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

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Has anyone ever fielded it in a pbem?

I'm sure in a PBEM they have, but in an AAR? Not that I can recall.

[Lowpe]

April 22, 1943

No night bombing.

Japan bombs Chengtu in China, destroying a few planes and damaging runways...will hit his fighter base next.

I am thinking about a deliberate attack at Changsha...but he has one 700AV Corp there, one 400 AV corp, two HQs, and hopefully no supply. I have been bombing them and bombarding them but I haven't seen a great drop in AV on the bombardment replay which worries me. Perhaps I will step up the bombing first.

Allies sweep in Burma, expecting this, I had moved all the fighters that were based there and they stayed hidden next door, but it will weaken his CAP over Prome...

Allies bomb Prome again, AA downs a few planes, and 18 fresh 8cm guns get added to the defense there today. Overall, the Allied bombing is fairly ineffective so far. Machine cannon units are making their way at Moulmein, where they are loading on to trains and reinforcing bases without balloons or jungle hexes to beef up the AA defense.

[Lowpe]

Sub war update:

After the initial mad minute of 1943, where the Allies rushed my convoy lanes, the submarine war has settled down to an aggressive use against my convoys.

Allies have submarines threatening almost all major convoy routes, and like to rush a particular area for several days and then pull back again.

I have gotten to using ASW task forces to escort some convoys into and out of threatened areas, delay shipping until the sub leave, and jumping airplanes around to hit them.

I have not allocated a huge portion of the IJAAF bombers to ASW use, since I still am actively using them to bomb.[:)]

Allied submarines are quite effective at attacking very small resource convoys, less so when you put together big convoys of heavily guarded ships with floatplanes present.

Intelligence reports 45 Allied subs sunk, but they have inflicted more in victory points against me, and also combating them eats up a lot of supplies and fuel. Allied submarines are dangerous and take up a fair amount of my time each turn.

[Lowpe]

I am going to do an extra detailed turn. I have quite a list of to do's to accomplish -- all the little clicks that are drudgery but make all the difference.

I need to start refining my search arcs...or actually lack of them. About the only search arcs I have assigned are for small detachment of planes or for ASW.

Several operations upcoming are to strike the Port and airfield at Madras, do big sweeps at Chittagong, bomb the industry in Australia I can reach. I will start assembling bombers and supplies now but I plan to use as many bombers as I can squeeze into my advanced air bases.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I have not allocated a huge portion of the IJAAF bombers to ASW use, since I still am actively using them to bomb.[:)]

Allied submarines are quite effective at attacking very small resource convoys, less so when you put together big convoys of heavily guarded ships with floatplanes present.

I rarely use bombers for exactly your reason above: I use them for ground bombing and don't have many to spare. I use FP's in the ASW role to raise the DL of the subs and then ASWTF's are able to prosecute the findings. That seems to work for me .... I rarely get bombings by the FP's, but I really don't care. As long as the DL's are high, I know my TF's will get them ....

[Lowpe]

Here is the formation of the 23rd Special Base Force.

It is painful: Both subunits belong to HQs that don't really exist, you can't
transfer one unit into the other HQ and combine them -- therefor you have to buy both out. Around 300+ pp.

But once you do, they combine nicely and find some decent guns upgrading their TOE. Well, decent from a Japanese point of view.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Here is the formation of the 23rd Special Base Force.

It is painful: Both subunits belong to HQs that don't really exist, at least you can
transfer one unit into the other HQ and combine them -- therefor you have to buy both out. Around 300+ pp.

But once you do, they combine nicely and find some decent guns upgrading their TOE. Well, decent from a Japanese point of view.

I ran into this problem. I view it as a database error/oversight.

[Lowpe]

Spent a fair amount of time today setting naval search arcs. If the squadron is fairly big, I am not sold that this is time well spent. For small squadrons, and to focus ASW search I can see doing it. Also, kind of a pain if the searching planes have to jump around from base to base.

Sending more ships to upgrade...

Landed coastal guns at Wake...now to get the AK away before being sunk by raiding Carriers.

Worked on sub patrols and patterns. Starting to use some to drop off supplies as they go out on patrol. Getting supplies forward to some bases becoming problematic.

I have a full infantry division at sea...always a nervous time.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Here is the formation of the 23rd Special Base Force.

It is painful: Both subunits belong to HQs that don't really exist, you can't
transfer one unit into the other HQ and combine them -- therefor you have to buy both out. Around 300+ pp.

But once you do, they combine nicely and find some decent guns upgrading their TOE. Well, decent from a Japanese point of view.

Check the IJN 1-10, 12th and 15th "Base Force" units. They upgrade in Jan 43 and are even better. 16 8cm DP guns instead of 4, and they get 8 12cm DP guns along with radar and a bunch of engineers and support.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: mind_messing

Check the IJN 1-10, 12th and 15th "Base Force" units. They upgrade in Jan 43 and are even better. 16 8cm DP guns instead of 4, and they get 8 12cm DP guns along with radar and a bunch of engineers and support.

Yep, I have all but one upgraded, and that one is at a rear area for the naval support. No chance for any of them to shoot anything yet though. Other than planes.

[Lowpe]

April 23, 1943

No night bombing.

Allies do manage to bombard both Kusaie and Nauru with cruisers and destroyers (some fletchers). The Nauru bombardment is more effective despite having half as many ships. Even the destroyer bombard, but it is outside the range of the dp guns there. The worst damage comes from the supply hits.

A xak on the Truk to HI run is torpedoed, but should live. However about 4k of supplies are destroyed in the attack...pretty effective.

Allies then bomb Kusaie with 4es, and over in Burma Prome gets heavily bombed but with an additional 18 8cm guns damage is very minimal or perhaps it was the heavy rain. Forecast is for more rain.

Allies are getting aggressive again with their ships, need to figure out how to punish them. The Nauru bombardment threaded its way thru 5 subs on the way in and 5 subs on the way out without an attack. Probably a good thing as those destroyers are getting pretty good at ASW.

I have many ships getting their upgrades now...

[Lowpe]

Another really boring turn as Japan with one exception.

Hunting ASW with ships and planes.

Upgrading ships.

Transporting resources, etc.

Hiding my fighters again in Burma as they are found. Waiting for morale to recover to launch a large attack on Chittagong. Bombers are ready now, fighters not so much.

Deliberate attack at Changsha. Chinese have raw 1100 assault value with HQ, forts out the kazoo probably. Aerial bombardment followed by deliberate attack. Troops at 100%, HQs ready, etc. Japan has 2400 assault value, lots of tanks, light on engineer units. Cross your fingers his supply is burnt up and the constant bombing and bombardments have hurt him.

Supply in the Marshall starting to run low in some places...thinking on how to get supplies there without losing ships or planes.

Since I am training my Emilies for duties other than search, I have allocated and trained up on Sentai of Helen IIas for duty in the Kuriles. I broke them into 1/3rds and have them flying out to 11 hexes. One group of Irving reccon is there to provide longer probing searches, just not every day. I am surprised he hasn't bombed the Kuriles more...I still think a major effort will come here eventually.

Despite all the AA in Prome I could only damage his bombers, only one plane lost to operations and that was a P38G which I will gladly take.

[Lowpe]

April 24th, 1943

Night Bombing: Hah![8|] Allies use their bombers in several strikes at my fighter base and not bomb Prome. Of course, I moved my fighters once they were detected so he just pounded the ground and airfield and not very well at that. I have to be somewhat careful, as although I don't really like my troops being bombed at Prome, I don't want him to move on to worse targets (for me). But I liked this.

21 days to Monsoon.

Elsewhere: Kwaj is getting attention for 4e. He isn't sweeping there first, quite odd, and very dangerous for him.

Subs attack a PB twice, and Allies seem quite intent on hunting down and killing my subs of Karachi (no less than 3 hunter killer groups) and in the Bay of Bengal (2 hunter killer groups including the Nestor and Nepal). I have a plan, but is there enough supply?

Ground attack in Changsha. 200 Japanese bombers from multiple bases, some with Air HQs don't fly. The attack ends up being a 1-2, forts level 5, and the goofy Chinese has supply. The Chinese even get a bonus for leaders. Losses aren't bad, but still...back to the artillery grind.

Several sweeps of likely Chinese air bases net no air to air combat. Another Chinese unit is forced to retreat out of the mountains and right in a road junction hex. Oh well, just one of those turns. It could have been worse...still netted 18 vp on the day.

[Lowpe]

Most planes in Burma/China resting for big attack on Chittigong and Allied shipping in the Bay of Bengal. Plan to hit the airfield, nailing his transport planes. Sweeps, LR CAP, Escorts and bombing missions...a few groups will try to nail the Nestor. This is dependent upon more supply flowing forward, we will see how much actually gets to where I want it, and not back to Singers. Tests at Shwebo are promising.

Not sure where his bombers will hit -- maybe Bangkok? Dinah's are ready, but there is a lot of planes and AA there.

Other than that...more movement of troops, resources, sub hunting, etc.

Hopefully a boring turn in preparation for a crackerjack turn.

[Lowpe]

The Planned attack for tomorrow.

Should be 200 fighters, Tojo IIc and A6M5cs.

Bombers 120 Betties, 75 Helens.

Divebombers: Lilly IIb 29

Torpedeo Bombers (using bombs): Kates 30

Fighter Bombers: Nicks 13; Oscar IIa 30

No torpedo attacks, although I could do them, because I hope to nail his ASW forces, and if I get cargo ships instead the bombs will nail them just as well.

Airfields are pristine.

[PaxMondo]

[ny59giants]

Chittagong - The huge number of Aux at base probably means transports. Possible destination is Prome. Can you do anything to have LRCAP over base to intercept??

Naval Search - Hit the "Z" button to pull up arcs. Great to see holes in your search patterns.

Good luck and pray the 'weather gods' are on your side. [:D]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Chittagong - The huge number of Aux at base probably means transports. Possible destination is Prome. Can you do anything to have LRCAP over base to intercept??

Naval Search - Hit the "Z" button to pull up arcs. Great to see holes in your search patterns.

Good luck and pray the 'weather gods' are on your side. [:D]

Yep, weather is terribly important, as I only get one shot at the attack.

What happens if I LRCAP a base the Allies have CAP over? Do they fight? Or just ignore each other letting me have free shot at the transports?

Definitely mostly transports there...I have been watching them for a month now.

[Lowpe]

April 25th, 1943

No night attacks. No night bombardments. No sub losses.

Allies bomb Prome...improved AA there finally destroys a bomber. A Blenheim, put I will take it.

[Lowpe]

Allies bombed me in Oz, after I took my CAP trap off, figures...but other than fairly quiet.

Chittagong operation a go! Close to 600 planes...pray for good weather!

Actually, I downed about 5 bombers this past turn to flak, plus a lightning recon.