In my game with Grotius where he is the Allies, he's complained of the same problem -- his Allied bombers just will not fly, despite being well rested, well supplied, and with escort. Maybe bad weather has something to do with it. Or not enough planes at one base. Maybe even the alt settings. I'm not really sure. Seems I'm playing more Japan these days, so I can't really say for sure.
And yes, as Japan, I've done the 'super CV raid' thing a few times -- still got to be carefull, though. On one raid, I ran into a hornet's nest of PT boats, new mine fields, and level bombers that attacked crippled ships, causing the Junyo to sink, the Yamato and the Tome to cripple home with gaping PT torpedo hits in their sides, and a light cruiser to sink after ONE solid PT torpedo hit. Never know when the Allies are going to show teeth.
The US Navy could probaly win a war without coffee, but would prefer not to try -- Samuel Morison
I am sure you guys know this, but just in case, check out the FAQ. I have a thread devoted to explaining why the bombers may not be flying. In short, the reasons may be:
enemy TF more than 10 hexes away
enemy TF made up of CVs and beyond escort range
Yeah, I think that the escorts were at fault, and IIRC there was one attemp which was foiled by the weather. I still insist that the airfarce are a bunch of cowardly horses hoofs, and should have flown regardless! John Wayne always flew in "The Leather Necks":rolleyes:
Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
Ok, I have had PM watched closely for some months now, and it seemed very ripe for the picking.....only manned by some AA units and other REMFs, so I load two fast TFs to the gunwales with the 7th Div and set sail. As part of this operation I launched the first 100+ bomber raid on the airfield at PM, all going well so far....................until my bomber crews get back to the de-brief and report a huge increase in Inf units!:( To make matter worse, the super CV TF was seen heading towards the Coral sea smack into my over loaded Fast TF:eek:
I think Luskan had no idea that it was a invasion force, and merely thought that it was a bombardment run.
A quick re-call was issued and a sweat filled hour was waited, for the posting of the reply turn from Luskan.
I was lucky! All the ships have returned and aprt from a few CAs that were attacked by some Nells (all ok, just some small SYS damage) everyone got back safe and sound!
Drats! Now I have to start planning all over again. Mean while the super CV TF is now seen steaming back towards Luganville.
Oh God my head hurts!:(
Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
They get to Luganville - only to launch two pathetically small long range attacks on Raver's BBs sitting in Noumea harbour. A 60kg bomb hit blew up a 40mm bofors AA gun but that is about all.
Cost me about 15 or 20 planes, but also got some airacobras who should have known much much better than to tango with my zeroes.
With dancing Bananas and Storm Troopers who needs BBs?
It seems that neither one of us is happy with what is going on at this point. Just had a Bombardment TF strike at PM, as you would expect there were some hits due to all the mines, but have a look at what they (didn't) hit in port ! A nice fat supply TF sitting there and all they did was sink a friggin MSW!:(
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/12/42
Weather: Overcast
Air attack on Noumea , at 52,67
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 14
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 1 damaged
Allied Ships
AP George F. Elliot, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Port supply hits 1
Attacking Level Bombers:
14 x G4M1 Betty at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Port Moresby at 10,40
Japanese Ships
MSW Wa 2, Shell hits 52, and is sunk
PC Shonon Maru #15
AP Chowa Maru
AP Cuba Maru
AP Florida Maru, Shell hits 1
AP Hakusan Maru, Shell hits 26, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Hokuhi Maru
AP Kaihei Maru
AP Kembu Maru
AP Myoko Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire
AP Shinai Maru
Allied Ships
CA Indianapolis, on fire
CA Louisville, on fire
CA Chicago
CA Astoria
CA Minneapolis
CA Australia, Shell hits 1
DD Jenkins
DD O'Bannon
DD Bache, on fire
DD Hutchins
DD Duncan
DD McCalla, on fire
DD Farenholt
DD Sims
DD Mugford
DD Benham
DD Wilson
DD Maury
DD Dunlap
DD Dewey
DD MacDonough
DD Worden
DD Alwin
DMS Southard
DMS Hovey
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 208
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Port Moresby, at 10,40
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 3 damaged
Allied Ships
DD Bache, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Dewey, Shell hits 2
Attacking Level Bombers:
6 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
8 x Hudson at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 18
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 67
B-24D Liberator x 22
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 16 damaged
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
5 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
5 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
8 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
11 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
9 x B-24D Liberator at 6000 feet
4 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 52,67
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 69
A6M3 Zero x 13
D3A Val x 23
B5N Kate x 9
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 29
no losses
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra x 3 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra x 2 damaged
PO2 U.Nakajima of AII-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 2
Allied Ships
SC 707, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
SC 743, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
SC 708
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 52,67
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 78
A6M3 Zero x 17
D3A Val x 21
B5N Kate x 12
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 27
no losses
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra x 2 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra x 2 damaged
Allied Ships
SC 643
SC 647, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Generally yes, I would agree with you, but in the past I have always come off second best against Luskan in a Gun Duel, so I padded out the TF, just in case I came across one of Luskans surface TFs sitting there. I have tried a mixture of big small and multi TFs to try and get the upper hand over Luskan, and it seems that big is best ....... go figure, but then this game has thrown up a lot of weird results....the weather, planes not flying etc etc etc.:rolleyes:
Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
Raver has come off better with the bigger TFs - the smaller ones tend to be easier to nail harder - whereas even if I surprise him, and launch the long lance attack, larger TFs tend to have enough punch left over to compete with my ships.
A couple of big raids on PM have put the engineers to work - and cost him 10 heavy bombers destroyed and maybe double that damaged. The fighters at PM are a definite disappointment. Will be rectifying that shortly.
As for the whole week I am in a state of some surprise - that raid on PM was Raver's 2nd (you all remember how the first ended) offensive mission of the entire game. As a result there are transports everywhere - most of which have not finished unloading supplies and troops - but I think he's out of fuel and pulling back.
With dancing Bananas and Storm Troopers who needs BBs?
Raver will no doubt be posting the bloody combat report for this turn and then gloating.
Things suddenly started to suck. Lets begin with the first problem: two of my subs were hit by marauders in Noumea harbour - one sank and the other is limping home. That brings the number of subs I ave lost to numbers higher than I can count.
Raver parked an empty AK at Wupenko, and then assigned every fighter in the theatre to that airbase to 100% CAP and waited for my CVs to strike. Fortunately they didn't but one of my subs (one still "afloat") got in and bagged the transport. My only victory in 3 turns.
On the other hand, Raver's subs are prowling (on computer mode I think) in a triangle bordering Gili Gili at the top, 4 or 5 hexes south west towards Townsville, and 4 or 5 hexes south east from GG. Those subs have sunk one transport, and severly damaged two others - at least those transports were empty! That is 4 transports sunk or crippled in 3 turns. If this continues I'll either have to a: abandon PM and GG, or b. run out of transports by the end of the game year. Niether really being an option (although overland supply from Buna seems the best move for PM).
So, in an effort to try and deal with this threat, I have initiated operation Depth-Charge-O-Rama. Free Saki (shots being the only way to drink that stuff) to any ships that destroy a USN sub. I will attempt to use active ASW means - and saturate the aforementioned Gili Gili triangle with my ASW teams - about 20 PCs, 40 DDs, a tanker, and of course, plenty of aircraft for fighter cover and intense ASW operations.
At this point of the game, I have far more firepower (especially CV wise) than Raver. This, combined with the fact that my operation will take place so close to three of my airfields, and out of the range of most of his bombers, means that Raver won't try to interfere. It will be my entire arsenal vs his subs (unless he pulls them back).
Hopefully he'll send them all for a refit in port - and my bombers can catch them there (like last game).
The time has come to even the Sub score - although I'm guessing it is possible that the bastard just sends in more subs to try and compete. Am positive as my CVs retire (remarkably undamaged from the weather) Raver will be resupplying and continuing his halted operations north of Luganville, bulding flyspeck bases etc. etc. Still nothing in range of Lunga - so the airmen there have taken a nice rest.
In other, less exciting news, betties on night port raids have hit and heavily damaged an enemy AP, and moderately damaged an enemy AK. Yay.
I expect operation depth-charge-o-rama will begin sometime in the next two turns (ships are being assembled and fuelled - and will probably start sweeping operations immediately, but most of my forces aren't as close as that just yet. Fuel is becoming something of a problem with continual CV ops to the islands - for little gain so far.
With dancing Bananas and Storm Troopers who needs BBs?
Since I had to abandon my invasion of PM a few turns ago, I have now decided to simply strangle it, and to cause Luskan to constantly worry about how to supply it............I guess that he could always try to supply PM via air. In a lucky break for Luskan, SS Argonaut missed BB Musashi and copped a shell for her worries.
*****FLASH TRAFFIC *********
Major IJN fleet units sighted heading for Cairns(Townsville?).....all ships have been order to steam from ports.........All bombers have been ordered to alt airfields..........standby for followup report!
*******************************************
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/16/42
Weather: Rain
Sub attack at 18,44
Japanese Ships
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Yuzuki
Allied Ships
SS Tambor
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 17,44
Japanese Ships
BB Musashi
DD Natsugumo
Allied Ships
SS Argonaut, Shell hits 1, on fire
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 14,43
Allied Ships
SS S-40
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on Noumea , at 52,67
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 18
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 24
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 4 destroyed
G4M1 Betty x 17 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra x 2 damaged
Allied Ships
AP President Polk, Bomb hits 1
TK Cache, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Port supply hits 1
Attacking Level Bombers:
5 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
10 x G4M1 Betty at 1000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Cairns at 7,56
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
G3M Nell x 3
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 15
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 10
P-40E Kittyhawk x 44
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
G3M Nell x 1 destroyed
G3M Nell x 2 damaged
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra x 1 destroyed
P-40E Kittyhawk x 4 destroyed
P-40E Kittyhawk x 3 damaged
Well he hit Cairns, but I've got to sy that the damage was no where near as bad as I thought it would be...........hang on, I've just spotted his "Super" CV TF moving towards the Coral sea !
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/17/42
Weather: Overcast
Sub attack at 15,44
Japanese Ships
AP Myoko Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
SS S-44
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Cairns, at 7,56
Allied aircraft
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 destroyed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Cairns, at 7,56
Allied aircraft
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 destroyed
P-40E Kittyhawk x 2 damaged
Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 13
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 7,46
Allied aircraft
Hudson x 12
B-25D Mitchell x 17
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 4 destroyed
Hudson x 2 damaged
B-25D Mitchell x 7 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Haruna
CA Nachi
DD Mikazuki
Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
0 x Hudson at 6000 feet
4 x Hudson at 6000 feet
2 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
2 x Hudson at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 11,53
Allied aircraft
B-25D Mitchell x 2
Allied aircraft losses
B-25D Mitchell x 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu
Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 11,53
Allied aircraft
Hudson x 7
Beaufighter VIC x 24
B-25D Mitchell x 8
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson x 1 damaged
B-25D Mitchell x 1 destroyed
B-25D Mitchell x 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu
DD Umikaze
Attacking Level Bombers:
2 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
1 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
4 x Hudson at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
G3M Nell x 3
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M Nell x 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk x 1 destroyed
Well, operation depth-charge-o-rama was actually a cover for my fleet trying to inflict a crushing victory over Raver's raiders at Cairns. Needless to say he ran away like a girl.
So in all, the operation was a disappointment - especially when you factor in that Mutsu hit a mine - and will need some TLC.
Of course - is always reassuring to see Raver's level bombers to such a crappy job at hitting the wounded ship. He lost about 15 planes for no bomb hits.
I had thought his B17s and Liberators were all based at Cairns - but he moved them. This bombardment would have done much better against them I feel.
No doubt however - 6 X 1 BB, 3 CA, 7 DD task forces don't do as much bombardment damage as a single 1 X 6BB, 18CA, 42DD task force. Of course - there is a 25 ship restriction but you all get the point. I damaged Cairns badly - but I could have wiped it off the map if I'd shoved all my BBs in the one TF.
Then they wouldn't have been as dangerous to a surface opponent however.
Seems the only safe way to supply PM will be to ship hundreds of thousands of points into Buna and then let it trickle overland as needed.
With dancing Bananas and Storm Troopers who needs BBs?
I should also add that there is actually an active ASW op. underway, but with only 6 destroyers. Trying to junt down and cull off the Argonaut - thought to be limping home either to Noumea (if damaged) or Cairns if badly damaged.
Raver's subs are a pain - and I'm sure the bastard is using the lull over in the islands to pack troops into Luganville and other autovictory bases.
Have been advised that if I'm going to try for autovictory, often the least difficult places to invade are Rockhampton (easily isolated - often overlooked) or Noumea itself (often empty of troops).
With dancing Bananas and Storm Troopers who needs BBs?
What about Koumac? THis really is a question rather than a suggestion. If the engineers are left there and it is allowed to build up, does it qualify? Does the port have to get to size 5 as well?
Raver - I don't care if every ship I send hits a mine - as long as the troops and supplies get ashore it doesn't matter how many I loose!
When my CVs are over near Luganville and Noumea, Raver's troops go to ground - the ships run away, the bombers don't fly etc.
I can put a stop to any resupply and reinforcement attempts over there - while to be honest, at Rockhampton I'd have to be fast - especially since I know Raver has been able to reinforce Townsville and rockhampton for 6 months without me ever getting in his way.
Haven't decided on if I want to try it.
With dancing Bananas and Storm Troopers who needs BBs?
