Headhunter - Lokasenna (A) vs. mind_messing (J) - No MM yet

[Lowpe]

How did you do that? Was it empty??????? Had to be!

Kudos![&o]

[Lokasenna]

Operation Anklebiter

Pretty self-explanatory. Nothing major. 3x25 units of C-47 and my only operational C-46 and C-87 at Srinagar (built to AF5).

I noticed something that may/may not be in the manual here. Srinagar to Kashgar is 12 hexes, which is the extended range of the C47. I could not paradrop there - it said it was too far. Yet, I can transport troops there normally once it's in my possession as it's within half the range of the C47 (which is 30). Don't care enough to look it up, as it makes sense, but the only thing I recall being said in the manual about Transport missions was that they could be carried out up to half the total range of the aircraft.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

How did you do that? Was it empty??????? Had to be!

Kudos![&o]

Sure was! Looking to be taking advantage of more of this as time goes on. He's deployed very much forward. I expect he only has garrisons at the bases where it is required.

What if I snuck an APA (or even an xAP!) through his search and grabbed some bases?! I might try, eventually. I've already been probing some areas, with some success.

[Lokasenna]

Some upcoming events/operations... not too much detail yet, as I'm finding it more entertaining to share the results than to lay out the plan, show it in action, and then show the aftermath... I'm sure that makes for tedious reading. I can't do AARs in the style of obvert and Mike Solli; not my thing.

Black Gate of Mordor
All I can think of when I'm planning this one is that it's pretty much like staring down the Eye of Sauron.

Rapier
To immediately follow Black Gate.

Rhino Tail
Independent of the other two, time of execution uncertain.

Tiger Stripes
This one will be fun.


CV-based aircraft not needed for all of these, thankfully. Still, going to have a heavy workload for them in the next few months.

[Lokasenna]

Chinese LCU progress

In the next post you can see where these are all sitting.

Making progress on building out the Chinese army. As you can see, I still have some Corps that have yet to upgrade to 1943 squads, however some of those numbers are Corps that are set to withdraw. I'm not upgrading them as I don't want to lose the 1943 squads.

I have 31 more days of 11.33 squads/day of both 1942 and 1943 Chinese squads. Even at 350 per month, it will take 17-18 months to fill out the entire army.

[Lokasenna]

Burma-India-China - May 30, 1943

I'll let the map do almost all of the talking here.

I think he's way out of position and thinking very linearly. There's opportunity for a major wasteland here.

I believe this represents the vast bulk of the Manchurian army. There are at least 2 IDs in the 25-stack unit outside Akyab, which has been squatting there (presumably to prevent a river crossing on my part) for many months. By my count, assuming all of the units on the border are divisions (which I judge to be likely, at least 50% of them are), there are 15 IDs up here.

That's a lot. The Chinese army can't break through yet (I just tried with ~1700 AV of 1943 squads near Imphal and failed), but I'll use them later in a classic hammer/anvil if he maintains this disposition.

EDIT: Ah, Rangoon. Looks like a bunch of arty and some tanks here. Fine by me. Some moved out to the east a bit ago, but most seem to be staying put. The troops number is very low for that number of units... Regardless, I won't be amphibbing at Rangoon anytime soon.

Moulmein has 3 units present, with at least one of them being an ID.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
He's deployed very much forward.

You have cottoned on to something I see, too, not in your game by our Downfall game. I really plan to hand him his head in Downfall with a little misdirection and then a haymaker out of the blue.

Just have to wait for prep.

Dog still hasn't sent me back his turn.[:D] I think I shredded lots and lots of his air units and he is demoralized...and playing Japan in mid 45 is demoralizing. You really need to take victories in very little things.

I think my Mustangs ran pell mell into his large squadron of Ki201 jets and the 201's took it on the chin along with every other Japanese fighter groups.

If you make 45 you will have so much fun you might start to feel sorry for Japan. Nah.[:)]

[Lowpe]

In Burma: What is further south? Do you have Ceylon?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
He's deployed very much forward.

You have cottoned on to something I see, too, not in your game by our Downfall game. I really plan to hand him his head in Downfall with a little misdirection and then a haymaker out of the blue.

Just have to wait for prep.

Dog still hasn't sent me back his turn.[:D] I think I shredded lots and lots of his air units and he is demoralized...and playing Japan in mid 45 is demoralizing. You really need to take victories in very little things.

I think my Mustangs ran pell mell into his large squadron of Ki201 jets and the 201's took it on the chin along with every other Japanese fighter groups.

If you make 45 you will have so much fun you might start to feel sorry for Japan. Nah.[:)]

On the one hand, facing so much right at the front lines is very daunting. He can respond with hundreds of aircraft in a single day, and I've only got 100-200 planes available for CAP. So, that's hard.

On the other hand... it opens up some other doors and leaves him inflexible, I think, while he thinks he's being flexible to meet any attack. And he is - but only one attack at a time.

My OOB is reaching the point now where, other than CVs (and those dratted CVEs...), I can conduct 2 or more, depending on size.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

In Burma: What is further south? Do you have Ceylon?

I have Ceylon and it's fine.

He has Port Blair, which is Port 2/AF 5(4). He's building Little Andaman, currently AF 2. No port there yet. The other Andamans are untouched.

One of my thoughts may tip him off to being weak here, but the act of tipping him off should also cause permanent damage to his war effort so would be worth it.



Moulmein is AF 8(7).
Tavoy is AF 4(5).
Mergui is AF 1, as it starts.

The rest of the western coast of Malaya looks untouched since December 1941 also. Victoria Point is AF 4, but... my subs in the area aren't getting detected often. I don't think he has good search here. He seems entirely focused on SWPAC/SOPAC.

Rangoon is AF 8 right now. I'm firebombing the place, getting rid of some of his supply creation. With so many IDs up north, he has to be shipping in boatloads of it. I want him to bring in more and more. Magwe is half bombed out, but even in my game with Magwe completely zeroed out Oil will flow to Rangoon from Singapore, enough that the refinery will run. So I'm blowing it up, bit by bit.



My issue in this area is a lack of capable shipping. I seem to have sent it all off to Australia. The RN is pretty much nonexistent here. I have a couple BBs at Ceylon, but only 1 DD. That Dutch CLAA also. What escorts I do have are on convoy duty. I have a couple of LSI(L) hulls that arrived via Aden, but... if I want to make a landing over here, I need to bring the ships from CONUS. I'll do that later on, I think. Part of the Big Blue Fleet may come here.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
He's deployed very much forward.

You have cottoned on to something I see, too, not in your game by our Downfall game. I really plan to hand him his head in Downfall with a little misdirection and then a haymaker out of the blue.

Just have to wait for prep.

Dog still hasn't sent me back his turn.[:D] I think I shredded lots and lots of his air units and he is demoralized...and playing Japan in mid 45 is demoralizing. You really need to take victories in very little things.

I think my Mustangs ran pell mell into his large squadron of Ki201 jets and the 201's took it on the chin along with every other Japanese fighter groups.

If you make 45 you will have so much fun you might start to feel sorry for Japan. Nah.[:)]

On the one hand, facing so much right at the front lines is very daunting. He can respond with hundreds of aircraft in a single day, and I've only got 100-200 planes available for CAP. So, that's hard.

On the other hand... it opens up some other doors and leaves him inflexible, I think, while he thinks he's being flexible to meet any attack. And he is - but only one attack at a time.

My OOB is reaching the point now where, other than CVs (and those dratted CVEs...), I can conduct 2 or more, depending on size.

Leave Burma alone until you have so much excess amphib capacity you can go as far south as you need to find a landing. How long will it take him to march 20 IDs out of the jungle and respond to a drive on Bangkok?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

Leave Burma alone until you have so much excess amphib capacity you can go as far south as you need to find a landing. How long will it take him to march 20 IDs out of the jungle and respond to a drive on Bangkok?

That's more or less the plan. Until then, I have some other plans for IO...

Because the answer to your question is a long time. It's what I was hinting at in my post. He'd either be cut off permanently, or have to run back to Paoshan/Kunming. I would attempt to cut them off and destroy for VPs (so many!), which he would undoubtedly see as I would be using whatever I landed to the south to attempt to cut roads and supply while I bombed from Burma and the Chinese Horde came marching through.

Another interesting possibility is that the Chinese are almost entirely squads. Unfortunately they have a load cost of 14, but if I can still get that in a transport then I can airlift entire Corps units to help hold bases farther along.

[Lokasenna]

Missed opportunities...

SIGINT - May 26, 1943

BB Haruna is located at Auki.

For those that may not be aware, Auki is the dot base just NE of Tulagi.

Maybe not so much of a missed opportunity, as he sent her out the next day with the other 3 Kongos to guard Lunga from bombardment. I ended up losing 2 Fletchers and sent 1 of his DDs scurrying for the yards. Not an even trade by any means, but valuable intel on his intentions.

I'm just lucky that I didn't lose the CL Denver, which went in first. All hail Allied radar!


I had been planning to raid the place with my CVs, as well as every single 4E in the theater. And for good measure, drop some paratroops from Munda, hoping to get whatever ships were anchored there scuttled. I know that's a low chance, but I really wanted some "free" VPs based on a platinum SIGINT nugget.

[Lokasenna]

O-ho, dear readers...

Looks like he's bringing his SCTFs back to protect Lunga from bombardment. I'm not sure why, as he's abandoned the airfield at this point. The Kongos were last seen heading for Rabaul, but are not there (DL 9/10, thanks to Navy Libs). They may have stopped off at one of the dot bases north of Shortlands, but my recon is refusing to go to those places at the moment. Those aforementioned Navy Libs are on strike, apparently. Can't get them to fly to Truk, either.

He is still reconnoitering Koumac, which means he's flying Judy airframes out of here to do it (I've destroyed several on the ground), but...

Is he hoping to effect a withdrawal at some point?

[Lokasenna]

Welp... I put all 4 CVs into one TF and nothing launched. Doesn't appear search aircraft even flew. I'm convinced that until 1944, they just won't fly. 360 aircraft were in the TF, and I was fine with suffering coordination... but this is not the first time I haven't even had uncoordinated raids. I should have split into 2 TFs of 2 CVs each last turn.

Daytime raids against Lunga showed only 30-some planes on CAP there. His SCTFs were reasonably detected at Lunga (presumed CA/CA/4 DD force) and Tassafaronga (presumed CL/DD force), but nothing launched.

I'm moving back towards the Hebrides a little bit, as I don't care to get caught up here. I'm detected 10/10. I did split into 2 TFs this turn, and will remain within 8 hexes of Lunga throughout.

I have large SCTFs heading this direction from Townsville, ETA 2 days. Can't interdict any attempted intercepts on his part this turn, but they will be available tomorrow.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Welp... I put all 4 CVs into one TF and nothing launched. Doesn't appear search aircraft even flew. I'm convinced that until 1944, they just won't fly. 360 aircraft were in the TF, and I was fine with suffering coordination... but this is not the first time I haven't even had uncoordinated raids. I should have split into 2 TFs of 2 CVs each last turn.

Daytime raids against Lunga showed only 30-some planes on CAP there. His SCTFs were reasonably detected at Lunga (presumed CA/CA/4 DD force) and Tassafaronga (presumed CL/DD force), but nothing launched.

I'm moving back towards the Hebrides a little bit, as I don't care to get caught up here. I'm detected 10/10. I did split into 2 TFs this turn, and will remain within 8 hexes of Lunga throughout.

I have large SCTFs heading this direction from Townsville, ETA 2 days. Can't interdict any attempted intercepts on his part this turn, but they will be available tomorrow.

On your map pic Lunga weather was extreme overcast. Often, the turn following that weather is "Severe Storms". Could that be the reason for the non-launch?

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Welp... I put all 4 CVs into one TF and nothing launched. Doesn't appear search aircraft even flew. I'm convinced that until 1944, they just won't fly. 360 aircraft were in the TF, and I was fine with suffering coordination... but this is not the first time I haven't even had uncoordinated raids. I should have split into 2 TFs of 2 CVs each last turn.

Daytime raids against Lunga showed only 30-some planes on CAP there. His SCTFs were reasonably detected at Lunga (presumed CA/CA/4 DD force) and Tassafaronga (presumed CL/DD force), but nothing launched.

I'm moving back towards the Hebrides a little bit, as I don't care to get caught up here. I'm detected 10/10. I did split into 2 TFs this turn, and will remain within 8 hexes of Lunga throughout.

I have large SCTFs heading this direction from Townsville, ETA 2 days. Can't interdict any attempted intercepts on his part this turn, but they will be available tomorrow.

On your map pic Lunga weather was extreme overcast. Often, the turn following that weather is "Severe Storms". Could that be the reason for the non-launch?

Weather did seem to be an issue in the area, but I didn't even get "unable to find target due to range or weather" notifications, or anything like that. Which is not to say that they just didn't even launch to begin with, but I didn't even have SBDs up on search.

I think something is going on where they just aren't launching any planes whatsoever. It's possible that it was due to weather in their hex. I didn't check. But that's several times now when I've had 4 Allied CVs grouped together, and it's happening in both Allied games of mine. If I have them in smaller groups (2-3), everything works fine. As soon as there are 4, no strikes, no search, no nothing. Maybe CAP, but I haven't been struck at, so I don't know. I know this is very anecdotal, but it's discouraging. It's almost like there's a hard cap in there until 1944, whereas Japan at least launches planes even if they are suffering from uncoordinated strikes.

The TF's commander is Fred Sherman, with 87 Air. All the group commanders are 60+ Air.

[Lokasenna]

Page 2?!? We've actually only progressed 7 more days in the last 10 IRL, to June 7.

KB sighted! Good thing my CVs are all off on a super secret mission soon, nowhere near here.



Judging by what I've seen, including a general abandonment of some frontline airfields that have just been pounded relentlessly by my 4Es, I'm thinking he's moving in to extradite his troops from Lunga.

This turn, S-44 (the sub in the hex with the TF) hit AK Manila Maru with 1 torpedo. Not enough to stop her from picking up, probably. No troops casualties listed, so the TF is either fresh from a drop off (nope, not sighted at Lunga and LCU numbers there haven't changed), or empty and inbound to pick up.

Given KB (and KB2?)'s presence, I won't be trying to stop him here. It's just fine with me if he wants to leave this area. I would like it if I were able to make the whole theater a big POW camp for him, but I'm waiting on some ship upgrades and a few more CV arrivals at the moment, so likelihood is small since I know he likes to have KB based in this area. But I'll happily come in and take Lunga for less than I otherwise would have, and he should have divisions a-plenty to defend his islands anyways.

If that's what he's doing here.

That said, I am dreading the Marianas. I've already got intel of good divisions from China being based there. I need to get in bombing range of those places sooner rather than later.

[Lokasenna]

He retook Tarakan this turn, but I'd already lifted my Marine Raiders out for the most part. Argonaut has the boys, and the other 2 SSTs are full of Supplies.

We're going to go drop some squatters on the rail line in Malaysia.

[Lokasenna]

Due to holidays and various scheduling difficulties, we've only progressed 2 more weeks of game time in the last 3 weeks of real time. Despite several turns a day on a couple of Saturdays. Hoping to get some more in today, as I have all day to do nothing...

Highlights and accomplishments:

Hansa Bay eliminated as an operational airfield for him, and he's concentrating on Rabaul now. Lae to a lesser extent. He is also building up Umboi Island, and I'll let him. If I want it later, that will be a nice present from him. If I decide to come up the coast from Milne Bay, he can't stop me there with just Rabaul operational, and I will eventually shut down the airfields all along the coast.

I get some intel, via subs, that he's probably sending more troops to the SRA from Japan. Probably some of the newly-arrived reinforcements.

2 subs sunk at Tulagi port on June 20.

I discover that he's using xAKLs to run something (probably Supply) from Palembang to Singers. Several are sunk on the surface by SS Grenadier. Will send more subs to this area as I get them. I have some USN boats heading to Cape Town to head for Colombo. I will base them out of Trincomalee with the 3 British subs. About 10 USN subs are based out of Perth as well. Am slowly spreading out my sub net. I am pleased with the results of the sub war so far.


Disappointments:

I missed an opportunity to murder a SCTF and maybe amphibious TF of his, picking up units at Lunga. I knew KB was around, but I still could have sortied my 20 CAs/DDs from Australia a turn or two sooner... KB had withdrawn to the NW due to a sub threat. If I had gone in a day earlier, I would have caught the SCTF at the least - it was probably all 4 Kongos, judging from future sighting reports, with just 4 DDs. Against 10 CAs/CLs and 10 DDs, I would have taken those odds. Even trading 4 CAs for a Kongo is worth it, from a VP standpoint, and even more worth it from a strategic standpoint.

The 54-plane Hurricane CAP (one group) at Port Moresby is rudely swept aside by 120 Zeroes on sweep from Rabaul. I check the pilots and they're mediocre, as the groups were only recently resized. I don't have enough trained British pilots to do this yet, but am working on all 3x54-plane groups now.

Marine raiders fail at Georgetown, in Malaya. Oh well.


Coming soon...

Another daring expedition by the USN! OK, maybe not as daring as the first one. But hopefully it doesn't turn out to just be a waste of time and fuel. There is an opportunity cost to this, but the potential payoff is large.

It occurs to me that I forgot to swap out some pilots, but I'm only 1 day out from shore... I should probably stop off somewhere and fix that.