Jorge's(A) crusade to the fabled kingdom of PresterJohn(J) DBB-C --- Allied AAR

[HansBolter]

I hope she is moving at cruise and not mission speed.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Yes, moving at cruise speed.

Everything was kind of OK until it got that "engine room open to sea" event. We will see what happens, even if it survives; with that level of damage we are talking at least a couple years to repair. Of course this is still better than losing 202 VPs

[witpqs]

Yeah - she might well make it!

[Jorge_Stanbury]

This is how the Aleutians look today Jan 21st 1942. The Aleutian islands are a secondary theater, and as such, it will receive only some minimal reinforcements

My idea is to focus the defense in Umnak (airbase) and Dutch Harbor (port), with just enough troops on Adak to make it somehow costly to invade

[Jorge_Stanbury]

And this is Alaska/ Canada's west coast. They will be supporting the Aleutians

[BBfanboy]

Did you move all the Canadian BFs to Prince Rupert? There are virtually no aircraft for them to build airfields for, so I send them all the PR to build the port first and then the airfield. By end Jan 1942 it was level 5 port, level 2 AF.
Some forumites have posted that moving Canada Command there helps get supply accumulation in PR. I have not find that necessary if I use the supply draw buttons.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

I don't think all BFs, but most; I have there:
- Pendleton BF
- Calgary BF
- Edmonton BF
- Regina BF
- Terrace BF
- Canada Command --> I also read that... and since I didn't need it in Vancover, here it is
- 14th Canadian Brigade
-42 Base Group (this one is waiting for transports: it will likely go to Umnak)

Port is 3.55
Airfield is 2.69
Fort is 2.88
all building

83,000 supplies, 15,000 fuel

I have Winnipeg, Kamloops and Nelson BF at Vancover... I think I will move them to PR next turn

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Jan 22th, 1942:
PresterJohn sent his cruisers south of Java. Thanksfully, there were few vessels there:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Loemadjang at 52,113, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Takao
CA Atago
CL Sendai
DD Asashio
DD Oshio
DD Michishio
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki
DD Isonami
DD Uranami
DD Shikinami
DD Ayanami

Allied Ships
xAKL Soerabaja, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Parigi, Shell hits 17, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Schouten, Shell hits 5, and is sunk

Day Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 54,123, Range 25,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Takao
CA Atago
CL Sendai
DD Asashio
DD Oshio
DD Michishio
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki
DD Isonami
DD Uranami
DD Shikinami
DD Ayanami

Allied Ships
xAK Whangpu, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk


3 xAKLs, 1 xAK lost.


Darwin: He keeps beating it. Although I have moved everything out... And I have a surprise for him next turn

Afternoon Air attack on Darwin , at 76,124

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 26 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 6000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
13 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 6000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

[Jorge_Stanbury]

He is having a field day on the Coral sea.


I have plenty of Cruisers and DDs on Brisbane, but KB-2 (Shokaku, Zuikaku, Hiryu, Soryu) makes any raiding attempt very dangerous

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Jan 23
After a couple more turns of "extensive flooding", Repulse sunk. At least the chapter is now over.

Some turns ago, I started a secret carrier operation; with the Marshalls as the target. I will add a lot more details, but for the time being I am just monitoring the whereabouts of KV-2

My carriers were detected (level 4) by a submarine, and I think this triggered the end of his Australian forays (which is good)

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Here is where my carriers are; I am certain KB-2 is too far away to intercept.
That said, the lack of surprise means he will likely move out all premium targets out of Kwajalein

[Jorge_Stanbury]

The veil is completely off... both the CV-TF and raider companions where found !!

Raleigh TF was found by submarine I-18 on hex 146,107 near Taongi

Japan air search found the carriers and boldly attempted to stop it with Nells... they failed miserably [:D]

I counted :
3 Zeros shot down, 5 damaged
5 Nells shot down, 1 damaged


Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Maloelap at 143,117

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
G3M2 Nell x 6

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 14
F4F-3 Wildcat x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CV Saratoga

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

CAP engaged:
VF-2 with F4F-3A Wildcat (4 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes
8 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-3 with F4F-3 Wildcat (4 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes
4 planes vectored on to bombers
VF-6 with F4F-3 Wildcat (4 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes
12 planes vectored on to bombers

[Jorge_Stanbury]

This is how the Marshalls operation looks on Jan 24th.
I will get the turn later today; there is a dim chance of carrier vs carrier action on next turn (Jan 25th) if he goes "full speed"; however, I doubt it as I have been tracking his movements since he was in Australia (east of Cairns).
He can't have enough fuel to risk a full speed charge

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Jan 24th, 1942.
I still don't have the turn, but I have been seriously bitting my nails during the combat replay

Lets start with the sad part. CL Mauritius and DD Witte de Witt got sunk trying to escape Java. These 2 were damaged many turns ago and where getting repaired at Soerabaja

Last turn they were spotted near Buitenzorg. and this turn a cruiser fleet intercepted and destroyed them:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Buitenzorg at 46,99, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Kumano, Shell hits 3
CL Jintsu
DD Maikaze
DD Nowaki
DD Arashi

Allied Ships
CL Mauritius, Shell hits 21, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Witte de With, Shell hits 13, and is sunk

Then, the hunter become the hunt; CL Raleigh got torpedoed by I-22

Sub attack near Maloelap at 138,115

Japanese Ships
SS I-22

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh, Torpedo hits 1
DD Aylwin
DD Dewey
DD Worden
DD Dale

Most likely he will have to go east at full speed

Then, Carrier action!!

1st: 20 zeroes and 8 2E naval bombers attacked the carrier TF.
No damage to the ships [:)]
It was a tie on the air, with Zeroes doing a great job escorting, but taking damage
afterwards, most bombers were shot down

2nd: 2 zeroes, 21 bombers (I think they got the splits wrong [:D] )
No damage to the ships [:)]
3 or 4 bombers shot down

3rd: Afternoon strikes; Maloelap was cancelled due to weather. Jaluit didn't yield anything interesting.
One dive bomber was shot down [:(]

Morning Air attack on TF, near Maloelap at 135,118

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 60 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 23 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
G3M2 Nell x 4
G4M1 Betty x 4

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 11
F4F-3 Wildcat x 27

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
G3M2 Nell: 3 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
CV Lexington
CL Honolulu

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

CAP engaged:
VF-2 with F4F-3A Wildcat (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 11000 , scrambling fighters between 11000 and 12000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 5 minutes
VF-3 with F4F-3 Wildcat (0 airborne, 18 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Maloelap at 137,116

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2
G3M2 Nell x 21
G4M1 Betty x 9

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 3 destroyed, 5 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh
DD Aylwin
DD Dale
DD Dewey
DD Farragut

Aircraft Attacking:
13 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
4 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
9 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

CAP engaged:
VF-2 with F4F-3A Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 11000 , scrambling fighters to 5000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 103 minutes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Jaluit , at 134,120

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 15
F4F-3 Wildcat x 14
SBD-3 Dauntless x 54

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Port hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Port Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Port Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Port Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
10 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Port Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Port Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
10 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Port Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Port Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Port Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Port Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb

[Jorge_Stanbury]

The main reason for this carrier raid was to test the Marshall's defenses. I can say without any doubt that they passed the test outstandingly: They got A+

I was neither expecting so many 2E bombers nor was I expecting to see "veteran" fighter pilots on Zero planes. In all my early calculations, I saw the KB as the only serious threat, with the Marshall defenses as negligible: Claudes, trainee pilots, etc

I will withdraw; although, due to the IJN bombers' range, there will most likely be another round coming tomorrow

EDIT: Another lesson: always bring some additional TFs; this way there is a chance for some "mismatched" raids... I am very happy only 8 bombers went for the carriers while 30 went for a CL and 6 destroyers

[IdahoNYer]

Bold man, very bold.

Looks like you accomplished what you set out to do, now for the clean getaway!

[Jorge_Stanbury]

ORIGINAL: IdahoNYer

Bold man, very bold.

Yes, but the kind of boldness best explained by Thucydides:

“Ignorance is bold and knowledge reserved.”

[;)]

[BBfanboy]

Nells and Betties have a huge transfer range - around 56 for Nells and 69 for Betties.
After discovering your CVs in the area during the attack on the 23rd, it was easy to fly in more bombers to take you on.
Nice that your fighters were able to down so many of them!

[Jorge_Stanbury]

On Jan 25th, the carriers and the cruiser/ destroyers raiding the Marshall islands left the operational area. This at full speed and, so far, uneventfully. They will all change to mission speed and refuel in Johnston island. There is a fleet of tankers waiting them. After refueling, they will go back to Pearl. I will rebase more Catalinas to avoid any surprises, and I might send Yorktown to rendez-vous just to be in the very safe side.

Unless something unusual occur in the next couple turns, the raid is over. Some important lessons learnt:

- Never underestimate the capabilities of the Japanese forward operating bases; this is not an AI game!

- Take into account the possibility of fast reinforcement arriving soon after; this holds very true for the long ranged IJN

- Do not assume his decision making processes are the same as mine. This requires some explanation: If I were the Japanese player spotting a raid (and since this was Jan-42, this was clearly a raid and not an invasion). the way I would have handled it would had been completely different:
1st: I would had sent away, at full speed, any naval vessel that had a chance to get out of the incoming CV raid
2nd: Then move out airplanes, except those capable of search and CAP.
3rd: If not already there, then rebase fighter planes to important bases and keep them at 100% CAP range =0 ideally these bases have good AA
4th: KB, if close, should try to intercept; ideally from the flank.

My rationale here would had been to reduce the loses against very difficult odds. As last turn proved, trying to defeat a carrier TF CAP and AA defenses with relatively few (couple dozens) 2E bombers will yield very high casualties (I counted around 25 to 30 planes shot down). I would, of course, had taken the chances if this was a real invasion, but Jan-42 made it clear this was a simple raid.
In my books, the odds of getting the carriers were too low vs the cost of 20something planes. This is in part why I didn't see the forward bases as a risk to my carriers. Playing against me, they wouldn't had been a serious risk. Of course PresterJohn had a different point of view

The results of the operation:
Allied losses: Around 4 Wildcats and 1 Dive bomber. CL Raleigh torpedoed but damage was light.
Japanese losses: Around 6 Zeros and 20 2E IJN bombers
KB-2 left NE Australia

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Jan 26, 1942: Not a lot happened.

The USN carrier TF that raided the marshall islands is getting closer to Johnston, they should finish refueling tomorrow; then they will support the damaged Raleigh until it reached PH.
Lots of submarines trying to ambush; hopefully my ASW and naval search will keep them on the defensive.

Burma:
He started bombing Rangoon and Pegu a couple turns ago; I don't have anything valuable there, as I evacuated almost every LCU; keeping only the worst of the Burmese infantry.
I have just enough troops on Rangoon and Pegu to pass the garrison requirements and hopefully to make PresterJohn believe I am seriously defending it.
I also left the AVG ground echelon and AVG/1st sqn on Tongoo to try to catch bombers; which is precisely what happened this turn on Pegu:

1st unescorted raid: I counted 9 of 12 Sallys shot down

Morning Air attack on 4th Burma Rifles Battalion, at 55,53 (Pegu)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 12

Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 7 destroyed, 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
AVG/1st Sqn with H81-A3 (14 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
14 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Raid is overhead

2nd unescorted raid: I counted 5 of 9 Lilys shot down
Morning Air attack on 4th Burma Rifles Battalion, at 55,53 (Pegu)

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 9

Allied aircraft
H81-A3 x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
AVG/1st Sqn with H81-A3 (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 6000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes

Then, the raid that could had been

I sent two cruiser TFs to the Coral Sea: each with 2 CA, 1 CL, 7 DDs.
This was possible, of course, because KB-2 left the area to pursue my carriers in the Marshalls.



The TF on the right is mostly Australian; they were supposed to raid the Rennell island invasion fleet... I guess they didn't want to go so far away
The TD on the left is American, they reacted to something but didn't press too hard. Detection level is 8 and KB-2 might be coming back soon, so I decided to abort and return to base