Grudge Match

[John B.]

Thanks for the kudos but I owe it all to the PT boys who intercepted a couple of days before and noticed that there were more carriers than escorts. H.B. I had the same experience at Pearl this time when all I really shot at were escorts so it was nice off of Moresby to see my ships target the CVs. I'm not too sure how much damage I did. the KB has disappeared from search planes leading me to believe that he was able to steam away at high speed. I have a report that the Zuikaku went down but there are no dead ops planes that would confirm that. On the other hand, they could have all flown to Lae. This lack of concrete intelligence is one of the great things about the game. But, in any event, I think I have a free hand around Morseby for now.

The turn after was anti-climactic. I put the Big Es air group into Moresby and they were shot up bombing an AK near Lae which was a little depressing. [:(] I think the morale of his troops at Moresby is very low because my combat reports for the mutual bombardments are showing actual kills of squads and guns while he is doing little damage to me. I'm loading up a division to run into Moresby and my CVs are on the coast up there to help with the escort.

My major supply convoy continues to unload at Rangoon and I'm sending a BB task force into Moulmein for a bombardment at dawn.

[BBfanboy]

Careful with those CVs covering your Moresby reinforcements. Japanese subs are still more experienced than your escorts
in mid 1942.
I am also surprised your battles have not featured more Netties.

[John B.]

BBfanboy, I know from sad experience how good his subs are vs. my escorts. The last time I ran a convoy into Moresby one sub sank the Big E and put a fish into the Saratoga. Right now I'm in a holding pattern in shallow coastal water just north of Cairns while I put ASW patrols down as a carpet for part of the run to Moresby. In poor planning on my part I forgot to put the division into strategic mode so we're all waiting three days before I can start loading. I did spot the KB again about 5 hexes north east of Tulagi. I toyed with sprinting to catch it but he has at least 4 CVs ready to go plus scads of land based air. Not worth it. And there are two subs outside of Truk hoping for a lucky shot!

PontiusPilot, what I try to do if there is any threat of surface activity is to have some sort of surface action group with the carriers. Also, there were too few escorts with the KB in the above battle. I seem to remember reading in the manual that 14 ships is the optimal size for a CV task force. So, I have 4-5 CVs a BB, 2-3 CA/CLs, and the rest as DDs. And, I try to move the CV task force around. Scott and I have each made the same mistake off of moresby: our CV task force stayed in the same place for too long which meant that opposing forces could converge and know exactly where to go. But, I'm interested in the thoughts of those who have more experience.

[John B.]

Scott went over the top at Moresby and paid a very heavy price. I really think his troops are disorganized and have low morale and he's in a bit of a tar pit here. If he keeps his carriers on the other side of New Guinea I can bomb his transport and if he brings them to my side then they're vulnerable to subs and surface action. In the meantime, I can run supplies and troops in much easier and, as is key, I have the port and the airfield. Since he has three divisions there he has a lot invested but I think in the long run I can lever this into a major allied victory. On his plus side is the whole nest of fighter bases he has. He is sweeping with more than 40 fighters per turn.

[John B.]

Well there are doings off of Canton Island. One week before the baseforce was due to withdraw Scott showed up and invaded. The base force has no inf. squads so it does not look good (and it leaves in 4 days anyway). As it happened, I had a convoy nearby with the CVE Long Island. I thought I might sneak up on Scott but he found me and this turn put two torps and 4 bombs into the flattop. It's not down yet (79 float damage and 12 level fire) but if it is not attacked again it might make it. It is (in the pic below) heading 180 degrees away from the mini-KB. The escorts (CA, CLAA and a DD are heading into the teeth of the storm. If I get lucky I'll intercept the carrier in a night action and, if not, I may get a crack at his transports at Canton. The yellow line heading towards Canton shows the path it is taking. The IJN taskforce in black is the carrier. the Long Island fighter group went to Canton. I've been training it in naval strike so it may get a lick in on the carrier as well. If not, they will be overrun when Canton falls unless it lasts at least one more turn so that I can withdraw the group. And, I think the surface task force will be moving fast enough to get away from the carrier.

In other news, Scott finally took Bataan so reaped lots of the VPs for the surrender. They did go down swinging taking 100+ squads, guns, vehicles etc... in each of the last two assaults. Good news off of Moresby. The transport taskforce has made it and is unloading the division. In air combat I had over 100 fighters and took out two Betty and one Nell attack. If the division gets ashore he is in real trouble there as my artillery is already killing 3-5 squads per turn so I suspect his morale and disruption is very bad. I think he's gearing up for a renewed push on Sian and reserves are on the way. All is quiet on the Burma front. I'm bombarding at Pegu and not doing too much damage.

[PetrOs]

Watching your AAR with big interest, some things to notice for me, as I play my first ever PBEM as allies now. I think you did great work so far!

[John B.]

PetrOs, thanks! I think it pays to be aggressive with the Allies early on. Look for where the KB is and then try to hit him elsewhere!

Not too much to report. The Long Island, alas, did not make it. I think one more hex would have done it but he put a bomb into it and it went down. I'm annoyed that he has Canton Island and there is a task force getting ready to take it back with the Hornet in support. I've reinforced Moresby with a division and two more artillery units. He is getting a lot of disrupted squads there (and kills) from my artillery so I suspect that all is not well with the IJA. I'm a bit leery about trying an attack as I have a good position right now and I do not yet dominate the sea lanes to send in more troops. All four carriers in the Australia theater are about to go into refit. Let's just hope I don't need them!

Stalemate at Rangoon and my torpedoes stink. I also think he's getting ready for a push on Sian. This turn I have the remnants of the AVG and the Chinese fighter force ready to contest the skies over the hex he's targeting. Kind of a farewell tour for the AVG. I have not been giving them replacements so they are a weak force but they have excellent pilots so they may take some IJA fighters and bombers with them.

[John B.]

As you can see below, there are doings afoot near Suva. There are four large task forces heading south including the KB (which he must be refueling somehow as it has been along time since it was in port) and transports. Given that Suva is worth 950 VP or so to him it's the logical choice. My guess is that he lands at Nadi which has a tiny garrison. But, Suva has the equivalent of three NZ brigades so it should prove to be a tough nut to crack. I'm got an invasion task force headed to Horn Island and to retake Canton and more reinforcements are slated for Moresby. I may also delay putting my carriers into refit but send them back out to get at any ships that stay behind after his initial landings.

In China he has started his drive on Sian. But, I noticed that he was putting a huge sweep over his target hex (basically the rough terrain hex three hexes due east of Sian) and then sending in unescorted bombers. So, I took lopsided fighter losses from his sweep and then had free range with my survivors on three waves of bombers. The net toll looks to be about 35 dead IJA bombers (most of them Sallys and then a few Anns) to 12 allied fighters. And, now I've disbanded the AVG.

Updates on Suva as they happen!

[John B.]

Well, it looks like the Intel boys can read a map. Nadi it is with the whole KB sitting right on top of it. Since it's 96% moonlight I have lots of level bombers in Suva who will try a night raid. Who knows, maybe a bomb will hit a flat top. Scott will take Nadi this turn. The big question is will he land enough to move on to Suva? If he just has a couple of SNLFs I'll push them aside with a NZ brigade. If he has more, I'll hunker down. Meanwhile, the US carriers have refueled and are sailing out of Sydney. More to follow!

Oh, his second day of assault near Sian failed miserably. Scott lost a reported 130 squads to just 17 Chinese ones. Stalemate continues.

[John B.]

Carrier Battle Pending!! As you can see below, Scott has his task forces in Nadi (which he took this turn). One of those is the KB which has been doing various bombing raids, but not at full strength. The yellow path at the bottom of the map is where 4 American carriers will be at the end of the coming day. In other words, within range for a sprint and strike. I'll have three fighter squadrons at Suva and he is a long way from home. If he does not know that I'm there it could be a nice day. If he does then it could be bad!

Not much other news. My torpedoes decided to work and subs sank a TK, AK, and PB this turn. And, a CA and DD caught a resupply task force at Canton Island and I know I took out a PB and an AKL and I suspect that two more AKLs went down. My Canton invasion force continues to plod on as does the one slated for Horn Island. Stay tuned!!

[John B.]

Scott is home on Vacation and I work out of my house so we're packing a lot of drama into today! I almost pulled the trigger and sent the carriers north but he moved the KB south (see below) and did not launch any strikes against Suva this time and that made me a bit nervous that he suspects something is up. So, I'm going with plan B. The American KB is edging closer to the KB. And, this turn I'm sending in some of the Big E's Devestators against the landing fleet with lots of escorts out of suva and a sweep by some p-38s (also out of suva). My main hope is to draw his attention back to the transports and have him commit some of the KBs aircover to CAP over that hex. Of course, he may fly some squadons down there and then it can get ugly fast but next turn may be Der Tag! If you know how to put up a praying smiley, now's the time. [:)]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: John B.

If you know how to put up a praying smiley, now's the time. [:)]

Happy to oblige!

[Capt. Harlock]

Big E's Devestators against the landing fleet with lots of escorts out of suva and a sweep by some p-38s (also out of suva). My main hope is to draw his attention back to the transports and have him commit some of the KBs aircover to CAP over that hex. Of course, he may fly some squadons down there and then it can get ugly fast but next turn may be Der Tag! If you know how to put up a praying smiley, now's the time.

Devastators?? Haven't you been able to upgrade to Avengers yet?

Anyway, good luck! (And wish granted.)

[John B.]

Thanks for the prayers guys. It's on. As you can see, the American Carriers will be 6 hexes from Nadi and between there and me is the KB. This past turn I may have goaded him into increasing his CAP a bit leaving less to fight his bombers through to my carriers. My Devestators (alas yes, three carriers have upgraded and the Big E's guys who are now orphans have not yet done so) put 5 bombs into an AP and 2 into another so Scott may not like the attrition. The plan this turn is that I've upped the range of the Suva Devestators to 5 hexes to have them hit the carriers instead of the invasion fleet. They should have lots of P-39s and P-40s in escort. Their main goal is the wear down KB CAP and if they get through it's a bonus. The P-38s will sweep at 30,000 feet over Nadi again, to wear down any CAP. The carrier flyboys will then be the killer punch. I have 30 % CAP over my carriers so I hope enough escorts go along to get the bombers and Avengers through his CAP. I decided to go up to the West as that leaves me closer to Nomea, Sydney and Auckland. The other way leaves me with empty ocean. We shall see, hoping for a victory would settle for an even exchange! I think it's worth it as Suva is 950 VPs for him!

[BBfanboy]

Looks like he has aircraft at Nadi, so he might have extra fighters too! What is the AF level at Nadi?

Good luck with your gambit!

[John B.]

I love this game! [&o] He's gone, disappeared into the ether! My search planes from Suva are out 14 hexes but the main invasion fleet and the KB did not show up. My Devestators and a limited strike from the carriers sank a PB and a large AP (taking about 80 squads down with them) but no carrier battle at all. So, revised orders since he knows I'm here. I'm detaching the Prince of Wales two CAs to bombard Nadi (the airfield damage level there is 28). B-17s have moved to Noumea to start bombing the airfield. The American carriers move south (see below) in case he sprints down. In the meantime, there is a large reinforcement convoy just east of the map. I'm rerouting it to Suva. If he needs to rearm his carriers I think I can unload there. Nothing like going straight into the front line! Also this turn my invasion to retake Horn Island should land. Artillery keeps battering Port Morseby. I'm going to move two Australian brigades there to form a division and then see if I can lever him out.

[John B.]

Here is the latest from the Front.

Group A, the KB, which has reappeared.

Group B is the Reinforcement convoy. High value target. With the reappearance of the KB, it has hit full reverse and is heading towards Pago Pago.

Group C is the American Carriers. I don't think he spotted this group, he knows it's around. It's heading to Auckland to refuel and give the planes a rest (something Scott can't do since he does not know where I'm going) and to rejoin . . .

Group D which is the POW battlegroup. Very successful bombardment of Nadi, high damage to airfield with lots of damage to the search Mavis squadron there. Going to Auckland to rearm (not sure POW can do that there for the 14 inch guns since it's a level 6 port) and for a refuel.

Group E is a small resupply convoy that is headed to Suva but veering due south to avoid the KB.

Scott tried an assault on Suva and got his head handed to him (level 4 fort helped). He appears to have been hurt so bad that I have a counter attack slated for this turn. All of the planes are slated for Ground support. The key fact at Suva right now is that I have a good airfield with lots of support and Scott is far far away from his base.

My invasion took place at Horn Island but he had more forces there than I thought. Recon would have helped I suppose. [:-] I think we're evenly matched so he can't kick me off but I'll have to pick up another battalion or so. My ships unloading are vulnerable to air attack so I sent what I could home but there may be losses this turn. Scott did catch my Ground support and shot down 8 medium bombers. [:(]

[BBfanboy]

If Auckland has about 50 naval support squads it should be able to reload PoW's guns.

[Capt. Harlock]

Here is the latest from the Front.

Exciting times! Any idea what course the KB is sailing?

[HansBolter]

If you have been taking advantage of available conversions it's quite possible to have a plethora of AKEs by this point in the game.

Getting 2-4 of them to each port that you intend to use as regional supply hubs is essential, Auckland being a priority locale.

If you don't have them there already, this bit of advice is moot, but I would get started now combing through your xAKs to locate the potential candidates and get them started converting and shipping out to the location where you need them.