::Felix, Ferdinand and FRUPAC:: obvert (A) v Greyjoy (J)

[JocMeister]

You are not doing anything wrong. [:)]

Forget LRCAP and sweeps. If you want to protect your bombers you will either have to bomb where he is not or use escort. Or just keep on gambling things will work out. Sometime it doesn´t though and then you lose 1-2 months worth of replacements in a single day. [:(]

Personally I would ask myself if I really need to bomb Madras in the first place. [:)]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

You are not LRCaping the target are you?

I was actually! The Chinese groups, the F4F-4 USN group from Enterprise, and two RAF groups were set to LR CAP.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Your best artillery is in your American CD units, so you might need to send some to India.

B-24 production doesn't ramp up until 2/43, so these type of losses hurt.

Yes! They do hurt.

Funny you mention the arty. I've got some heading to India from No Pac now that that is more secure for the winter. As more arrive I'll drop some through CT.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

You are not doing anything wrong. [:)]

Forget LRCAP and sweeps. If you want to protect your bombers you will either have to bomb where he is not or use escort. Or just keep on gambling things will work out. Sometime it doesn´t though and then you lose 1-2 months worth of replacements in a single day. [:(]

Personally I would ask myself if I really need to bomb Madras in the first place. [:)]

Well, as I elaborated on above, I don't need to bomb Madras currently, or anywhere else in India, until the ground forces can actually compete. I had been under the impression they might be good enough to hold their own until the recent battles, and those thoughts were quickly altered. So its a stalemate for a while, but at least those moves encouraged him to abandon a bunch of Central and Southern India. So the offensive air force will sit and the IJN can happily build more A6M2 airframes! [;)]

I did use a bunch of escort in addition to sweeps and LR CAP. So the escorts did fairly well when they were there and really well when both the LR CAP and escorts showed up, but due to the thunderstorms, that didn't happen much.

[JocMeister]

I started relying on escort more an more towards the end of our game. Sadly for the allied player its not until late 44-45 that you can do it in bigger numbers due to the insane losses they suffer.

[obvert]

Here's a new China map showing the cross-country incursion by 11+ IJA units. Interesting. Not sure where they'll go, but at least there is some reserve in the area already digging.

[Yaab]

Remember, that 4Es will press their attack home until the damage threshold is reached, then they turn back.The threshold is the function of aircraft durability and crew morale, so I only bomb with 4Es when their morale is at 99.

[Lowpe]

Is he doing a forced river crossing into Changhsa?

That is about 4000AV of Chinese around Changsha do you have plans for them?

I liked the TOE of your Chinese Corp you posted the other day -- AT guns![X(]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Is he doing a forced river crossing into Changhsa?

That is about 4000AV of Chinese around Changsha do you have plans for them?

I liked the TOE of your Chinese Corp you posted the other day -- AT guns![X(]

he's been in Changsha for a good while. All of those troops will stay in place and if he wants to deal with them he'll have to take the time to do that, now or later. They can be supplied somewhat from Changsha, but not for a little while as the recent bombing has killed most supply here. Back down at around 200. [:(]

They all have some AT guns! I couldn't remember if this was in all scenarios or just DBB. There are a few with extra AT as well. It definitely helps, even though most often the tanks are only damaged, they at least have to be repaired and that takes time.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]Nov 11 - 12, 1942[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] Search and ASW forces are keeping the IJN subs from being effective in So Pac and Cent Pac. Not hits here lately, and now that more troops are moving through, I'm thankful for that.

A force of ten ships all showing CA from search is moving from the Rabaul area to the Kweijalen area. Subs are moving in to patrol the approaches and retreats. This may be a response to the troops unloading at Makin.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]INDIA: [/font] Nothing really happening here. I've turned off most recon, but have a few on the big stack near Patna, which is still 140k strong, and showing some shifting of forces. He doesn't appear to be either retreating or advancing this stack now though. My troops have reduced to about 120k one hex away and are digging, waiting and holding. About 3100AV worth.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENT PAC: [/font] Makin is invaded and falls easily to the 31st infantry regiment. There was enough prep that this was an easy one, and most if not all of the two units here remained to be destroyed judging by the loss totals for the Japanese. One Naval Guard and one base force wiped out. I have some more heading up to Mili, but I'm going to pull back until I know more about the IJN TF to the North. No real hurry here, and I don't want to find out the hard way that it's 4 CVs.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SO PAC: [/font] While he's focused on Cent Pac troops move toward a landing at Lunga on the 14th. I'll bring extra fighter coverage to Tulagi and have two cruiser led SCTFs here, plus PTs all over and subs on the approaches. There are three units here and I'm landing a Marine regiment and a TD unit. These are not APs though so I will need two days unfortunately, but I hope he doesn't learn that before we land. [;)]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA: [/font] The Japanese try a DA to the South of Kweiyang which doesn't go well for them, resulting in a 1:2 and greater losses for them this time, which is fantastic. One unit at least is shown moving out after the turn. This is what we needed up here, and should result in a rest period where troops can recover a bit between air strikes. The AV for two tank divisions, and infantry division and a tank brigade is quite low, so they were already a bit worn down before this attack, the divisions all around 300-350AV. [:)]

The Japanese seem now to be heading to the x3 hex near Kweiyang and toward the city itself. I could have tried to hold in that x3 but it would spread forces even more, so I am letting them move into Kweiyang, hoping the extended supply lines will make attacks intermittent. I'll have 1100AV behind 3 forts here in two days. All that SL will allow. This will be the fourth hex with troops battling each other, a drain on supply but also potentially a lot for the IJA if we can hold a few attacks in them all.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SIGINT:[/font] Where could this be heading? It was most recently in Kobe, so must have been bought out for a purpose. Hopefully it's destined to stay in Truk which I have no intention of ever invading.

[font="Trebuchet MS"]6/54th Division is loaded on xAP Husimi Maru moving to Truk.[/font]

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Nov 11, 42
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Night Naval bombardment of Makin at 136,125

Allied Ships
CL St. Louis
CL Detroit
DD King
DD Gilmer
DD Clark
DD Balch
DD Bailey

Japanese ground losses:
117 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Port hits 17
Port supply hits 2

CL St. Louis firing at Makin
CL Detroit firing at 52nd Naval Guard Unit

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Night Naval bombardment of Makin at 136,125

Allied Ships
CA Louisville
CA Northampton
DD Worden
DD Downes
DD Lang
DD Wilson
DD Henley

Japanese ground losses:
122 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Port supply hits 1

SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Louisville
CA Louisville firing at 52nd Naval Guard Unit

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Naval bombardment of Makin at 136,125

Allied Ships
CL St. Louis
CL Detroit
DD King
DD Gilmer
DD Clark
DD Balch
DD Bailey

Japanese ground losses:
61 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Port hits 22
Port supply hits 8

CL St. Louis firing at Makin
CL Detroit firing at 71st JAAF AF Bn

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Naval bombardment of Makin at 136,125

Allied Ships
CA Louisville
CA Northampton
DD Worden
DD Downes
DD Lang
DD Wilson
DD Henley

Japanese ground losses:
104 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 5 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Port hits 14
Port supply hits 4

CA Louisville firing at 52nd Naval Guard Unit
CA Northampton firing at Makin

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Ground combat at Makin (136,125)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 2753 troops, 42 guns, 13 vehicles, Assault Value = 92

Defending force 1061 troops, 10 guns, 3 vehicles, Assault Value = 7

Allied adjusted assault: 71

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 71 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied forces CAPTURE Makin !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
H6K5 Mavis: 1 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-) Interesting. A very good leaders here. Maybe that there are no HQs in range?

Japanese ground losses:
1355 casualties reported
Squads: 81 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 113 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Allied ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
31st Infantry Regiment

Defending units:
52nd Naval Guard Unit
71st JAAF AF Bn

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Nov 12, 42
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Night Naval bombardment of Wenchow at 89,58

Japanese Ships
CL Agano

Allied ground losses:
55 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Resources hits 1
Manpower hits 2
Fires 204
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 18
Port hits 5
Port supply hits 2

F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for CL Agano
CL Agano firing at Wenchow

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Ground combat at 73,49 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 31000 troops, 487 guns, 1215 vehicles, Assault Value = 1193

Defending force 39294 troops, 226 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1094

Japanese adjusted assault: 903

Allied adjusted defense: 1631

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
931 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 95 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 12 disabled
Vehicles lost 31 (4 destroyed, 27 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
996 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 62 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 9 (1 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Assaulting units:
7th Ind.Tank Brigade
2nd Tank Division
16th Division
4th Tank Regiment
Guards Tank Division
23rd Army
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
21st Mortar Battalion
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
67th Chinese Corps
24th Chinese Corps
71st Chinese Corps
34th Chinese Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
21st Group Army
11th Chinese Base Force

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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Here is a shot of the TF moving up North after the Makin invasion. The next day it appeared up near Roi Namur. Need to know if it's CVs or just surface forces. [/font]

[Lokasenna]

That's a bit early for the Agano...about 4 months early, right? And yet you've seen Yamato. Maybe he's not building Musashi?

[ny59giants]

Ailinglaplap - I hope this island is on your list in Marshalls. It has high AF potential along with decent SL (None are great in this area). It will allow sweeps by P-38s over Kusaie and 2e bombers.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

That's a bit early for the Agano...about 4 months early, right? And yet you've seen Yamato. Maybe he's not building Musashi?

Good question. Maybe it's the Scen 30 queue with certain ships pushed forward. I'd be surprised if he accelerated this, but you never know.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Ailinglaplap - I hope this island is on your list in Marshalls. It has high AF potential along with decent SL (None are great in this area). It will allow sweeps by P-38s over Kusaie and 2e bombers.

I haven't started any prep for it yet, but I'm going to go through everything now since certain things in the Solomons are falling without a fight. I'll start new preps from the Marshalls, New Guinea and other bases in the next few turns. With many units fully prepped now and choosing an enemy destination I'll only need around 2 months to go from the base 25 prep points to something useful for these bases.

Right now it doesn't look like Ailinglalap is being used by the Japanese, so it might possibly be able to get it on the cheap.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]INFO[/font]

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I've reached my goal of 12k VPs slightly before the 1/43 date Id hoped for. I had been hoping to keep him under 35k, and it looks like that is possible unless i suddenly lose all of China or a bunch of ships.

I could start picking some some small amounts of device points with these island invasions.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]SUNK?[/font]

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This is odd to me. I didn't notice anything hitting a mine, or taking a TT, but there is an Alf listed as lost on the ground. I did hear sinking sounds n the replay during this turn, so maybe it's connected?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: obvert

[font="Times New Roman"]SUNK?[/font]

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This is odd to me. I didn't notice anything hitting a mine, or taking a TT, but there is an Alf listed as lost on the ground. I did hear sinking sounds n the replay during this turn, so maybe it's connected?

It could be delayed. Maybe one of the older CLs got hit a while ago and was trying to make a bigger port for repairs, and floundered?

[obvert]

That's all I can think of too. I'll just keep watching the sunk reports.

[obvert]

[font="Times New Roman"]Nov 13 - 16, 1942[/font]

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[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SUBS: [/font] Lots of subs trying to vector in to the TF hovering in the Marshalls.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]INDIA: [/font] Nothing much going on.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CENT PAC: [/font] Toyed with heading right into Mili after Makin, but th TF hanging around North of Roi Namur is making me nervous and neither subs or search have gotten a definite ID on it yet. The latest shows some CS/CA/CL so I bet there are carriers there. I'm pulling back to around Abemama and trying to make sub contacts to get a better idea about things here.

At Makin I have been able to unload a base force and the IJN sent in 9 Bettys escorted by Oscars, and the CVE Wildcats got their first taste of battle, shooting down 5-7 Oscars and about 4-5 Bettys. They dropped bombs, not TT, so that is a good sign.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]SO PAC: [/font] Lunga is invaded! The Japanese sent a wave of fighters, both 40 A6M3a and 27 Oscars at Tulagi just as we were landing, probably to test the air for strikes, and the CAP did extremely well. At least 25 fighters were shot down for only 9 losses. Troops are on the ground but since these are caps the unload is loooooooong. Too lengthy for my liking but at least there have been no attempts to hit anything. I'll wait for the support to land, then try a DA.

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"]CHINA: [/font] Another DA South of Kweiyang, accompanied by devastating bombing by 300+ 2E, leave our troops hanging on but weakened. He switched out one unit and has about 1150AV to our 850AV after the attack. Getting dicey. Might have to get a CAP in just for a rest.

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Nov 13, 42
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Morning Air attack on Tulagi , at 114,137

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 11 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 40

Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Ic x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 14
P-40E Warhawk x 15
F4F-3 Wildcat x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 8 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
18 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 20000 feet

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Morning Air attack on Tulagi , at 114,137

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 42 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 27

Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Ic x 5
P-39D Airacobra x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 10
F4F-3 Wildcat x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
22 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 20000 feet

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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Nov 16, 42
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Ground combat at 73,49 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 32392 troops, 479 guns, 1211 vehicles, Assault Value = 1253

Defending force 37319 troops, 225 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 924

Japanese adjusted assault: 898

Allied adjusted defense: 1155

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1302 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 60 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 30 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Vehicles lost 41 (1 destroyed, 40 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
698 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 85 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled

Assaulting units:
2nd Tank Division
4th Tank Regiment
7th Ind.Tank Brigade
51st Division
Guards Tank Division
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
21st Mortar Battalion
23rd Army
23rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
34th Chinese Corps
67th Chinese Corps
71st Chinese Corps
24th Chinese Corps
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
21st Group Army
11th Chinese Base Force

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[font="Trebuchet MS"]Frustrating to not be able to get a look at these ships and figure out what is up there. [/font]

[Lowpe]

I would think twice about Mili -- isn't there a fairly nasty static gun unit there?