Nothing Up My Sleeve: Magical Moose Tricks--Bullwinkle58 vs.1EyedJacks

[Encircled]

Why not?

He's miles ahead in territory pretty much everywhere else

He can afford to give it a go, and the KB have to decide which is more important, the Marshalls or the DEI?

Its a no brainer

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

I have 100 Whirraways. Want some? [:)]

Pools are terrible. CVs are upsizing too. There are about six P-38 units coming on map in a week, a trickle of RAF. You know the drill. Remember three years ago?

Training a lot of naval bombing. I'm great on recon, search, and ASW already.

Overall, the fact that I'm still sitting in PBang, Soerbaja, all of Burma north of Rangoon, and fighting in the Marshalls has thrown any "normal" trends out the window. I have "good" CAPs of 4-5 planes facing 150 plane attacks every day, in multiple places. It's no fun, but on balance I'll still take it. Every day the oil/fuel ratio swings in my favor, and I get better planes by and by.

I was going to reply sarcastically with a "I have 2000 Wildkittens in the pool. Want some?". Then I realised you would probably gnaw an arm off for 2000 Kittens! [:D]

I certainly agree with the losses being worth it. If he doesn´t get Palembang soon its going to be game, set, match pretty soon isn´t it? Thats 1500 oil in total right? He must be hurting pretty badly already.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: desicat

Why do you think you are able conduct this invasion of the Marshall Islands in Mid 1942? Where is the KB and the IJN?

It seems a little early for you to be able to conduct a large scale, slow moving, multi-island offensive as opposed to a quick strike or the surprise reinvasion of Burma that you pulled off earlier.

edit: In reply to Encircled I'm not questioning the wisdom of the operation, I was just curious on what the Moose thought the Japanese were up to - or if he thought they were so far back on their heels that he now has the initiative.

The last heavy carriers I saw were Akagi and Kaga near Java about three weeks ago. Akagi had taken some damage. My best guess has been most are in upgrade in the HI. I chose the window with that prominently in mind.

Today's turn showed heavy intel at Sasebo, Nagasaki, and Yokahama. Very possible the upgrades are over.

How the Marshalls? Well, I haven't lost any carriers. Did not send them running all over the DEI last December. Kept them at Pearl to deal with the early incursion, did all the upgrades on Day 1, and didn't waste SBDs. Got Pearl cleaned out of 12/7 damage so I've had rapid repair services there. (Except Warspite, which is a pier queen these days.) I positioned harassment forces (Raiders) at Canton and Baker.

He let me keep Wake! Very important. It's Forts 5+, has good air cover, and is over-stacked a lot. Have been pumping supplies in there for months.

He let me come back to Rabaul for free. Amazing what you can see from Rabaul. [:)] It's a major base now.

SNAGGLEPUSS had, and may still have, some other, more surprising elements in store.

Finally, a big reason why the Marshalls is to make him respond or lose them. He's doing that. I want him to do that. I want him to burn fuel, and I want him to have to garrison islands he wouldn't have otherwise. Every one is supply TFs running back and forth. More fuel, more targets.

While all this is going on, and he's killing Chinese in Burma by the thousands, quietly and out of sight the northern map is becoming an Allied beast.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

I was going to reply sarcastically with a "I have 2000 Wildkittens in the pool. Want some?". Then I realised you would probably gnaw an arm off for 2000 Kittens! [:D]

I certainly agree with the losses being worth it. If he doesn´t get Palembang soon its going to be game, set, match pretty soon isn´t it? Thats 1500 oil in total right? He must be hurting pretty badly already.

I'd take 20. [:)] I just sortied Lex and Sara to escort the Americal to Roi-Namur. Pulled an SBD unit off each and stuck another fighter unit in each slot. That takes my Wildcat pools to nothing.

I looked and I get three P-38 units of 25 each in two days. The eight was more like B-17s. And they're small units mostly. Eight planes, or HQ scraps of two.

PBang is 100% damaged today. Pulled out what would fly to Cocos. Gonna let the AA do what it can.

If I keep PBang, or he gets it wrecked, I don't expect Mike to quit. I think he's having fun. I'm trying to make this a non-standard game. [:)] And it's very likely he'll crunch me in Burma as I may have over-reached too early. He could get up to the oil and make a go of it. He also may come through the mountains at Lashio/Paoshan with the hordes at Tsuyung and get at Burma that way. This thing for sure ain't over here in the first summer.

[JocMeister]

Don´t you get like 80 P38s in just two month somewhere along where you are? That really helps! [:)]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Don´t you get like 80 P38s in just two month somewhere along where you are? That really helps! [:)]

Yeah, 75 in two days. I think they're yellow restricted. Problem is they're WC. And I hesitate to try to operate them in mid-Pac because of the service level. Rabaul would be good. I've never tried to shuttle P-38s across vs. the AI. Might be able to through Canton. Have to check the drop tank ranges.

[JocMeister]

I was thinking about the replacements also. One of the P38 models gets 40/months running for a whole two good months! So thats 80 more for you! [:)]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

I was thinking about the replacements also. One of the P38 models gets 40/months running for a whole two good months! So thats 80 more for you! [:)]

Yeah, one does, but I don't remember the model. I always restrict Tracker to 'Building' so I don't do something stupid and bet on the come.

[Lomri]

With Canton you should be able to hop your P-38s to Rabaul. (Without Canton I think you can still do it with AV on the right islands).

Could also use AKVs the slow route or some of your fast liners and run the way-south-route. (or full speed through the worm holes to Perth, probably take longer).

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Lomri


With Canton you should be able to hop your P-38s to Rabaul. (Without Canton I think you can still do it with AV on the right islands).

Could also use AKVs the slow route or some of your fast liners and run the way-south-route. (or full speed through the worm holes to Perth, probably take longer).

I'll try that, thanks. I have Canton. Suva has av of course, and I have a small one on Noumea just for shuttles. But Noumea means two or so extra days going south, then north.

[Bullwinkle58]

July 8, 1942

New USN Charity Program: BBs For DDs

Action remains in previous theaters.

1) Both surviving DMs on retreat form Kwaj plus a lone USN DD detached and sent to Pearl for carrier escort run into stubborn 8DD/1 TB TF sitting on Kaaj. Both survive, with damage, and together leach off 10 Long Lance volleys from the Japanese. Which is important when the bombardment group sent in runs into them in the night.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Roi-Namur at 131,113, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 1
DD Shigure, Shell hits 1
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Nenohi
DD Shiokaze
DD Hokaze, Shell hits 3, on fire
TB Kiji, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
BB Idaho, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB Mississippi, Shell hits 2
DM Montgomery
DM Sicard, Shell hits 2, on fire

Later in turn USS Mississippi takes a torpedo from I-160. Wonderful.

2) Two more barges are sunk between Roi-Namur and Kwaj by subs. Think this is about all of them. Land involvement on Roi is US resting, resupplying, waiting for help on the way. Japanese bombard for no damage to either side.

The USN carriers are headed to Wake to take a drink, get some shells, and possibly a few planes. All air wings grounded except heavy CAP. The Zeroes on Kwaj are still fearsome.

3) Northern NG an APD-carried fragment lands at Vanimo (empty.) The retiring APD is attacked and sunk by Vals from a carrier TF heading in from roughly Babel-de-bob. Don't know how close it will come to Rabaul. I'd like to hide how strong that base is for awhile yet, but then a carrier is a carrier. Kiwi forces begin landing today on Shortlands as well. Need a few days of peace there.

Dutch CM heading in to Manus to lay a deterrent field is also hit by RO-65. Does not sink, but will. I may be able to lay the mines somewhere before she goes.

4) Air attacks continue at ferocious levels at PBang and near Rangoon. Small CAP at latter, but AA is chewing vast quantities of Japanese machinery. A couple of samples of more than a dozen attacks.

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 26 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
A6M2-N Rufe x 8
G4M1 Betty x 25

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 16 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 5 damaged
139WH-3: 2 damaged
Martlet II: 1 damaged
Martlet II: 1 destroyed on ground

Runway hits 11

Morning Air attack on 23rd Indian Division, at 55,52 , near Rangoon

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
G3M3 Nell x 42
G4M1 Betty x 35

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
G3M3 Nell: 14 damaged
G3M3 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak
G4M1 Betty: 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed

Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 62
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 12

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 34 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 4 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
139WH-3: 1 damaged
Fulmar II: 2 damaged

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

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 6

Morning Air attack on 7th Indian Division, at 55,52 , near Rangoon

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 34 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 22
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 33
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 30
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 11
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 31

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 18 damaged
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 4 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 15 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
41 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
----------------------

The Rangoon stack should enter the hex tomorrow. The Big Stack is already on the road between Paoshan and Lashio. It is prepped for Chiang Mai, but will probably be used at either Pegu or Rangoon itself. It has massive HQ support, including the national HQ Red Army, and about 2000 AV.

5) B-17s Refinery bomb Miri for one point. Yesterday eastern Borneo refineries were hit for 9 points. Forgot to mention. Kunming also gets 3000 Fires today from 14 Manpower hits.

6) Japan loses 5 Bettys and has 10 more damaged at Soerbaja for 1 Runway hit. Forts continue to build here at 2 per day. The shipyard is still in operation, fixing Dutch subs. Anti-ship missions flown today hit nothing and cost the Dutch two bombers.

Turns this week will be spotty. Mike is in a press week and has also recently shifted to a compressed schedule. We should get most of our turns in Thurs-Sunday night this autumn. Should be the same number, but mid-week will often be bare.

[Lomri]

When shuttling across the south pacific remember you don't need a huge amount of AV on each hop. Since you'll have them stood down you'll only get a few disabled from the hop, not the whole group. Just having a couple AV (2 - 6) is enough to repair them. I believe you have some small French and US units in the way south pac, like Tahiti that might fill this role.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Lomri


When shuttling across the south pacific remember you don't need a huge amount of AV on each hop. Since you'll have them stood down you'll only get a few disabled from the hop, not the whole group. Just having a couple AV (2 - 6) is enough to repair them. I believe you have some small French and US units in the way south pac, like Tahiti that might fill this role.

When moving drop tanked P-40Es across the southern route I usually lost one plane disabled on each leg. Took about a week to collect them all for the jump to Rabaul. I did have to send an av unit to Noumea. I didn't see a way to get them to Oz without it. I don't hold the Solomons or Luganville.

[Lomri]

Without Noumea it's harder and you have to build an airstrip on Raoul Island and Norfolk Island (or Lord Howe Is and bounce thru NZ). For P-40Es that is.

[JocMeister]

Ouch on another BB...Thats 3 out of action in short order? And they take AGES repairing [:(]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Ouch on another BB...Thats 3 out of action in short order? And they take AGES repairing [:(]

The damage to both was minor. Single digit flooding. I ordered them to go bombard in the turn I just sent back. Roi-Namur is ending up being a real PITA.

[Bullwinkle58]

July 9, 1942

Marshalls Moves

1) IJN injects ever more subs into the battle area. Today I-160 is attacked by a lone mine-layer and escapes, an SSX is found and attacked at Roi-Namur (it lives), and I-11 is hit once near Eniwetok. The USN is stretched so thin on DDs right now that ASW efforts in the Marshalls have to take a backseat.

2) The torpedo-wounded BBs turn back toward Roi-Namur and complete their mission.

Night Naval bombardment of Roi-Namur at 132,114

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 1 damaged
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
BB Mississippi
BB Idaho

Japanese ground losses:
140 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 4 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 10
Port hits 4

3) Another barge is sunk by USS Pollack running between Kwajalein and Roi-Namur. I assume now it is an attempt to run supplies in to the garrison on RN. A 2-ship DD/AP TF begins delivering a USAAC base force to Roi-Namur. I had thought it would be secured by now, but the force has some engineers and a tiny bit of AV, so they land and join the attack. The FT TF operating from Eniwetok runs in another thousand supply as well and disruption on the original partial infantry reg. is low enough I risk an attack.

Ground combat at Roi-Namur (132,114)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2220 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 72

Defending force 1832 troops, 18 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 47

Allied adjusted assault: 27

Japanese adjusted defense: 15

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
286 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
238 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled

Assaulting units:
102nd Combat Engineer Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
6th USN Naval Construction Battalion
177th USAAF Base Force /1

Defending units:
7th Indpt SNLF Coy
43rd Nav Gd /1
7th JNAF Coy
2nd Naval Construction Battalion

4) On Ponape the scraps of parachutists are hanging on by their toenails and won't survive an attack. I order them to do what they can. They attack, do no damage, and are eliminated by attrition. But I know what's on the island now.

5) Heavy air attacks on PBang and the Rangoon stack continue. Japan loses 28 bombers by next-day reports, plus several score damaged. The troop losses on the Rangoon stack, perhaps due to terrain alone, are light compared to the mauling taken by the Chinese in the Pegu stack.

6) The Rangoon stack does not attack today. It can wait for the Bassein troops to join. A TF of CA and merchants is seen in Rangoon harbor and the LCU count increases again. A B-17 strike on naval/port from Calcutta does one point of port damage but hits no ships. If so that's a mixed blessing. More supply consumption, but more to deal with on the attack. The Big Stack needs to be part of this party, but they are a week to ten days from Lashio and the rail head, then three to pack, two to Toungoo or so, three to unpack, then a march down the trail.

7) The CV TF seen north of the NG coast is heading due east when last seen. A re-directed CM reaches Rabaul and lays a heavy field. The other wounded one is still afloat and making for Rabaul as well. The B-17s at Rabaul are ordered to naval attack the carriers to work on Zero counts, but do not fly.

8) Japan took Tjepoe two hexes west of Soerbaja about a week ago, completing the encirclement of that base. I did not notice that Tjepoe is an oil/refinery base until today. Two hexes from a large, undamaged AF. Multiple day missions are mounted, but only two do damage. Four Oil hits.

9) Vanimo on the north coast of NG is re-taken by the Allies.

10) Fighter squadron on most USN CVs upsize and wait for airframes to fill.

NIGHT BOMBING SECTION

As related in the general forum I will post daily complete reports on night bombing activity in this game, by both sides. This will include Operations report text about turn-backs, got-losts, etc. I'll try this fro about a month and evaluate. As I often do the AAR pre-coffee, if I forget to do this will somebody please say so?

My experience has been that night bombing is a tool, not a wonder weapon. Format may evolve as I go. Today was a light day.

--Night Air attack on Kunming , at 69,48

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
Wellington Ic x 3

No Allied losses

Manpower hits 2
Fires 3360

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Wellington Ic bombing from 4000 feet
City Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

[Bullwinkle58]

July 10, 1942

One-Ship Task Force

1) Unloading continues at Roi-Namur. Unfortunately it's all supply and non-combat troops. Shore fire harasses but does not hit anything. However, the FT TF carrying supply and some left-behind elements of the infantry reg. already on RN are set upon by a TF of 4 pretty modern DDs. The USN APDs don't land a punch, but mostly get away.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Roi-Namur at 131,113, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Shigure
DD Umikaze
DD Nenohi
DD Shiokaze

Allied Ships
APD Litchfield, Shell hits 1
APD Schley
APD Waters
APD Dent, Shell hits 1
APD Humphreys
APD Hatfield, Shell hits 1
APD Kane, Shell hits 9, on fire

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

2) ASW encounter just west of Ponape says Japan is perhaps moving reinforcements in there, which is one thing I wanted to force. SS Tambor takes no damage.

3) During the day phase USS Buchanan is attacked at Roi-Namur by the 4 DDs. She was left as a 1-ship TF in the harbor as the TF she escorted outbound left for Pearl. Mini-sub(s) had been seen here yesterday. One DD was all I could afford. An HR requiring at least two ships be left would have meant no ASW coverage, and in this case no IJN victory. USS Buchanan was sunk by 24 hits after landing one herself. This is another example of a case where a player MUST be allowed to determine his own asset deployment, to meet his own goals. In this case I lost the bet. I'd still do it as a mini-sub can take on a loaded AP. And Japan took out a good ship for no cost.

1-ship TF DOES NOT always equal "picket ship." But a lot of HRs are mindless that way.

4) Near Roi-Namur DD Meredith attacks I-172 for nine hits. Meredith was not in an ASW TF, and is not alone.

5) A couple of Kates from who knows where (looked like maybe Wotje) attack unloading APs at Roi-Namur, but miss with bombs. The unloading continues in all three phases, but I need shooters, not cooks. The attack goes badly.

Ground combat at Roi-Namur (132,114)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2057 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 48

Defending force 1959 troops, 18 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 46

Allied adjusted assault: 1

Japanese adjusted defense: 32

Allied assault odds: 1 to 32 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
48 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
343 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 17 disabled

6) Lark BN, loaded on one xAP escorted by one AM had been moving to support the paras on Ponape. When it fell they were re-aimed at Kusai (sp?) When three large xAKs were seen there it was fuel-routed east to try for Baker. The carrier TF last seen north of NG attacks with Kates and sinks both ships. A stiff loss. No unit designation was seen in the movie. This could be a MKB (most likely as I think it came from Babel-de-bob)), a hybrid with, say, a Kaga along, or the KB or most of it. If the latter two Japan is screening the ID by restricting air units allowed to fly, at least from my perspective.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ontong Java at 118,123

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
B5N1 Kate x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAP Chaumont, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AM Cowra, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
1033 casualties reported
Squads: 34 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 67 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 6 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 27 (27 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (2 destroyed, 0 disabled)

7) The damaged CM near Rabaul sinks. RIP Prins van Oranje.

8) Kanga Force sub-lands on Satawal and takes the dot.

9) Palembang "bait" is working. When I pulled the base force out of Oosthaven I had a motley crew of FAA scraps, some damaged B-17s, some Dutch bombers and recons there. PBang is bigger and has a lot of av support, so I railed the scraps there to try to fix any of them. Then the saturation bombing began. The AF is closed. But the scraps, now utter junk with repair times in double digits, keep attracting attacks. For days now Japan has been getting reports like this:

Morning Air attack on Palembang , at 48,91

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 23 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
G4M1 Betty x 20

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 15 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed on ground
Martlet II: 1 damaged
Martlet II: 1 destroyed on ground

Some of these planes have been hit fifty times! Those that are destroyed I've written off long ago. But over PBang probably 30-40 bombers have been lost, and maybe 100 damaged, going after these scraps. Not going to count the destroyed/damaged Japanese bombers today. It was a fair number.

--Changed the 32nd IDs CO to a general with Admin of 75 today. It is sucking in arty tubes and motorized support pretty rapidly to replace that lost at Oosthaven.

10) Mavis patrol planes fly on merchants unloading at Ramree I. twice. A CAP has recently been established after av support walked 120 miles to bring the base back on-line after I mistakenly sent the av support away months ago. Six Mavis tubbies are destroyed. None reach launch position.

11) Heavy day missions on Tjepoe destroy 4 Refinery and 5 Oil. Right now the local supply denial is more important than the Oil.

12) Indian troops begin landings at Tavoy. We shall see.

Night Bombing

--AIR NIGHT STRIKES
4 x No.215 Sqn RAF Wellington Ic stray due to night
4 x 41st BG/46th BS B-17E Fortress stray due to night

--Five units of B-17s at Rabaul--the entire force--ordered to night attack Truk AF do not fly.

--Night Air attack on Tavoy , at 54,60

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-26B Marauder x 8

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B-26B Marauder bombing from 2000 feet
Airfield Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Nothing is hit from 2000 feet.

--Night Air attack on Kunming , at 69,48

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
Wellington Ic x 4

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington Ic: 1 damaged

Manpower hits 8
Fires 4831

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Wellington Ic bombing from 4000 feet
City Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

[JocMeister]

Be careful with the APDs. You get almost none until 44 when they start arriving in numbers again. I lost almost all my APDs in 43 in a failed FT mission. I really missed them when they wern´t available! [:(]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Be careful with the APDs. You get almost none until 44 when they start arriving in numbers again. I lost almost all my APDs in 43 in a failed FT mission. I really missed them when they wern´t available! [:(]

Good point. Looking at the Sunk Ships list I have been nibbled to death so far. Few big losses other than the BBs, but my list is at least 300% longer than his.

I have already used FT TFs more than I ever have against the AI. They are the only way to get some things done before LSTs are invented. Even then they have the speed to get in and get out, and excellent ASW in the first year. But they're old buckets when it comes to fire control.

Mike has been putting up a masterful defense in the Marshalls. I am trying to take away lessons for later campaigns. I keep going too early and too uncoordinated, then trying to catch up while already fighting. I need bigger hammers on Day One, but I don't have them yet. I have two great USMC divisions at Pearl, but not enough lift, and, as always, not enough escort. I need 25 more modern DDs yesterday.

We are approaching one year real time playing and have done eight months in game. This is such an odd thing compared to the rhythm of my AI games that I have to keep saying--out loud--"It's only the first summer."