Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: setloz

It could be he was counting on catching your ships after the bombardment, with the ammo depleted. It happened to me more than once that my bombardment TF was surprised after the bombardment by an inferior force and took heavy damage.

Lack of LRCAP over the TF though is definately an oversight on his part. And I agree, the dutch CL shouldn't have been in that TF.

I think you are right here. I obviously did enough damage to Nashville for her to break into an escort task force. The other task force did have LR CAP and actually downed a scout plane.

If I sank the Nashville, then a minor victory for me...only Jintsu is really hurt. She is in port at Ramree with no detection either the last turn or this turn. I will move her out once I see what these enemy carriers do.

[Lowpe]

Marshalls

Possible CAP trap with a small squadron of destroyers I suspect. If he stays true to his past, he will keep pushing these ships forward to see what happens.

The Allies are basically kicking my but in the air, not as badly, but they still can win the Air war. I will probably get the Tojo IIc sometime in March and that will give me two armored planes -one for the Army and one for the Navy. So I am hesitant about defending forward.

Some CVs are at Rabual upgrading their Vals to Judy, while the rest are at Ponape. The invasion fleets from Port Moresby are back at Rabaul rearming.

I am dropping off a division at Guadalcanal, and have another division at Truk as reserve. I am thinking about re-invading Mili.

[Lowpe]

Burma

Phase 1:

Attack on Prome. Have three tiered HQs in range. Attack on Prome is 4 Divisions (including 1st Tank div), 6 Armored, 14 Artillery (including AT), 2 AA. 5 More ART and some AA enroute.

Rangoon: Bombardments. 10 ART. More on the way.

Phase 2: (4-5 Days)

Attack west of Magwe to cut line of supply: 2 Divisions, 5 Art.

Reserves: 1 Division, several brigades, 1 tank regiment, lots of AA.

Not all of the divisions have upgraded to IJA 43 squads, but I am not waiting any longer. Additional forces will be trickling in.

I suspect there will be nasty air battles as the Allies try to bomb my troops, especially the Magwe push, back into the stone age. I am hoping Allies don't have the supplies to fly much out of Prome.

Almost all the artillery is very heavy and nasty.

Supply levels are pretty generous right now across the Burma field...more on the way of course, mostly from DEI.

Army bombers will be looking to hit his troops with light AA in the open, like near Magwe, or to knock his units out of move mode. I will avoid bombing Prome and its nasty AA.

Navy forces will look to keep pressure on Akyab, trying to keep the port damaged and supply levels interdicted.

It is going to be a long, grinding, bombarding, war of attrition. If I can knock his supply down it will be infinitely easier.

[ny59giants]

Put up some LRCAP over Prome to see if he is using transport there.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Put up some LRCAP over Prome to see if he is using transport there.

As always, excellent advice! Allies lost one transport, and there are steady op losses so he is using them heavily.

I have not been able to catch any of his transports, but there is now two good long range planes there the Oscar IIa and also the KAI Dinah. It would be great to knock some of them down.

The Chindits in the jungle managed to move right as a division was ordered to attack them. Shucks. He may be flying supplies to those guys.

I LR CAP his troops near Port Moresby, but no joy there either.

[JocMeister]

Be careful with the Tank Divs. Their expire date are coming up soon. I did some testing a while back and even in defensive terrain (x2) a full Japanese tank div can be completely wrecked by an upgraded (43 squads) allied ID in a couple of turns. The key is the 43 squads which gets a massive boost in their anti tank value from the 42 squads.

In 44 two US Tank BTL (with Shermans) will devastate a Tank Div in any terrain. Erik had some good success with them though when dug in together with other troops in good defensive terrain. Especially in bases with high forts.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Be careful with the Tank Divs. Their expire date are coming up soon. I did some testing a while back and even in defensive terrain (x2) a full Japanese tank div can be completely wrecked by an upgraded (43 squads) allied ID in a couple of turns. The key is the 43 squads which gets a massive boost in their anti tank value from the 42 squads.

In 44 two US Tank BTL (with Shermans) will devastate a Tank Div in any terrain. Erik had some good success with them though when dug in together with other troops in good defensive terrain. Especially in bases with high forts.

More good advice![&o]

My attack plan at Prome is really to bombard with the ART. Cut the supply line further north, and only then after substantial wearing down thru bombardments will I attack. Er, that is the plan now.[:D]

I suspect he attacks me on the first day I am there, supported by a huge bombing run, sweeps, etc... -- it is going to get very ugly.

I wish the battle report showed you some details of what you face ... M3 Lee tanks spotted at Prome for example.

[Spidery]

I have not been able to catch any of his transports, but there is now two good long range planes there the Oscar IIa and also the KAI Dinah. It would be great to knock some of them down.

You need to be pretty close to catch transports.

To catch them at range 3 your planes need a range of 11 so that is mainly Oscars (or A6M2/A6M3a) with drop tanks. To catch then at range 2 your planes need a range of 8.

So if you can base Ki-46 KAI at Toungoo you may have found a niche they are the best fighter for.

[JocMeister]

I think you have a good chance. His position isn´t very good and he has a very long flank to cover. [:)] As long as you can deny him a harbor in Burma supply will be his biggest enemy.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Spidery
So if you can base Ki-46 KAI at Toungoo you may have found a niche they are the best fighter for.

I have 62 Dinah KAI fighters now, and 50 of them are in Burma -- most doing night CAP.

There is a small splinter already at Toungoo of 6. Depending upon the turn, I will move in more and see what happens.

Moonlight is getting close to 100 percent, and there has been mostly quiet nights, so I expect to see some major night bombing efforts.

[Lowpe]

Feb 18th, 1943

CAP Trap. Worked well, except for the one torpedo hit. I should have assigned another Sentai! He definitely had more planes available than I thought he would have.

The offensive has started in Burma...

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Not sure why you guys are so disparaging of the valiant little Dutch cruiser.
The Java and Sumatra are the better versions of Dutch CLs vastly superior to the Tromp and DeRuyter.

True, but the Java-class is nowhere near as capable as the other crusiers in that task force. I'd have gave the Java her own task force with some smaller destroyers to act as a reserve force and let the more modern ships take the lead.

Granted, some of the IJN crusiers are as old (if not older) than the Java, but they've at least got the Type 93 to keep them competitive.

Maximizing your firepower with a big task force is a good way to ensure winning, but having a reserve force to make a second intercept after the main battle (or even before, to waste enemy shells/torpedos) is also exceptionally important.

ORIGINAL: setloz

It could be he was counting on catching your ships after the bombardment, with the ammo depleted. It happened to me more than once that my bombardment TF was surprised after the bombardment by an inferior force and took heavy damage.

Lack of LRCAP over the TF though is definately an oversight on his part. And I agree, the dutch CL shouldn't have been in that TF.

I concur.

I've seen myself the effects of a bombardment force being caught post-bombardment. It isn't pretty, and even that poor TF composition would have slaughtered the Japanese.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Be careful with the Tank Divs. Their expire date are coming up soon. I did some testing a while back and even in defensive terrain (x2) a full Japanese tank div can be completely wrecked by an upgraded (43 squads) allied ID in a couple of turns. The key is the 43 squads which gets a massive boost in their anti tank value from the 42 squads.

In 44 two US Tank BTL (with Shermans) will devastate a Tank Div in any terrain. Erik had some good success with them though when dug in together with other troops in good defensive terrain. Especially in bases with high forts.

Now that is interesting.

From what I understand, the IJA tank divisions come too late to be of any real offensive use against the US and the British, meaning they can only be used offensively against the Chinese.

I'll be using them as you mentioned. High forts, with lots of infantry and in good terrain.

Japanese tanks might not be up to the standards of the Eastern Front, but they'd make excellent pillboxes.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Not sure why you guys are so disparaging of the valiant little Dutch cruiser.
The Java and Sumatra are the better versions of Dutch CLs vastly superior to the Tromp and DeRuyter.

True, but the Java-class is nowhere near as capable as the other crusiers in that task force. I'd have gave the Java her own task force with some smaller destroyers to act as a reserve force and let the more modern ships take the lead.

Granted, some of the IJN crusiers are as old (if not older) than the Java, but they've at least got the Type 93 to keep them competitive.

Maximizing your firepower with a big task force is a good way to ensure winning, but having a reserve force to make a second intercept after the main battle (or even before, to waste enemy shells/torpedos) is also exceptionally important.

ORIGINAL: setloz

It could be he was counting on catching your ships after the bombardment, with the ammo depleted. It happened to me more than once that my bombardment TF was surprised after the bombardment by an inferior force and took heavy damage.

Lack of LRCAP over the TF though is definately an oversight on his part. And I agree, the dutch CL shouldn't have been in that TF.

I concur.

I've seen myself the effects of a bombardment force being caught post-bombardment. It isn't pretty, and even that poor TF composition would have slaughtered the Japanese.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Be careful with the Tank Divs. Their expire date are coming up soon. I did some testing a while back and even in defensive terrain (x2) a full Japanese tank div can be completely wrecked by an upgraded (43 squads) allied ID in a couple of turns. The key is the 43 squads which gets a massive boost in their anti tank value from the 42 squads.

In 44 two US Tank BTL (with Shermans) will devastate a Tank Div in any terrain. Erik had some good success with them though when dug in together with other troops in good defensive terrain. Especially in bases with high forts.

Now that is interesting.

From what I understand, the IJA tank divisions come too late to be of any real offensive use against the US and the British, meaning they can only be used offensively against the Chinese.

I'll be using them as you mentioned. High forts, with lots of infantry and in good terrain.

Japanese tanks might not be up to the standards of the Eastern Front, but they'd make excellent pillboxes.

You get the 1st and 2nd Tank divisions well before the US/British get good anti-armor squads, but they are better used against the Chinese, yeah. And even then, it takes some time to get all those Indian units upgraded to the good squads in 1943.

[Lowpe]

Feb 19, 2014

No night attacks.

Japan sweeps in China do well, but then Allies sweep with Lightnings, P40K, Hurricanes in Burma and do even better.

Akyab is fairly heavily damaged. Rangoon will get bombarded tonight.

IJA army troops will enter Prome this next day. What should I do with my air force?.

His ability to hold here will be predicated on his bombers.

Have to say I am fairly worried about my troops out in the open!

My LR CAP over Prome didn't catch any transports, but they were swept in an adjacent hex and suffered.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

What should I do with my air force?.

Half ground attack, half airbase attack on the hex. Use your poorer fighters (Oscar and KAI Dinah) as escorts for your bombers, while mass your offensive air assets (A6M5c, Tojo's) to sweep the hex over and over again.

Keep the bombers at 10k, as it's the magic altitude for Japan, being high enough to avoid the plethora of 20mm and 40mm AA that the Allies have, while still being low enough to get good results.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Half ground attack, half airbase attack on the hex. Use your poorer fighters (Oscar and KAI Dinah) as escorts for your bombers, while mass your offensive air assets (A6M5c, Tojo's) to sweep the hex over and over again.

Keep the bombers at 10k, as it's the magic altitude for Japan, being high enough to avoid the plethora of 20mm and 40mm AA that the Allies have, while still being low enough to get good results.

Took your advice. We will see how it goes.

I see Tiemanj is up and going with his AAR now that his move is over and life is settling down back to normal.

Probably means Magwe oil will be bombed out of existance.[X(] No worries, I can't defend it and launch an offensive at the same time.[:)]

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

What should I do with my air force?.

Half ground attack, half airbase attack on the hex. Use your poorer fighters (Oscar and KAI Dinah) as escorts for your bombers, while mass your offensive air assets (A6M5c, Tojo's) to sweep the hex over and over again.

Keep the bombers at 10k, as it's the magic altitude for Japan, being high enough to avoid the plethora of 20mm and 40mm AA that the Allies have, while still being low enough to get good results.

Opinions vary on the definition of "good", I think...

[Lowpe]

It sure won't be like the Allies, that is for sure. But Prome is open ground, and close to a lot of my air fields.

I am expecting a bloodbath, but my stocks of bombers is strong, and fighters ok.

Moonlight is 100 percent, and the Allies have rested their bomber force for 4 days, so there will be reprisals somewhere. My fighter defenses are slim.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

What should I do with my air force?.

Half ground attack, half airbase attack on the hex. Use your poorer fighters (Oscar and KAI Dinah) as escorts for your bombers, while mass your offensive air assets (A6M5c, Tojo's) to sweep the hex over and over again.

Keep the bombers at 10k, as it's the magic altitude for Japan, being high enough to avoid the plethora of 20mm and 40mm AA that the Allies have, while still being low enough to get good results.

Opinions vary on the definition of "good", I think...

For some of us the default loadout isn't 8x500lber bombs

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing
For some of us the default loadout isn't 8x500lber bombs

True, sometimes its 6x500lbs or 10x500lbs... [;)]