that will allow him to cross river to open hex between Mandalay and Magwe.
Depend of what forces he will have i have some plans.
1) I can accept battle and force him to cross river with shock attack. Depending of forces he will use we can have different results. From Major victory to river full of British corpses.
I can easily move there 2000AV(inf+tanks+arty). Biggest risk there will be allied air force but i think a can give decent air support to my troops from all 4 AFs i have there.
2. Allow him to cross river and stay dug in in tree bases. They have huge forts and he will need huge army to beak my defenses and AF will give me good protection from 4E
Both plans have flow. Big allied stack. ~50k men West of Magwe (those units are not moving right now) can move East cross river and cut of Magwe from rail and my forces in half. and they will have open road toward Rangon.
3. Slow down enemy movement by air attacks. Slowly retreat to jungle line leavening some small garrisons(they will retreat in las moment. AF in jungle bases are buildup and i can use there AV support from Mandalay Area. Save solution but no glory from that.
I will probably go for 3 but my inner kamikaze is fighting with me.
EDIT:
If troop numbers are correct ~55k men currently marching and 50k in reserve. My calculation telling me that Docup is have there 6-7 divisions(3-4 Div are marching) so around 3000AV. Lots of arty and Tanks. Maybe less if he have more support units.
I still have few days maybe week when decision have to be made so i will drink few vodka shots first and by weekend we will have plan.
16 May 43
Burma
FT TF unload another 1200 tons of supplies on Ramree Is.
Ships now return Singer for nesesery repairs.
Salomon Sea
Buna bombed and closed.
Pogo Pogo
Second day in row high radio traffic. Dl 2/2. Intel showing 70 planes and 120 ships in port
Kneel before Kido Butai
I need to share it with You.
KB air power reach his Mont Everest. KB newer in history of that game was stronger like today.
11 fleet carriers and two light carriers.
790 operational planes +89 in reserve
317 Fighters (all A6M5)
273 Dive Bombers (all D4Y1)
200 Torpedo Bombers (all B6N1 or N2)
In real world it would be view worth of song
In 14 days CV Katsuragi will join KB and i will send different ship back to Japan. My goal is to keep KB with 750+ operational planes.
Allies Carriers currently can have force of ~720 planes(Essex will arrive on map in 3 days but i am counting it already). But only ~480 from 5 big carriers and 240 from CVE. Also i not know what is state of damaged Lexington and Enterprise and Essex need ~two weeks to arrive to PH and from there sail to Australia
) I can accept battle and force him to cross river with shock attack. Depending of forces he will use we can have different results. From Major victory to river full of British corpses.
I can easily move there 2000AV(inf+tanks+arty). Biggest risk there will be allied air force but i think a can give decent air support to my troops from all 4 AFs i have there.
The use of the Allied Airforce is a huge risk .. not just a big risk .. [8D] The Allies do not have to kill squads in teh open .. simple disruption is enough to lower AV and firepower where a shock attack become effective with little risk of causulties. You can hope that the Allies get impateint and cross without preperation but if they do .. it is katy bar the door ...
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so"
) I can accept battle and force him to cross river with shock attack. Depending of forces he will use we can have different results. From Major victory to river full of British corpses.
I can easily move there 2000AV(inf+tanks+arty). Biggest risk there will be allied air force but i think a can give decent air support to my troops from all 4 AFs i have there.
The use of the Allied Airforce is a huge risk .. not just a big risk .. [8D] The Allies do not have to kill squads in teh open .. simple disruption is enough to lower AV and firepower where a shock attack become effective with little risk of causulties. You can hope that the Allies get impateint and cross without preperation but if they do .. it is katy bar the door ...
I'm leaning this way too, from my experience so far. I chose not to take the risk, and the jungles have provided some stalling time. If he succeeds in one attack it can turn into a snowball there unless you have another line built up behind.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
) I can accept battle and force him to cross river with shock attack. Depending of forces he will use we can have different results. From Major victory to river full of British corpses.
I can easily move there 2000AV(inf+tanks+arty). Biggest risk there will be allied air force but i think a can give decent air support to my troops from all 4 AFs i have there.
The use of the Allied Airforce is a huge risk .. not just a big risk .. [8D] The Allies do not have to kill squads in teh open .. simple disruption is enough to lower AV and firepower where a shock attack become effective with little risk of causulties. You can hope that the Allies get impateint and cross without preperation but if they do .. it is katy bar the door ...
I'm leaning this way too, from my experience so far. I chose not to take the risk, and the jungles have provided some stalling time. If he succeeds in one attack it can turn into a snowball there unless you have another line built up behind.
My gripe is the JFB's park troops in the open and then complain that Allied airpower is borked! [8|] If teh Allies have agreed to some homerule that prohibits ground attacks than the IJ can defend the Irrawaddy Valley .. else .. it is the Jungle line that you have well described. BTW) With staacking limits I believe there are two very vulnerable hexes at the 10 oclock and 12 o'clock positions above Toungoo .. these hexes can stack 55,000 and represent a point where the IJ must concentrate or lose the rail lines going north...
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so"
The use of the Allied Airforce is a huge risk .. not just a big risk .. [8D] The Allies do not have to kill squads in teh open .. simple disruption is enough to lower AV and firepower where a shock attack become effective with little risk of causulties. You can hope that the Allies get impateint and cross without preperation but if they do .. it is katy bar the door ...
I'm leaning this way too, from my experience so far. I chose not to take the risk, and the jungles have provided some stalling time. If he succeeds in one attack it can turn into a snowball there unless you have another line built up behind.
My gripe is the JFB's park troops in the open and then complain that Allied airpower is borked! [8|] If teh Allies have agreed to some homerule that prohibits ground attacks than the IJ can defend the Irrawaddy Valley .. else .. it is the Jungle line that you have well described. BTW) With staacking limits I believe there are two very vulnerable hexes at the 10 oclock and 12 o'clock positions above Toungoo .. these hexes can stack 55,000 and represent a point where the IJ must concentrate or lose the rail lines going north...
I make decision. I will retreat to jungle. First units arledy take position ant Jungle line. But most of forces will retereat in last moment.
Later i will make map.
Sadly we are no playing with stacking limits. It would defiantly help me. We are playing clean SCEN 1.
17 May 43
Burma
Two SAG? closing toward Ramree. I am expecting naval bombardment tomorrow night.
Docup is becoming serious about Ramree. I am planing 450 planes CAP trap above Ramree. Docup is sweeping it with 70 fighters( and bombing with about 80 bombers. I hope i will get few of them. So far i have no luck. Every time i set LCAP above Ramree allies stay on ground. It happens 4 times so far.
China
Ki43 sweep Chungking. I lost 13 Oscars for one 1 enemy. Stupid idea. I will send 45 Georges to China. They should eat enemy fighters for breakfast.
Burma
Docup open Pandora's Box. Firt time in our game strategic bombing have place.
Night Air attack on Rangoon , at 54,53
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-17F Fortress x 6
Allied aircraft losses
B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-17F Fortress bombing from 10000 feet *
City Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
Finally CAP trap above Ramrre Is. has happened. Ok it was not success but also it was not failure.
I lost 41 fighters for 16 enemy fighters and 14 bombers. Entire day cost me 9 KI and 10 MIA pilots.
All air group are in good condition. Still high morale 90+ and fatigue below 20. I don`t even need to replace planes as none of groups lost more that 4-5 planes and i try to have them with 12 planes on reserve
Morning Air attack on Ramree Island , at 54,48
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 31
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 39
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 89
Salomon's
21 P-38 sweep Shorthands. I have there 80 Tojos and 20 Georges. Result was good.
I lost 4 Tojo's and 1 KIA for 8 P-38G shot down. In two days allies lost month of P-38
production.
I was planing to sweep Tagula tomorrow but after that i am canceling that mission. Afternoon Air attack on Shortlands , at 109,131
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 15
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 52
Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 21
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed
Japan
CV Katsuragi manage to enter deep ocean and is sailing toward Truk. It barely compensate 50% of firepower allies get after todays CV Essex arrival.
Pilots.
Last turn i move many pilots between fighter air groups and reserve. I notice today almost 200 pilots deficit. What big is delay until pilots show up again in reserve. 14 or 21 days?
South Pacific
Search planes from Tabiteuea detect enemy TF sailing north toward Gilbert's.
Nothing big as usually i see lot of ships in that area. But i lost G3M3 shot down by CAP above that TF.
It look like Cargo TF, maybe Tankers?
DL is very low I see 9 ships AM, TK, TK, PT, SC, AKA, SC, so it can be everything or nothing.
I am moving my forces to in area to lower DEFCON level.
R&D
Second Ki-84a factory repaired. Frank will enter production not later that in October `43
I have two more factories that need only one point to be fully repaired. I think with some luck i can have Frank available in August or September.
Burma
First two IDs retreat from plains and already are in new jungle defense line building forts.
Now i will move some tanks and artillery units.
I found that mini subs can be useful.
SSX Ha-34, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
SSX Ha-30, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SSX Ha-33, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
New Guinea
ID and 3 BF units are sailing to garrison Holandia, Aitape and Wewak.
They already have ENGs building those bases.
In 10-14 days Air HQ will land in Aitape
KB
I have refueled last ships but no fuel left as reserve.
Truk have ~40k of fuel but this is 3 day from KB. Next closest source of fuel is Borneo or Japan[:(]
Problem are not TK or AOs. There is just not enough fuel to transport, entire DEI have only 300k and most of it will be transported to Japan
BURMA
I lost 19 Ki49 from flak fire when they try to attack Aliied troops in Jungle hex.
It was stupid to sent them below 10k ft
Gilbert Islands DEFCON 1, DEFCON 1
I detect TF that is looking like CV TF. I lost G3M3 above them so CAP must be strong They hading toward Giolberts. Two islands have DL Tabiteuea 9/10 and Onota 6/7. So they are potential targets. Other potential targets are also all dot bases around Tabiteuea as they also can build AF fast
I have KB in range but i not sure i want to attack tomorrow. Maybe i will wait one day to see where Docup will land and to be sure it is not decoy mission.
But i cant miss opportunity to catch his forces on sea before landing. Battleships in Maiana can be in Onotoa before day. They are low on fuel but still enough for one day flank. I am thinking to send BBs to Onotoa trough Tabiteua (they will finish movement there but move target will be in X point where on day phase BBs will meet KB.
I can also move 120 bombers and 80 fighters to Tarawa. Together with KB that will give me 1000 combat planes tomorrow. Tarawa have Air HQ and 200 Torpedoes. AF lvl 4
After double drink i make decision.
I am attacking tomorrow. Time is not my friend, If i can attack i will. Opportunity to engage enemy carriers when hey are out of LBA support can`t happen again. So i taking my chances.
After double drink i make decision.
I am attacking tomorrow. Time is not my friend, If i can attack i will. Opportunity to engage enemy carriers when hey are out of LBA support can`t happen again. So i taking my chances.
I was reading on my phone and going to try to get you a message to go for it earlier. Good to see you're doing it. Why wait? Even if he's doing something else in another place, these ships are in range and look to be good targets. Go for it and take what you can. Make sure of all settings! [;)]
Banzai!
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
i will end turn in 5 minutes[8D].
I going with everything I have.
I still not sure about range setting to TB. I think i will go only with 7 hex range. Hoping to use both DB and TB and avoid to big spreed of forces.
I will park 3 hex West of Tabiteua. He is now 6 hex south of from it. It is good place to arrive to that base at night and unload. also it is max movement for his slow BB if he have them and want to use them to bombard island at night.
Jap BBs will sweep sea ending night move in Tabiteua. And if they survive night they will join KB on morning to hide under CAP.
I am sending KB in single TF. 780 planes. To avoid coordination penalty i should use 4 TFs but i have limited escorts. 3 TF mean penalty is on max also so no reason to split KB and risk that some of them will react toward enemy
Tarawa have 100 2E TBs and 70 fighters. Total 940 planes. It is almost all i have in Pacific. I have also 200 fighters in Rabaul. Rest of planes is in DEI.
If allies are using all carriers they can have ~630 planes. Probably ~200 F6F.
Turn send.
I was so close to comment in email about next turn. But i dont do it.
KB will take position 3 hex West of Tabituea. It is currently 7 hex from enemy TF. I hope Docup will move north tomorrow or at lest carriers will stay in position and i will be in range tomorrow...
DB(D4Y1) and TB(B6N1 and N2)(total 470 bombers) are set on 14k , range 7 (i want to strike with mixed DB, TB packed because this give best results), they have 10-20% search order. I hoping for range 6 to use 500kg bombs
~90 fighters on 70% CAP, range 0, 1/3 on 7k, 2/3 on 17-19k (they are all 80+ XP pilots)
~150 fighters on 50 CAP, range 7 most of them at 14k to give better chance to coordination., some at 11k and 9k(70+ pilots)
~80 fighters on 0% CAP, range 7 14k, they are dedicated escorts.(mix of 60-70 xp pilots)
That shoul give me 160 planes on CAP and 160 as escorts
Tarawa have three bomber unit (G3M3 and G4M1) 100 planes total and 80 fighters (A6M5 and Ki-43IIb)
BB TF will move at full to Tabituea(ending night move there) with order to move trough Onotoa. and on morning they will join with KB.
BANZAI!!!
Two thing are in my concern right now- weather and range to enemy.
But those are things that not depend from me right now.
Interesting settings. I never do this kind of a split, but sometimes have one group set to range 0-1 at 70% CAP. The trouble I found recently with range 0 is that if your TFs get split it won't be involved in all CAP. You don't have to worry about this as yours are in one TF.
Weather can change everything, for either side. Fingers crossed.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
My mama have birthday today so i am going to see Her now.
Fasts rapport only
Enemy TF don`t move single hex so i end on 7 hex distance from it. Lucky KB react to enemy. Strike goes 100% coordinated. 370 bombers and 150 fighters in single wave.
Probably 3 enemy CV sunk or critically damaged. 4th CV damaged. BB sunk another heavily damaged. At lest one CL damaged . 6-8 enemy DD sunk.
Enemy counterattack slathered. Only one DB get trough it.
No single Jap ship hit.allies lost 220 planes Japan 172 planes and 140 pilots.
