Not too much going on. One more attack Singapore that is a great victory for the allies. A lot of work was done to move pilots around as they complete training. I am not contesting the air over Port Moresby and at this rate it will be closed within a week.
Looks like he has another strike force heading out or an invasion force, not sure which. It could just be the troops that evacuated New Caledonia heading home.
Japanese Amphibious Landings:
Amphibious Assault at Funafuti (138,147)
Japan Conquerors the Following Bases:
Japanese forces CAPTURE Funafuti !!!
Ketapang
Supplies are down to around 6K, and he has surface and air forces cutting any attempt to resupply. I am looking at sending the SST that I can convert in April to try and add sum supply but it looks like the we will shortly move to the end phase --- but we are not there yet!
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 43143 troops, 601 guns, 140 vehicles, Assault Value = 1030
Defending force 58824 troops, 630 guns, 406 vehicles, Assault Value = 792
Japanese adjusted assault: 1161
Allied adjusted defense: 3615
Assaulting units:
11th Infantry Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
55th Infantry Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
21st Infantry Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
25th Army
18th Mountain Gun Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
5th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
5th Engineer Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
2nd Gordons Battalion
2nd Loyal Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
2/17 Dogra Battalion
22nd Australian Brigade
SSVF Brigade
11th Indian Division
9th Indian Division
223 Group RAF
2nd Malay Battalion
112th RAF Adv Base Force
3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment
3rd Heavy AA Regiment
224 Group RAF
110th RAF Adv Base Force
113th RAF Adv Base Force
2nd ISF Base Force
Malayan Air Wing
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
109th RAF Adv Base Force
1st Mysore Battalion
Malaya Army
Singapore Fortress
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
III Indian Corps
1st ISF Base Force
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
AHQ Far East
Singapore Base Force
1st Manchester Battalion
1st Hyderabad Battalion
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
1st Malay Battalion
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
111th RAF Adv Base Force
109th RN Base Force
This may not work but four slow British BB's escorted by the CVL Hermes --- plus CAP from Rangoon (70 Fighters) will bombard these four units. The hope is he spots my carrier planes from the British and thinks he has a solid ID on their location.
The Indomitable Taffy is in Sydney along with Force Z and both are unspotted. The Formidable is in route to Sydney from Port Stanley. The goal is to add these two British CVs to the American CVs (minus the Enterprise that will be repairing) for the Big Move on Christmas Island (May 1st) and then on to Canton. I don't expect him to contest Christmas Island but he may contest Canton. Having two British CVs added given he is down 2 CVs will make a huge force swing in May of 1942.
Is is me or are the British carrier plane replacements really really low? Right now I am getting 3 Martlet II's and 5 Sea Hurricanes a month. The Sea Hurricanes stop in 42/11 and the Martlet II's in 42/8. I then wait until 43/02 to get 6 Martlet IV's until 43/10.
At this point I get a grand Total 6 Sea Fire IICs and 9 Wildcat Vs from 43/10 forward. Starting in 43/12 the Corsair IIs arrive at a rate of 16 a month and we just ramp up from there.
I am looking at using the British CVs in the thick of it in 42/43 has anyone else had any experience with trying this? If I really have to I could use the Fulmar IIs but other than using up ammo and time they won't help much with the Zeros in air-air. If forced to use them I may just use them as Dive Bombers.....
Since the Fulmars are the only British FAA plane available in decent numbers, I train and use them as low level bombers - 1,000', land and naval.
They suffer from AA but get hits regularly. If I am really concerned about machine gun AA (2000' range) I just set the attack at 3000 feet.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
I have taken the british squadrons off and replaced them with American squadrons periodically. Hardly historical but very effective.
Wargmr I thought about that but I'm pretty sure that would fall outside of the general tone AirGriff and I are playing at. Though if my losses go high enough I may broach the subject with him.
Since the Fulmars are the only British FAA plane available in decent numbers, I train and use them as low level bombers - 1,000', land and naval.
They suffer from AA but get hits regularly. If I am really concerned about machine gun AA (2000' range) I just set the attack at 3000 feet.
BBfanboy it looks like this is what I am going to have to do. I had sent the Canadian 880 Sgn FAA (Sea Hurricanes) to Australia to move on to the Fleet CV's but it looks like I will turn this around and swap if for the 808 Sqn FAA that use the Fulmar IIs.
This will leave one Fighter Sqn and one Torpedo Bomber on the CVL Hermes. The Indomitable will operate a one FB (trained 1st as a NavB and secondly as a Fighter). The CV Furious will disembark one TB --- this will leave on board one Martlet II sqn and one Albacore Is sqn. I will be short on fighters but the US Carrier Fleet can provide them as needed.
This will leave on TB sqn and one FB sqn that will serve as training platforms for the CV replacements in Australia.
* Based upon losses I have one land based No 273 Sqn RAF Flying Vildebest IIIs training NavT that could convert to another Fulmar II as needed.
* The No 28 Sqn RAF is taking skill 70 GndB pilots and training them for NavB. After this step these pilots will go to either the Fulmar II sqn for active duty or the TB Training squadrons for further training.
This should get me the units I need where I need them and get the training program the units it needs to keep cranking out the replacements. Its all about the logistics planned months in advance........[;)]
Not too much going on. Two more bombardments at Singapore supplies fall to 5000. I have submarine transport missions but without SSTs I don't expect it will help a lot but anything you can do you have to do.
More work on getting my pilots in order and moved around. I am working to replace every US fighter pilot in a non-training squardron in the USA with a skill 70 air-air one. So far I am 80% done.
I am not contesting the air over Port Moresby and at this rate it will be closed within a week. That strike force was the returning force from New Caledonia so no new major landing forces sited.
The US 1st Bat Div (4 BBs, 4 DMs, 8 DMSs) will hit Christmas Island again tomorrow as part of our regular schedule. We have both the Port and Airfield closed already so this is just to keep it closed and continue to chew up the units on the islands. Intel is 3 Units ~3800 personnel.
Fanning Island is now a Level 4 Airfield with an Air HQ. The are 27 B-17s that will now start to bomb the land units on the Island as well. Looking to get further degrade the combat capabilities of the units on the island and run up the XP of the bomber force.
Canton Island
After Taking Christmas Island the units will move on this island. Intel reports the airfield is level 2 and the port is level 2. Now the units that will be used for this will have low preparation (will just have changed target from Christmas) but as it seems he has a lot of engineer units I am hoping that he will be short on combat units as the max stacking is 6K.
I will be bringing two US Inf Divisions, 2 Us Art Bats, 2 Combat Eng Bats so I will be very over stacked. He as no other airfield for support greater than Level 1 in range currently so this is my best shot to take it back.
Savii's Airfield is already Level 3 and expanding with an Air HQ. Once its hits Level 4 I have 16 B-17E's, 8 B-17Ds and 8 LB-30's that will try and knock out the airfield before he can get a ton of fighters in play. I will also expend my P-38's (one squadron plus 15 replacements) for Sweeps.
It seems he is getting ready to move in to attack. He has started air operations against the island for the last four days. Do most people just fall back and hold Soerabaja or do they also hold Batavia? Right now I am split between the Soerabaja and Batavia with 1/2 my force at each. I am thinking about falling back with just a token force at Batavia and having everything dig in at Soerabaja...
But for this turn I will just stand the air force down and see if he brings any additional force to bear.
---------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Batavia , at 49,98
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 41 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 24
Allied aircraft
B-339D x 5
CW-21B Demon x 6
75A-7 Hawk x 12
Hurricane IIb Trop x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 1 destroyed
Is there a listing somewhere of the shortcut keys ---- F1, F6, T key etc do? I am sure this manual does not cover them all and I can't see to find the right term for them on the forum search.
It seems he is getting ready to move in to attack. He has started air operations against the island for the last four days. Do most people just fall back and hold Soerabaja or do they also hold Batavia? Right now I am split between the Soerabaja and Batavia with 1/2 my force at each. I am thinking about falling back with just a token force at Batavia and having everything dig in at Soerabaja...
But for this turn I will just stand the air force down and see if he brings any additional force to bear.
Hi Rook,
Depends what he brings, but assuming that your opponent doesn't try to take Java on the cheap, it's really doesn't matter. Japanese divisions will slap your Dutch units around like a bunch of teenage... well folks that get slapped around. Forts that don't have a coastal exposure are nice.
Not too much going on. One more attack Singapore supplies fall to 3000. I have submarine transport missions but without SSTs I don't expect it will help a lot but anything you can do you have to do.
I am not contesting the air over Port Moresby and at this rate it will be closed within a week. That strike force was the returning force from New Caledonia so no new major landing forces sited.
Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)
More dead Japanese, but the supplies drops to ~3000. Not sure how much longer I can keep this up but its fun while it lasts.
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 43901 troops, 585 guns, 182 vehicles, Assault Value = 1087
Defending force 58724 troops, 622 guns, 406 vehicles, Assault Value = 783
Japanese adjusted assault: 1213
Allied adjusted defense: 2743
Assaulting units:
41st Infantry Regiment
2nd Recon Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
Imperial Guards Division
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
55th Infantry Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
21st Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
25th Army
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
56th Field Artillery Regiment
5th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
5th Engineer Regiment
18th Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment
Defending units:
2nd Gordons Battalion
11th Indian Division
22nd Australian Brigade
SSVF Brigade
2nd Loyal Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
2/17 Dogra Battalion
9th Indian Division
Malayan Air Wing
2nd Malay Battalion
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
Singapore Base Force
1st Malay Battalion
1st Hyderabad Battalion
1st ISF Base Force
113th RAF Adv Base Force
1st Mysore Battalion
224 Group RAF
111th RAF Adv Base Force
Malaya Army
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd ISF Base Force
3rd Heavy AA Regiment
112th RAF Adv Base Force
223 Group RAF
109th RAF Adv Base Force
AHQ Far East
Singapore Fortress
III Indian Corps
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment
1st Manchester Battalion
110th RAF Adv Base Force
109th RN Base Force
Line Islands
Seems we are now killing troops with the air and naval bombardments. He now has less than 3,000 reported troops on the Islands. Given that I am waiting for at least 21 days to land --- need to complete the carrier refits and finish assembling the landing craft. But for the first time the B-17's are unleashed... I have question....
Do I shift my preparations for my two divisions, 2 Combat Engineers and 2 US Art Bats to Canton as this is my next objective? This will give me far more preparations points and I am not sure I really need them for Christmas.
---------------------------------
Night Naval bombardment of Christmas Island at 174,141
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 15000 feet *
Ground Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 15000 feet *
Ground Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 15000 feet *
Ground Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 15000 feet *
Ground Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
---------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Yokosuka 4th SNLF, at 174,141 (Christmas Island)
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 19
P-39D Airacobra x 11
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 15000 feet *
Ground Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 15000 feet *
Ground Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 15000 feet *
Ground Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 15000 feet *
Ground Attack: 4 x 500 lb GP Bomb
Is there a listing somewhere of the shortcut keys ---- F1, F6, T key etc do? I am sure this manual does not cover them all and I can't see to find the right term for them on the forum search.
The search term is "Hotkeys". It is Section 2.2 of the manual, both printed and electronic versions, pages 17-18.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
Line Islands
Seems we are now killing troops with the air and naval bombardments. He now has less than 3,000 reported troops on the Islands. Given that I am waiting for at least 21 days to land --- need to complete the carrier refits and finish assembling the landing craft. But for the first time the B-17's are unleashed... I have question....
Do I shift my preparations for my two divisions, 2 Combat Engineers and 2 US Art Bats to Canton as this is my next objective? This will give me far more preparations points and I am not sure I really need them for Christmas.
---------------------------------
If you intend to land those troops on Christmas Island before you take it, better leave the prep for Xmas Is. If you switch them to Canton and then
land them at Xmas they will have NO prep for that island and will suffer huge losses in the landings. It's as if they don't know how to get out of
a landing craft without drowning unless they have at least 50% prep!
If you mean to use other troops to take Xmas Island and not use the ones you listed, you should definitely start prepping them for next objective.
By the looks of your bombardment the Japanese are heavily disabled and disrupted. Even if they still have supply if you can keep them disabled and
disrupted up to the time of your landings, you should be able to take Xmas Island with a regiment.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth
