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

[Cap Mandrake]

Aparri (NE Luzon): Trying to take out the airfield so we can start bombing the ground troops so we can capture the place so we can rebuild the airfield so we can bombard Okinawa so we can capture Okinawa so we can bombard Kyushu.....

These are all the P-38's we have in the PI. [:)]

Morning Air attack on Aparri , at 82,73

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 8 NM, estimated altitude 41,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 4

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 7

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

No Allied losses

The the B-24 raids. Same air HQ but somehow they got separated. Still, pretty effective.

Afternoon Air attack on Aparri , at 82,73

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 31 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 12

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 11
B-24D1 Liberator x 5

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

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 16

..

Afternoon Air attack on Aparri , at 82,73

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 8

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 damaged
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed on ground
D3A2 Val: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 12

[Cap Mandrake]

Vigan: We have a ton of stuff at Vigan. The troops unloading amphibiously at JJ-owned Laoag had to stop and move over to Vigan because we didn't have any surface combatants with ammo left. This attack is a waste of fighters. Sure, an Ida sunk Prince William about a week ago, but only after she was already a 10,000 foot tall Roman candle.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Vigan at 80,73

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-36 Ida x 4
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 16
Ki-61-Ia Tony x 4

Allied aircraft
Hurricane XIIb x 6
P-39D Airacobra x 21
P-40K Warhawk x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 9
F6F-3 Hellcat x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-36 Ida: 2 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 5 destroyed
Ki-61-Ia Tony: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

[Cap Mandrake]

Burma: JJ went after the Arried ground troops at Shwebo because they can see we are coming for Mandaray. Evidentry we have some big AA artillery there.

Morning Air attack on 8th Medium Regiment, at 59,45 (Shwebo)

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 116 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 9 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
21 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 8000 feet *
Ground Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

This was followed by Arried air attacks over Mandaray. Vengeance, B-25's, Beauforts, B-24's with a P-38 sweep and even TBF's. We lose 2-3 Vengeance and perhaps a B-25 or two. JJ loses some Oscars and suffers mild ground disruption. This won't be an easy attack because we have to cross the Irrawaddy.

[Cap Mandrake]

China: Big WJD attack at Neikiang, wherever that is. I think it's a big shoe-making city?

5 2/3 WJD divisions. [X(][X(] Hory crap! Can you imagine if these bad boys were in the PI? [X(] Even though it is a 1:2 attack. You have to say we lost based on squads destroyed. Still, their LYB's are worth more than our LYB's

Ground combat at Neikiang (75,44)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 62649 troops, 552 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 1742

Defending force 40531 troops, 322 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1384

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 773

Allied adjusted defense: 1320

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

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

Japanese ground losses:
4281 casualties reported
Squads: 114 destroyed, 270 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Guns lost 29 (1 destroyed, 28 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
3796 casualties reported
Squads: 226 destroyed, 258 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 144 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 21 disabled
Guns lost 70 (16 destroyed, 54 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st Ind.Inf.Group
23rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
40th Division
3rd Division
60th Division
39th Division
37th Division

Defending units:
86th Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Corps
51st Chinese Corps
98th Chinese Corps
71st Chinese Corps
8th New Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
52nd Chinese Corps
58th Chinese Corps
34th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Division
14th Construction Regiment
13th Chinese Base Force
4th Construction Regiment
35th Group Army
20th Chinese Base Force
32nd Group Army
22nd Artillery Regiment
25th Group Army
5th War Area
23rd Group Army
1st Chinese Base Force
3rd Heavy Mortar Regiment
4th Heavy Mortar Regiment

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Walloc
Selling butter cheap or using it to polish those boots before licking them!

Rasmus

I can usually figure out Russian and Chinese proverbs. I have to admit I have never understood Danish proverbs. [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

Here I am trying to score free drinks and oysters and my daughter sends me pictures of her sailing trip in the Greek isles. Seems pathetic doesn't it?

Maybe I should stop paying her car insurance?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Here I am trying to score free drinks and oysters and my daughter sends me pictures of her sailing trip in the Greek isles. Seems pathetic doesn't it?

Maybe I should stop paying her car insurance?

She's milking you.

"Cow. Your word is cow."

[Walloc]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Near Davao: Davao airfield was roughed up badly yesterday. JJ's effort to go after the CV's and Long Island (the ship not the drink) was courageous but doomed. Why do we have Sea Harriers on USN ships? I don't know. It just happened. The air groups on the carriers are worn out. They need to take a rest at Manado.

Allied aircraft
Sea Hurricane Ib x 9

Cuz of their STOVL capabilties and the fact that american military techology wasnt there in the 60ies. Brits think of crazy stuff just see Hobart funnies, soccer and such. As the marines was just in the market for such an aircraft in the 80ies(they like to be independant aka having their own airforce) they bought some Sea Harriers, fiddled with them and promptly renamed them AV-8Bs. Then they put some on LHA/LHDs, ie American ships. Not to be out done, thats not the american way, americans decided that any military equipment should be able to do any and all things. So they are now developing the F-35B, STOVL aircraft by them selfs. Unfortunatly things that can all and every thing tends to cost alot to develop and make. Lets see if it makes it, tho it prolly will. Too many jobs at stake.

What that has to do with Sea Hurricans im not totally sure off, but i just ramble as usual.

Rasmus

[Cap Mandrake]

So I am riding a beach cruiser (heavy bike with one gear, fat seat, fat tires) along the boardwalk in Newport Beach yesterday and we get to the end and a woman with a little dog in her beach cruiser basket says as she turns the bike around, "Oh great, now the uphill part"

This seems intrinsically disquieting to me so I do the math...boardwalk....beach...ocean...sea level...gravity. I giggle to myself. I ask her, "Let me guess, English major?"

She looks at me with disdain. Probably she saw the rented bike. Oh well. So I turn around and start heading "uphill". You know what? She was right. It was significantly harder going North. It's like a fishing guide. You have to trust the local knowledge.

Maybe they were South-facing tires?

There is also this. Never saw any place with so many dogs in bicycle baskets. Every third bike. Even the dogs have chauffeurs in Newport Beach.

[witpqs]

She was right. It was significantly harder going North.

So did you make SG get out of the basket and walk then? [:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

She was right. It was significantly harder going North.

So did you make SG get out of the basket and walk then? [:D]

No. we went long and rented two bikes. She pissed me off the other day saying I probably couldn't hit a baseball anymore so I picked up the pace on the north-bound leg until she begged to stop for water. [:-] It was childish but I am not going to have some woman telling me I cant do things. [:)]

The guy in the rental store was a riot. He had Asperger's syndrome. HE wore a bike helmet inside the store. [:)] Never made eye contact but clearly loved his job. He spent 10 minutes making annotations on the little map and I have lived in the area for decades. [:)]

[bradfordkay]

The cyclist's law: what goes downhill is going to come back uphill...

I have two rules for my rides:
1.) start my ride going into the wind so on the return trip I'll have it at my back.
2.) Try to put any big uphills in the middle of my ride - it's best to start with a flat section, then tackle the hill and finish with a nice downhill.

Of course, rules are made to be broken. [8|]

Anyway, on a bike (especially a heavy single speed bike) any slight upgrade is noticeable. You don't have 400hp to overcome those grades. And I don't know what it is with women and their little dogs, but they all want to carry them along on their bikes - or walk them on the bike trails (usually two or three at a time spread all across the trail).

[moore4807]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: witpqs

She was right. It was significantly harder going North.

So did you make SG get out of the basket and walk then? [:D]

No. we went long and rented two bikes. She pissed me off the other day saying I probably couldn't hit a baseball anymore so I picked up the pace on the north-bound leg until she begged to stop for water. [:-] It was childish but I am not going to have some woman telling me I cant do things. [:)]

The guy in the rental store was a riot. He had Asperger's syndrome. HE wore a bike helmet inside the store. [:)] Never made eye contact but clearly loved his job. He spent 10 minutes making annotations on the little map and I have lived in the area for decades. [:)]

From personal experience... N E V E R challenge Asperger's syndrome people to challenging games of chess or "Rain Man" card counting skills. My friends son has Asperger's and I was duped into playing him at chess. I'm a 50% win on average player so I thought I'd take it easy on him, he bested me in 31 moves. Then I put on my big boy game face and took him on again, beating me only took him 27 moves!

To this date I have NEVER beaten him in chess (+50 games) I feel like a sacfrificial lamb whern we go over to visit, because Bill always wants to play chess ( he's 32 but with the emotional maturity of an 12 yr old) Now break out cards and he's not quite Dustin Hoffman of "Rain Man" but he holds his own and I find myself asking him for advice now and then because he can remember what cards have been played like a photographic memory... It's like they channel all thier brain power into one or two things and are exceptional, and everything else simply doesnt matter to them.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: moore4807
From personal experience... N E V E R challenge Asperger's syndrome people to challenging games of chess or "Rain Man" card counting skills. My friends son has Asperger's and I was duped into playing him at chess. I'm a 50% win on average player so I thought I'd take it easy on him, he bested me in 31 moves. Then I put on my big boy game face and took him on again, beating me only took him 27 moves!

To this date I have NEVER beaten him in chess (+50 games) I feel like a sacfrificial lamb whern we go over to visit, because Bill always wants to play chess ( he's 32 but with the emotional maturity of an 12 yr old) Now break out cards and he's not quite Dustin Hoffman of "Rain Man" but he holds his own and I find myself asking him for advice now and then because he can remember what cards have been played like a photographic memory... It's like they channel all thier brain power into one or two things and are exceptional, and everything else simply doesnt matter to them.

How do you know the guy/gal you are playing in AE does no have Asperger's? They might have performance numbers memorized for every fighter at every altitude...including the YAK's. As a matter of fact, how do we know YOU don't have Asperger's?

Quick! How many Bofors on a short deck Essex?

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
Quick! How many Bofors on a short deck Essex?

Oh, come on. Somebody knows. Answer! We won't make fun of you. We promise.

[BBfanboy]

Unfair question CAP - it varies with the upgrades. I think they started with about 40 and finished with about 88![X(]

[moore4807]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
Quick! How many Bofors on a short deck Essex?

Oh, come on. Somebody knows. Answer! We won't make fun of you. We promise.

Dear Cap. My mental deficiencies are well documented! Aspergers has it all over me by my own admission.

Short Deck Essex's have WAY more Bofor's than me... The only thing I know about Bofor's is they were 40mm anti-aircraft weapons and made in the USA under license from Bofors, the swedish arms manufacturer... The other thing I know from reading Wikipedia is the M3 & M5 Stuarts main guns were 37mm Bofors also made under license in the USA during WWII... AND most surprising of all is Alfred Nobel (of Peace Prize fame) was one of the Owners of Bofors prior to his death. Talk about oxymorons!

And if you DIDN'T make fun of my answer, That would be the most disappointing of all [:D][:D][:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Unfair question CAP - it varies with the upgrades. I think they started with about 40 and finished with about 88![X(]

The use of the phrase "I think" indicates that you are a "neuro-typical". If we had swerved into an Asperger/AE player's area of microknowledge he would know the orignal design specs, the date and number added at every upgrade for every Essex carrier, the average rate of fire, how many enemy planes were shot down by Essex carriers and some formula to estimate how many were attributable to Bofors guns, the number of rounds in the storage lockers, every type of Bofors round ever produced and a descriotion of the origin of the company name (which I just looked up but I'm not goign to say).

[Cap Mandrake]

"AE savant" [:D]

Any nominees?

[moore4807]

Alfred - hands down.

Never met a AE question he couldn't definitely answer...