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

[Lowpe]

Turn is away and we will see if there is an invasion of Nauru or Ocean. I think not, but have known to be very wrong in the past.

Only submarines and coastal guns stand in his way.

In other news: Betty 3a will start production in a day or two. No aggressive moves by Japan this day as I watch and wait. Working on the usual, pilot training, search and recon, moving and preparing forces, convoys, and ASW.

Magwe is almost back up and repaired, I may use it to launch some sweep before the monsoon hits.

[Lowpe]

May 12, 1943

Allied bombers hit several bases in Indochina/Burma and then also Kusaie in the Marshalls at night.

A IJN AK catches a torpedo off Lunga, sinking sounds heard later in the day, and the AK turns out only to have 3 Major Float and 7 overall Float damage.[:)] No clue what sunk.

During the day, Allied bombers hit several bases all along the perimeter from Burma/Indochina, to NG. No damage done.

Allied carriers disappear...

[Lowpe]

I am trying a fairly low altitude sweep at Cox's with 4 Sentai from Magwe. There is only a handful of Allied fighters there, but I should get some from Chittagong. We will see how it works out, hopefully with numbers on my side it won't be too bad.

The Burma Army HQ is finally making their way to the theater...leaving Bangkok for Chiang Mai. This unit normally spawns at Rangoon.

Watching and waiting. Building, somewhat, and digging in.

[Lowpe]

I want to use my Emily in a non traditional bombing role and distant torpedo strike role. I also like using the Betty in a bombing role, more so than the Helen, because it drops more little bombs which equal into more hits (that do less damage). Plus I like to keep them back for potential massed torpedo strikes...in keeping with my guerilla air force doctrine. If I used them for naval search they would constantly be fatigued instead of well rested -- ready for hit and run attacks.

Anyhow, using them this way deprives me of naval search. I do use a lot of Jakes in this role, but want something with longer legs.

Therefore, I am using a lot of recon planes for naval search, which in turn deprives me of meaningful recon planes for ground duty.

To fill this gap I have been using Sonia in a short range recon role, especially in China, but I also used them effectively in the waning days of the Java campaign when the Allies couldn't maintain air superiority.

They have worked well beyond my wildest dreams. This little group gets me a 9/13 detection level on Kweiyang (there are other recon planes in the area too). Plus you can see I don't really set search arcs...I probably should for this little group, but they have done a great job without them, so why bother?

[Lowpe]

May 13th, 1943

Things are heating up all over...

Allies finally get around to bombing Bangkok, my not so secret fighter base, at night. Since I had 300 fighters here, I had upped my Dinah KAI CAP percentage from 10 to 20. Mistake, I actually lose 4 Dinahs as they actually intercept, but I did have 22 to 28 minutes warning until intercept so perhaps it was the radar presence. Still, the bombings are foiled by Dinah (whose mere presence forced many bombers to retreat prior to starting their runs) and bad weather.

A few other bases are bombed here and at Kusaie near the Marshalls. No damage to speak of.

My fighter sweep of Cox is grounded for weather.

I get a solid 3-1 at Changsha but still suffer three times the Chinese disabled, but I do drop the forts a level.

[Lowpe]

Taongi captured...shame I was just about to move a South Seas garrison there and some Jakes. Not sure if it was APDs or SST.

[Lowpe]

Changsha

Supplies are still finding their way to Changsha...

[Lowpe]

Todays submarine victim. I am hesitant to disband into port for fear she will burn up to a crisp...despite 103 naval support in a port level 2.

[Lowpe]

I am thoroughly disappointed that my secret naval base at Kavieng is showing a DL of 1/7. Loose lips sink ships...poor signals I bet. No task forces spotted there, but still, it was my staging base. I might have to sortie everyone back to the Marianas, which probably isn't a bad spot for them either to tell the truth.

All the small carriers have entered their upgrades at the HI...now to decide on the KB. The KB refueled from some xaks I kept around for the purpose...my AO are moving fuel now.

I think tomorrow will see a massed Emily strike on Brisbane...those Aussies have been living large lately, I need to remind them they at war![:D]

Debating what to do in Burma...need to be careful I don't have all my torpedo bombers fly into a nest of Allied fighters. I wish I could set the bombers to only hits hexes 12-17 away to avoid that problem or on a arc like searches. Oh well, it is what it is.

[Lowpe]

DL on Magwe was only 1; therefore I flew another Sentai of fighters in and I am now sweeping Chittagong, Cox, and Akyab, in addition I flew a sentai of Betties and Oscars in next door for a low level torpedo strike (I hope they only get chewed up by AA). The thought here is the sweeps go first (which almost never happens for me) and the Betties won't get as chewed up when they attack AM at Akyab thru a 100 fighter CAP instead of attack the BB/CA force. Lots of subs hunting his ships in the Bay of Bengal...of course the weather never cooperates either...

How do I counter the infamous DOT base grab by the Allies? I am hitting Taongi with bombers pretty low, but in the past the troops were gone...we will see if he sticks around. I have Paratroops in the Kuriles and DEI and Indochina to partly counter this strategy, but none in the Marshalls.

Port strike on Brisbane from Rossel Island with Emilies. I wish they could do city attacks.

Main fleet is at Kavieng, doing fleet exercises.

In Indochina I sent the Tone off on a long range raid (with a new Captain - the previous Cptn was a total loser); I have a very powerful surface fleet and a destroyer sqdrn (led by the Agano) going into position at Tavoy, mining Rangoon, and waiting. Allies now have 100 transports at Prome -- which I don't like because there are Chindits there. Not every base within range is paratroop proof.

I am pulling the Army bomber Chutai (smallish sqdrns) out of China and going to use them in a Naval Search/ASW role.

I have so much to do and so little time to do it in.

Monsoon is very close -- will it shut down the Allies in Burma?

Reserve divisions at Singers, Truk, Rabaul, Moulmein for emergencies...

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Todays submarine victim. I am hesitant to disband into port for fear she will burn up to a crisp...despite 103 naval support in a port level 2.

I generally DO disband at ports>1 and have good success at the fires going out in one turn. NavSupport does not help any ship in a TF AFAIK. Only ships anchored in port.

[Lowpe]

Hm., well the die is cast for the ship. No movement so hopefully she will get the fires under control...

[kkoovvoo]

Fire 12 is low, almost estinguished and sys 29 is also o.k. The ship will do it regardless you disband it or not.

[Lowpe]

May 14, 1943

Some night bombing in the Marshalls, Indochina quiet.

My ASW task forces do well, two different DD TF (of 2 ships each) react several times during the night and day punishing an American sub (3 different ones) near Palembang eventually moving 7 hexes off their patrol course and one Dutch sub near Balikpapen. Neither sunk, but at least they are damaged.

Then SC 56 did stellar work at Moppo! A cheer for those 10 knot SC![:)]

In the Air, at Burma, a Tojo IIc sweep does pretty poorly once the Corsairs show up losing 3-1 and the only destroyed planes are Hurricanes. The Betty/Oscar strike splits into two and flies into heavy CAP at Rangoon with predictable results, and the other goes to Chittagong despite the earlier sweep only one Betty penetrates and misses on a xak. In the end I lose 60 planes for 11 Allies. Not good.

Got a minefield laid at Rangoon...no hits yet.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: kkoovvoo

Fire 12 is low, almost estinguished and sys 29 is also o.k. The ship will do it regardless you disband it or not.

Good to hear from you...you are right == fires now down to 9. Disbanding in port, pump out the minor flooding and then back to Singers.

[MrBlizzard]

I was noticing that with port Blair in his hands your Burma south coast is very exposed to allied landings. If he lands in Moulmein or Tavoy your Burma army could be lost before you can retreat, does Magwe oil value all this risk? How are strong your defences in these two locations?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: MrBlizzard

I was noticing that with port Blair in his hands your Burma south coast is very exposed to allied landings. If he lands in Moulmein or Tavoy your Burma army could be lost before you can retreat, does Magwe oil value all this risk? How are strong your defences in these two locations?

He doesn't yet have naval superiority in the area...getting close though. I have defense in depth at Tavoy; He would need to land 4 divsions at Moulmein, and then it still wouldn't fall quickly.

I worry about a deeper strike with paratroops...he is certainly willing to throw them away like that.

But good points and I do worry about it.

[Lowpe]

Turn is away...

KB, BBs, CA and company all have 10DL on them at Kavieng...going to find a new base to go dark at. That must of been some good sigint he got. I am starting to think I need to go Mahan and centralize the entire combat fleet except for maybe some small detachments.

I need to remember that if I commit my air forces I need to go all in...only the heaviest strikes I can manage. Kick me if send out another small strike.

I have got my first squadron of Jills today. Not very exciting when I see what some other Japanese players are fielding. The Betty 3a started production, so the next exciting plane is Oscar IV in about 4 weeks and that is not that exciting. Despite the Jill not being the D4y4 for example, I don't think it really matters...numbers matter more. I need 1000 plane strikes, well maybe 500 at this point...anything else is doomed to failure.

I just noticed that the monsoon is here! Or will be. I hope it keeps all the planes grounded in Indochina, turns the road to mud and freezes everything.[:)]

Large surface fleets are gathering at Tavoy, under heavy CAP. I certainly hope they can go undetected for a day. Maybe the weather will cooperate.

I have an Irving NF factory, 1 point short of 30; it has been that way for 2 months now despite ample supply. I need new scientists. I did some rough calculations, I should have the Toko rocket a full year and one half early or more, depending upon bombing damage or lack thereof.

I have spare factories now for r&d, not sure what to go after. Probably some Frank a...short there; I think at this point pretty much only fighters interest me and I don't have enough factories to go in and get any other late war uber planes early. What is everyone's experience with Randy 102a...I guess I need a high altitude fighter. I dunno.

[topeverest]

You typically get success with those minefields. Don't you really have to overload them before any hits?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: topeverest

You typically get success with those minefields. Don't you really have to overload them before any hits?

The sub minefields generally work right away or not at all for me. Of course, were I to steam into Rangoon I would hit my mines (already happened several times);

I hit Allied sub minefields all the time. Even sweepers with good commanders hit them. Even after I detect the minefields. I just can't wait for the end game when he drops thousands of the suckers on me.[:(]

If you can drop different types of mines in the same hex then I think your chance to hit is even greater...perhaps might be why Allied fields are so effective Dutch and American mines. The Allies haven't laid too many lately however, but in the beginning of my takeover minefields were a seemingly never ending problem.