What he really needs is an air bridge to get his shorter legged fighters down to the arena. His 2EB might be able to make the jump and they shall be troublesome.
Don't forget US P40s (both E and K) can make the jump direct from Ramree to Sabang. A staging field would only be needed for shorter legged British fighters and P39s.
This is why I've decided to make a MAX effort against Ramree beginning this turn. Have hit 3 days in a row and he has abandoned it for the moment. Will keep hitting it as well as possible.
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
Would you consider having KB approach Sabang from the IO side? You may run into some of those TFs you showed in your previous screenshots on their egress from the Sumatra operation, if they go back the same way they came.
Alternatively, if they *don't* go back from whence we came, then Ceylon is a reasonable hub for this Allied activity. Perhaps you could find some of these TFs en route.
I'd expect a carrier battle here, John. He cannot afford to abandon his shipping or troops to a foe with local naval and air superiority. He's going to have to fight with his carriers unless he's willing to lose this force ashore.
The more I have looked at this situation the more I see tremendous opportunity in late-1942. I can now focus the ENTIRE Imperial Fleet and Army in ONE THEATRE. Dan is still fighting with Older Aircraft to my more modern. It will be a scary 7 days until reinforcements begin to balance the situation but I think there could be a lot of fun here.
Chickenboy has hit the nail on the head. KB moves to Soerabaja and tagging along will be its AOs. Those AOs were spotted by an SS which missed an AO this current turn. The KB will move out to Cocos and then move towards Sumatra Sweeping everything in its path. They will be joined by the CVEs bringing airpower to nearly 900 aircraft.
Had a rough but good day yesterday. I was in Scouting for nearly 35 years and lost a leader who had been very important to me as a boy and adult growing up in Scouting. He nominated me for my Vigil Honor and was present for my Eagle back in 1984. How many Scouters do we have here? His wisdom served to help me grow-up and mature into the person I am now. Got to spend a bunch of time with friends and we spent 5-7 hours going down amnesia lane and catching up on each other's lives. Didn't get home until nearly 10pm and Dan's turn had failed to arrive though sent at 5pm. Had to wait until this morning to do and send turn.
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
I understand there are allegations of possible cheating or breaking of OpSec from my side to Dan. This is what I just sent to Dan with the Turn:
Here is the turn so we’re good.
Dan: I need to speak with you. I’ve gotten a pair of PMs and I’s spoken with Michael regarding allegations of cheating or breaking of OpSec with you and your side. Nothing could be farther from the truth and it greatly concerns me. Cannot say I am offended because I have had the occasional ability to ‘sniff’ out your Operations and plan accordingly. This is the sign of, as hoped for, good player. After all the turns we have played over the years, I think we know each other REALLY well! Let me say that Michael and I speak all the time and he has never come close to EVER breaking the rules. It is a conversation we’ve had from time-to-time due the depth of the chats we have.
Just to provide you a taste of things this is what I Posted the morning I realized that my guess as to your next offensive (Southern New Guinea) was TOTALLY WRONG:
November 10, 1942
This game has been such a chess match with Dan and I! There have been several times I've 'thought' I knew where he was heading:
1. At first I thought he was for sure coming into the Aleutians due to his proclivities and fascinations there. Don't know if that was the right guess or not and will find out later when we wrap up and do our post-BSing meeting over the game.
2. We had the whole NW Australia gambit of his where I guessed correctly he was going to Exmouth at the same time I was withdrawing from Geraldton. That worked out fine and DANDY!
3. In there also fell the Marshalls invasion. He caught me without any air search and nearly achieved a HUGE lodgement there, however, that Operation cost him decently as I reduced the Americans in the Tarawa Area.
4. The drive coming up from Australia was first tipped off to me by my I-Boats down around New Zealand picking up lots of activity with TF moving west to NZ or Australia. His withdrawal of units in Geraldton also tipped off another Operation involving Aussie units. The occasional 'Heavy Radio Traffic' from these two areas also had me leaning southwards. Seeing the TF begin their slow advancement along the east coast under LBA was the final nail in the coffin. Man---I could SEE the Offensive coming up hitting Terapo, Horn Island, and swinging west towards Merauke! This sort of assault would open up all of the eastern DEI. It is the sort of attack I would do if I had the resources. Seeing this all led to the movement of reinforcing New Guinea and beginning to build-up those magnificent potential bases at Gove and Wessel to complement Darwin and Timor.
Well...I GUESSED WRONG THIS TIME!
Those Convoys moving south of New Zealand, the Radio Traffic, and everything else were right. He was moving west with a bunch of stuff all right but it wasn't directed at New Guinea. He has hauled all this stuff across the Pacific to land in the Indian Ocean at Sumatra! HOLY CATS! Don't know why you wouldn't simply send them through the other end of map board but OK.
Do we need to seriously talk this? Where are you at with all this stuff?
John
Let put my answer into even plainer language. This is BS Horse CACA! If anyone has anything to say I want it said now and we'll deal with this crap immediately, otherwise, I have an opponent to crush...
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
As people have requested, here is a two-part Screenshot. Northern Sumatra showing Sabang having fallen and landing at the outlying islands. A note to newer players here. As a JFB I have always found that one has to TAKE those outer islands but I NEVER develop them. Leaving Sinabang, Nias, and Siberoet undeveloped is the key to me. These bases will take time for Dan to build and his occupation of them helps to diversify his effort. Don't get me wrong. These COULD become solid and dangerous bases but that will take time. He has roughly 7 days to do this as I move into the Theatre.
Opposed to doing nothing with those outer islands, I have a Regiment-Sized unit and engineers at every base on the west side of Sumatra. Several of these have never expanded the bases and only dug Forts. This is why I have most of these bases at Sz-4 or better Forts. Benkoelen is the key in the west as is Medan and Tand??? in the east.
Imperial Guards fly in to Langsha to start work on a roadblock south. Move aircraft into Padang and Benkoelen to attack those small TF within a range of 4 hexes. Will not tangle with his CAP over the CVs but do want to attrit his shipping and forestall more landings on the west side.
Attachments
NorthernSum1111.jpg (240.96 KiB) Viewed 208 times
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
Here is the area to the north of Sabang. I will fly in Imperial Guards for one more day placing roughly 60 AV at Langsha to serve as a blocker. The base already has Sz-2 Forts so it should afford to give me a day or two's worth of protection and delay once he gets there.
From Rangoon, 75 Topsy begin ferrying down the 4th ID to Victoria Point. HUGELY VULNERABLE is this base. Need to get it stocked with Base Forces and get a decent garrison present. True daring by Dan would be to send TF across the area and land at Victoria. This would be a frightening move if it occurred.
Phuket is also another location that needs something in it. Fly 8 Mavis TR to Soerabaja this turn. They will then hop to Rangoon (got to LOVE that RANGE!) and begin ferrying troops to this island.
Have an AP TF that dropped off troops at Moulmein. It is a good thing that I have some serious sealift here that can be used at some point.
Attachments
NorthernSum11112.jpg (183.14 KiB) Viewed 208 times
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
Just got this note from Dan who said I could Post it here:
John,
I've never suspected or thought there was an intentional OpSec violation. There is, of course, always the risk of an unintentional, minor comment that gives a craft opponent an small but (to him) significant source of information. I'm not saying that occurred here, it's just something that all of us players are aware of when we keep detailed AARs. After your previous successes in sniffing out my operations, I craft an elaborate deception in my AAR to keep the current operation completely under wraps. Since this operation came off with surprise, some people in my AAR may wonder if there might have been a previous unintentional OpSec violation. But nobody thinks you did anything wrong or that there's the slightest taint to your character. And your email is the first suggestion of anybody associating Michael with a possible breach. That's not in the slightest realm of possibility.
Bottom Line: You and I are fine. No chances of misconduct on your part. I think it's just best if, from now on, I don't go into exhaustive, nauseating detail about my turns, just so that I don't have to worry abou the very slim chance of an innocent, subconcious post that might tip of any opponent.
We're 100% good.
Dan
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
Massive movement from one side of the ocean to another as well as emergency transport to endangered areas mark this wild turn.
North Pacific
Calm as a milk pond. Have lifted off all non-North Pacific units and they are headed to the Central and South Pacific. Some have been diverted to the DEI Emergency.
Central Pacific
Ditto.
South Pacific
KB moves across the Coral Sea scooting along the northern coast UNSPOTTED. AOs follow.
2nd ID moves past Milne Bay moving due west. It is CAPped.
Move about 250 aircraft from this region west.
DEI
Numerous TF moving towards the threatened region.
Will have eight SS in the Invasion Zone within two days.
Got to be ready to switch my Convoying Nexus from Singapore to Manila ASAP. Will continue here for a bit but am watchful. Pull Nagato and the other BB present from repair and will send them to Hong Kong. Need those two old girls for upcoming operations.
COCOS may be the single most important base next to Port Blair in this situation. It strikes out this turn baby! I've reduced the Nell Range down to Range 16 and they sink a pair of AKs and damage another pair. Begin moving a CD unit here to enhance its defenses.
Sumatra ALLIED LANDINGS:
THIRTEEN TF land at Sabang this turn. Major units: SW Pacific HQ, 27th ID, 18th Brit ID, and 1st Marine Div. Numerous Base Forces and Engineers. It falls after being nailed by a strike of 39 F4F, 93 SBD, 12 Swordfish, and 58 Avengers. Another strike sink a pair of TK and PC that didn't get away fast enough.
Sinabang: 3 Invasion Forces
Nias: 2 Invasion Forces
Siberoet: 1 Invasion Force
Move strike aircraft in Padang and Benkoelen for short-ranged attack. Same thing at Georgetown.
JAPANESE LANDINGS:
Detailed in above Posts.
At Tandjoengbalai: This TF was to land at Sabang THIS turn but is now dropping off everything at this base. LOTS of support and engineers. They will begin digging and expanding facilities ASAP. Have just a small Daitai of Zeros to fly CAP. This will change next turn.
Port Blair is under regular attack by B-24s. Move a batch of Tojos there to change this some. Mutsu is found as two 500lb bombs hit her this turn. set strike aircraft to fly from here trying to catch TF returning to Ceylon. Have 12 Emily arrive and fly a tight search sweep between Sumatra and Ceylon.
Burma
GOOD NEWS: My three Divisions (two ID and 2nd TK) extricate themselves from hex 57,46 and move out. 2nd TK heads for Magwe. The two ID move out for those jungle hexes south of Magwe to take up position.
Summary:
Things are SCARY now but given a few days we'll achieve parity in the air and them should have superiority.
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
The TF shown at Tand has nearly unloaded all of its troops but I REALLY need the 20,000 supply it carries. I forgot to attach this sceenshot to the last Post:
Attachments
Tand1111.jpg (260.36 KiB) Viewed 208 times
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
Never experienced the Sumatra situation you face now; I follow closely. I know I'm still a "B" player as I have no idea how to mount anything more than a division sized amphibious counter attack in 1942 as allies. I struggle so mightly with PPs, not to mention engineers and base forces during this time. I chalk it up to the romantic way I play as opposed to the brass tacks of the system itself. The only advice I have is beware knee jerk reactions and whiplash. [:)]
This will be a challenge to say the least. It is a well conceived attack BUT it must be supported from the sea and his bases of supply are a long way away at Ceylon. He now must support ALL his troops in Burma as well as Sumatra from India. That will not be easy. Time to move in a CRAPLOAD of SS!
Must take command of the air and then the sea.
Currently have the 2nd ID on the way from Munda. The 14th will follow from Lunga and the 10th ID was bought out at Shanghai. The 2nd and 10th are on 18 Knot Convoys. They land on eastern Sumatra to stabilize things. The 14th will probably head for western Sumatra.
I got called in to work for 3-4 hours and am there now wondering why days off are never DAYS OFF??!!
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
I only went to Webelos. I did however take three groups of boys from Tigers through second year Webelos. First for my son. Then for my Nephew. And finally because the pack had no parent who would step up from the incomming tigers. But after 15 years, I'm done at that level. Now I'm the merit badge counselor for Nuclear Science and Chemistry.
Whipple
MMCS(SW/AW) 1981-2001
1981 RTC, SD
81-82 NPS, Orlando
82-85 NPTU, Idaho Falls
85-90 USS Truxtun (CGN-35)
90-93 USS George Washington (CVN-73)
93-96 NFAS Orlando
96-01 Navsea-08/Naval Reactors
ORIGINAL: John 3rd
How many Scouters do we have here?
Life scout here. Had all the pre-reqs for Eagle, but our family moved to another state when I was at that point. Let's just say that I had different priorities at age 17. [:D]
