Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[koniu]

6 Dec 1943

Burma
Moulmein bombed. Only small damages to field. Lucky i moved 30 bombers i have there back to Rangoon.

Salomon's
Again Docup send LCI TF to Madang. I need to find a way to make that more difficult to him

Marshals
From days i was watching CVE TF around Johnston island. I lost track on him last turn. More search planes orderer to area.

[koniu]

7 DEC 1943

Burma
Docup is doing reckon bombings in south Burma. Cant stop that.

KB
I was forced to leave anchor. During last turn allied reckon plane detected above base. DL is 0/1 but i cant risk that KB will be detected. I hate those long range reckon planes Docup have, and soon he will have econ version of B-29

Supplies
Right now i stop expansion of Ha-43 engine(already building almost 300) and supplies start going up with nice 10k daily. I still thinking how much i need to expend that engine. Other engine models expansion is done.

[koniu]

I was i local market in Sunday. I was watching what old games from classic collection they have and i found and buy for 4 Euro "Il-2 Sturmovik: 1946".

I have played first Il-2 Sturmovik so i decide to back to classic i even found in closet my old joystick. Anyone have some exp with that game edition. I know it have all games released until 2006.

What modes You suggest to use. I will play mostly off-line.(i wish to enhance graphic and AI)

[koniu]

8 DEC 1943

Burma
Quiet. B-25 attack DDs south of Rangoon. Only ,50cal hits. No damage. I forgot to give LCAP. Those DDs are part of BB TF that is supporting unload of supplies and ID in Rangoon

DEI
Quiet. But i concentrate LBA in area. Later why.

Coral Sea
I detect some TFs. I suspect those are ASW TFs hunting for my subs.

Marshals
At lest 5 TF moving toward marshals. Another resupply attempt?. KB will be in position in 48h but will stay in shadows like last time. Those TF are reason i am concentrating LBAs in DEI. I want to be ready if this is decoy action. Docup have some CV support(TF north Johnston)I still after last action in area have 23 subs one day from marshals they will take position tomorrow.

During day i lost 21 Ki-49 in CAP trap above Wotje. I was sure AF was closed.[:(]

[koniu]

Time go to party

Happy 2013S
[:D]

[koniu]

9-10 December 1943

Burma
More recon by bombard action. Docup start sweeping with 100 figters before bombers. So that it about LCAP.
Last troops manage to unload together with 80k supplies in Rangoon. In last 72h i mange to unload 800AV. That will be all. I don`t have more troops to send to Burma. If I want more i will need to strip Java or Sumatra from defenses

Near Georgetown i have CA SAG. Today it was sooted with 10/10 DL. Where is that sub? I have 40 planes flying ASW, some nav search. I will send also some Es to find it. I can easily hide 60 ship TF near Rangoon but have problems moving ships ~Georgetown.

DEI
Quiet. I was sure that i was seeing TF moving from West toward Darwin? Finally i manage to find it today. I move more search planes to area to scan area to check if i dont miss something more. No more vacations for search groups. Around 100 fighters and 150 bombers is based in South DEI. Mostly they are training groups. From over Year it is mos quiet area of war. Occasional bombing nothing more. 3000 suplies unloaded in Ambon.

I found reason why DL on bases in north Oz was so low. Base from reckon plane where flying is out of supplies.

Salomon's
BB TF from Rabaul is sailing to Truk to join with KB. I will replace them with Criuser TF.
From few days Salomon's are empty from heavy allied ships. Where they go? I dint see there even single DD from days.

Coral Sea
I detect 6 TFs sailing north toward Horn Island. Tomorrow 36 G3M3 will tray to get closer look at them. At lest one TF look like CV TF, second as SAG. 4 last TF have to low DL but they are all concentrated in 2 hexes only. I have sub that will tomorrow try get some intel for me

Marshals
4 enemy TF sailing toward Marshals. Two look like cargo ships. One is CV TF(look like 2-3 CVE) ans SAG. They are 3 days from islands. I set Sub trap for closest cargo TF. Tomorrow BB TF will arrive to Marshals. If needed i will engage on surface or bombard Wotje and Maoeolap. Right now it llok i can handle without KB. only SAG and LBAs.

KB
Kb ~Truk will need to refuel in base tomorrow. Most of DD is below 50% fuel. Carries also not looking good ~75 in tanks. I am woried that docup is trying to lure KB to marshals. That will give him 2-3 day window and he can try quick landing in Bismark Sea.

If nothing bigger will show up in Marshals in next 2-3 days KB will back to Woleai anchor

[koniu]

11-12 December 1943

Burma
Quiet.

DEI
Allies bombard Lautem AF. Dose not matter. No AS and supplies in base

Solomons
Quietest days from over Year. No air or surface action. It is almost like in December `42

Marshals.
Subs during two days manage to sunk 8 enemy cargo ships. Practicality destroying first wave. Only two ships manage to get tru subs. Tomorrow DDs will destroy them

I have 200 fighters and 200 bombers ready to engage enemy if that will be necessary. So far Docup is holding CV and SAG in safe distance from islands. It looks that he have there less that 100 planes on decks.

KB
in anchor. Will stay in rednesses. If something goes wrong i can be in Marshals in 48h
I will use that time to rtepair some damage my ships suffer during last trip

R&D
B7A2 Grace advance to 10/44

[koniu]

Ramd. Tanaka

In some point i lost Tanaka. I was afraid that he is gone but after searching trough tracer i found that he was automatically use as 13th Base Force commander. After spending 5 PP he is now again available to command battlewagons.

[PaxMondo]

Yeah, Tanaka is real good. Waste as a land commander. [;)]

[koniu]

13 December 1043

Only action have place in Marshals

During night subs and light CL manage to sunk last cargo ships moving toward Wotje and Maoeolap.
What is worry me is that 9 air hexes (10 by sea) from Roi-Namur i see two TFs. One have 10 ships another 7 and they looks like SAGs. Only Fletcher going to be able to reach Roi-Namur at nigh. I found only few CLs that where able of 34kt speed and most of them sunk.

I have BB TF in Roi-Namur and i will move them out of hex for night to back there at day. If Docup try bombard base it must be day bombardment and then my BBs will return. Of course he can use Fletcher's to bombard but will probably not close AF with them and i want to awoid night battle against fletcher TF

Goals for tomorrow
- Avoid Fletcher's nigh ride (if he have fletcher's there)
- Protect Roi-Namur agains day naval bombardment
- Prey that AF will be open at day and my SAG will have air protection.[&o]

[koniu]

Is this passable that 9/4 speed ship can move 10 hexes in single phase????

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

Is this passable that 9/4 speed ship can move 10 hexes in single phase????

The Fletchers certainly do and the Le Triomphant has for me, but not sure about the cruisers. Doubt it. I swear Jocke put afterburners on his Fletchers to go 11 hexes in a phase!

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: koniu

Is this passable that 9/4 speed ship can move 10 hexes in single phase????

The Fletchers certainly do and the Le Triomphant has for me, but not sure about the cruisers. Doubt it. I swear Jocke put afterburners on his Fletchers to go 11 hexes in a phase!

I check it:
10 hex at full capable ships

DD
Fletcher class (USN)
P, J, N, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Z, Ca class (British)
Issac Sweers class (Dutch)
La Fantasque class (French)
and many pre war DD classes.
CL
Omaha class (USN) (10 build, i sunk 5, 1 still in service in Pacific, 4 are in Atlantic)

And that all. All modern USN and british cruisers arte only capable of 32-33 knots so only 9 hexes.

[koniu]

Plan for tomorrow in Marshals

Roi-Namur 100 naval bombers (75 D4Y1 and 25 B5N2) 140 fighters on 75% CAP
Orders naval attack and CAP range 0(zero)

If he will want bombard at day he will need to survive day air phase. Battleships will move at cruise toward West ending night move 2 hexes from Roi-Namur and on morning return back engaging any ships in Roi-Namur hex

Subs moving toward enemy CV TF.

[koniu]

14 December 1943

Marshals
Bad day. Fletcher's as suspected visit Roi-Namur. They nuke AF destroying 70 planes.
AF still open but only 60 fighters operational and morale is so low. I cant give proper air cover so BBs will also retreat.
I dont see landing forces so there will be chance to back to balance in area soon but not as soon as i wish. I think KB will be needed somewhere else soon. Look at Coral see part

Night Naval bombardment of Roi-Namur at 132,114

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 100 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 12 destroyed on ground
N1K1-J George: 48 damaged
N1K1-J George: 8 destroyed on ground
B5N1 Kate: 33 damaged
B5N1 Kate: 3 destroyed on ground
B5N2 Kate: 18 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed on ground
N1K2-J George: 84 damaged
N1K2-J George: 17 destroyed on ground
H6K4 Mavis: 8 damaged
H6K4 Mavis: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
DD Stembel
DD Sproston
DD Sigourney
DD Abner Read
DD Nicholas
DD Franks
DD Erben
DD Cowell
DD Black
DD Bell

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

Airbase hits 32
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 86

Very bad luck. I even when using BBs almost newer get so good result.

Coral Sea
This is what i found after going trough map.
It look that Docup have nice concentrations of ships in area. Biggest thing is that i pretty sure that there are capital ships there. Two time i hear "main body" sound. Intel show at lest 200 planes in enemy CV TF south of Townsville.
I was planing to send KB to Marshals but after what i see there i am not so sure.

Any ideas. Fake alert. Maybe Another push in Salomon's. But Docup know that i have KB in Salomons area so maybe he is trying to spread my forces little to have more space in Marshals. DEI rather not i will see invasion 4-5 days earlier as they have to move trough Arafura Sea and KB is 3 days from Darwin. Maybe it is usual traffic in area and i have fake intel. Damn

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: koniu

14 December 1943

Marshals
Bad day. Fletcher's as suspected visit Roi-Namur. They nuke AF destroying 70 planes.
...
Very bad luck. I even when using BBs almost newer get so good result.

I agree ... no spotters even. I don't know, but I guess that radar replaces the need for a night spotter ac for the allies. As you say, with the IJN this would be an excellent result with several BB's. I have never had anything close to this with just DD's.

[koniu]

15 DEC 1943

Burma
Quiet

China
Quiet

Marshals
Roi-Namur bombard by few CAs and CL. At day Liberators bomb from air. AF closed i destroy over 50 damaged figters to be able to rebild groups in Truk. They will be back in action in less than week. Marshals are lost right now. Without KB i can do nothing.

Right now time to rest. Ships need fuel, planes few days to build morale.

Coral Sea
Enemy TFs moving north toward Horn Island. Today enemy CV TF move 9 hexes north and currently is near Cooktown. I am not sure but i think i lost patrol plane above it. Some TFs enter Arafura Sea. And are 3 days from Darwin.
I watching them closely. I move some extra search plans to area.

KB
KB refueled in Woleai and after 3 days of rest in anchor at cruise speed is moving toward Peleilu. Tomorrow i will be sure where all those ships in Coral sea are sailing, DEI or Salomons.
I have check all groups and commandeers again. all unit fatigue 0 morale 99. Plane fatigue below 10. Not remember correctly but KB currently have ~1150 planes. More info when i back home.

[JocMeister]

Fletchers can do 11 hexes actually. [:) Regarding the bombardment, my guess its because you overstacked the AF.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Fletchers can do 11 hexes actually. [:) Regarding the bombardment, my guess its because you overstacked the AF.

Strange is that game is showing max speed of Fletchers as 10 and shoul show 11

I use formula to count how much ship can move during one phase

Fletchers - speed 38knt
12hours x 38knt / 40nm = 11,4 hex/phase

That way 15knt cruise speed ships are moving 9 and not as game show 2x4=8 hexes during entire day
12 x 15 / 40 = 4,5 hex/phase so 4,5 x 2 = 9 hexes

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Fletchers can do 11 hexes actually. [:) Regarding the bombardment, my guess its because you overstacked the AF.

Strange is that game is showing max speed of Fletchers as 10 and shoul show 11

I use formula to count how much ship can move during one phase

Fletchers - speed 38knt
12hours x 38knt / 40nm = 11,4 hex/phase

That way 15knt cruise speed ships are moving 9 and not as game show 2x4=8 hexes during entire day
12 x 15 / 40 = 4,5 hex/phase so 4,5 x 2 = 9 hexes

In my version Fletchers show 11 hexes?