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

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Interesting. because for the last 10 turns or so, PH shipyard had been devoted to BB Maryland. I know refits start on shipyard, but I always change them to pierside; this specially true for the "small" refits available on Feb 1942 (usually the replacement of 50 cal gun with 20mm Oerlikons).

So... for the last many turns, Maryland had been on shipyard; "high priority" with only a few other minor ships inside the yard, and it is still taking 10 days or so to reduce 1 point of major flotation damage [:(]
Would it be that it just take so long to reduce high level of flotation damage on a BB?

I am not too concerned, as I didn't lose any BB on Dec 7th strike. so if it takes forever to repair.. so be it.

In the next few days Lex and Sara will start their 03.42 refit at PH. This of course will start as soon as possible, as they replace their useless 8 inch guns and replaced them with lots of AA

I am also finishing cruiser and DD upgrades; and more important, I have a big batch of APDs coming online (both in PH and Australia); these will come handy soon... The very few I have active today are doing wonderful work on Pt Moresby

[BBfanboy]

Hmmmmm. It is usual for BB flotation damage to repair at a rate of several days per point, but 10 sounds a bit much. I would double check my priority setting in case I gave it an extra click and set it to low - sort of thing I do when I am rushing and not watching.

Also, if any other ships are given a higher priority (isn't there an "emergency" setting?) it will take ALL of the SY resources and leave lower priority ships without any workers. Even on high priority Maryland is taking workers away from other work and raising priority reduces the efficiency of SY work -- people getting in each others' way. The game penalizes the total repairs being done to reflect this. If you leave everyone on normal repair priority you get best use of repair points overall and I believe any extra points go to the most damaged ships.

I would have to re-read Alfred's primer on repair in the War Room section. Excellent work, especially about repair of damaged devices like guns and radars that cause the ship repair time to jump up a day or two after it docks.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Only Maryland is at high priority; the rest are all at normal;

It might be that there were too many upgrades happening (BBs, CAs, APDs) maybe they will take time from shipyards too. I won't know in a while because although most of my refits are ending, Sara and Lex will start just a day after the BBs are done

Other topic; I have 3 raiding TFs in "Japanese waters" the first is 2 DDs that managed to sneak into the Java sea. Problem is they were spotted (10/10) [:(]
so he will obviously send some cruisers to investigate; thus they will go full speed to Soerabaja; which is still mine [:)]

Once there, they will refuel, rearm and disband, so that their DL gets back to zero.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

And the Pacific raiders... everything is very quiet here.. too quiet
at the very least I want to confirm no major activity

[BBfanboy]

Whoa! If the IJA takes Soerabaja while those DDs are disbanded, they could be lost without a fight. You could consider disbanding in nearby Pamekesan.

In your other raiding TFs, try to keep MacDonough and Hull intact. They get one of the earliest (Feb?) upgrades that raises the ASW to 6, when virtually all the other USN DD classes are still at 2. Good ASW ships are precious in the first six months.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Thanks!

I think only heavy damaged ships get scuttled automatically; but in any case, there are no Japanese troops there yet, and I am not planning to stay too long; just enough to rearm, refuel and then go hunting; at least this will give him a headache.

I didn't know anbout MacDonough and Hull; I will certainly be careful... and I am not expecting a lot there really, probably more a recon mission than anything.
EDIT: They are Farragut, and it is not the February upgrade, but the one on April which makes then a nice ASW platform (L5).

Tomorrow will be interesting; I spotted a Japanese cargo TF at Milne Bay.
I have at Moresby: 26 Banshees + 12 P-39 on naval attack + 24 P-40s escorting + Catalinas doing double (black arc) search. I hope I catch him pants down, but I haven't seen KB-2 in a while, so we will see what happens

[BBfanboy]

The screenshot shows units in Soerabaja with a dark red color, but I didn't notice they are on the Allied side of the hex. I just assumed they were Japanese. Is the red color an anomaly?

I think the class that gets the early upgrade is the Mahan or Sims class. I thought Hull and MacDonough were in the early class.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

I installed some alternative colors mod and the Dutch are orange while Japan is red.
any big troop concentration will make the orange look red [;)]
Left side us Allied. Right side Japanese [:)]
I won't let soerabaja fall without a fight

[Jorge_Stanbury]

And this is Australia before my naval attack..

I followed IdahoNYer advice to put a little more effort on New Guinea; I succesfully landed the 21 MAG HQ and 1 AA LCU. I also start supply convoys
Then I rebased:
20thPS(P) = 25 P-40Es --> 16 left
49thPG/7PS = 25 P-40Es --> 24 left
27BG/16BS = 13 Banshees --> no losses
27BG/91BS = 13 Banshees --> no losses
35PG/39PS = 25 P-39s --> 12 left
No11 Sq RAAF = 4 Catalinas + 1 in reserve

I have the P-39s and Banshees on naval attack, with P-40s escorting. I hope them good weather, better aim and no opposition.

My LCUs are only barely adequate to hold any serious Japanese attempt to invasion; I am debating about sending more troops; I have Americal as potential reinforcement; but so far I think it is a bad idea; as there won't be any survivors once Japan decides to go heavy on Pt Moresby
Better to have them as reserve on Australia where retreat is always possible.

[BBfanboy]

Americal Division would give him major heartburn in PM, but the trick is getting it there and supplying it. You can't be sure of sea or air control during the approach or after landing so it is definitely wise to keep it in Oz.

To beef up PM from Turn 1 I gathered all available Catalinas and the Australian Empires, then airlifted everything within reach including Rabaul and Horn Island garrisons. One of the NG Rifle coys had to march out to the coast to be picked up. Getting some supply to PM ensured they could build forts. A determined Japanese assault would still take it, but it would require more time and troops than they have so it takes some pressure off of Australia and SOPAC.

I do something similar with the Dutch Dorniers and Cats to lift scattered garrisons to defensible, supplied bases. Not much time to work with but every bit brought back prolongs the overall defence.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

I will try to find additional LCUs to bring; but I agree Americal is too important to risk. I have now APDs available, so airlift is no longer needed. I did bring some units airlifting before; I think "Lark Force" and "NG vol rifles" start somewhere else.

An advantage of having air superiority over PM is that I can keep sending AKLs ; supply is now at 8,000 and there are more convoys coming

What else:
Milne bay raid didn't happen, his TF finished unloading at night and it was too far away by the morning

The raiders:
Nauru raiders found nothing; they will bombard and withdraw
Tulagi raiders found a cruiser and many DDs [X(] [:(]

Damage, so far, is within reason. They should survive, assuming of course they can withdraw next turn

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Day Time Surface Combat, near Tulagi at 115,138, Range 21,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Abukuma, Shell hits 1
DD Shigure
DD Hatsushima
DD Wakaba
DD Oboro
DD Kikuzuki

Allied Ships
CL Trenton, Shell hits 2
DD MacDonough, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Hull, Shell hits 3, on fire

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 21,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 21,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages CL Trenton at 21,000 yards
DD Oboro engages DD MacDonough at 21,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD MacDonough at 21,000 yards
Range closes to 14,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages CL Trenton at 14,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages DD Hull at 14,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Kikuzuki at 14,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Hull at 14,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards
CL Trenton engages CL Abukuma at 13,000 yards
DD Kikuzuki engages DD MacDonough at 13,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Hatsushima at 13,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD Hull at 13,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD MacDonough at 13,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Shigure at 13,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
CL Trenton engages CL Abukuma at 10,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Kikuzuki at 10,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Wakaba at 10,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD Hull at 10,000 yards
DD Hull engages DD Hatsushima at 10,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Hull at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
CL Trenton engages CL Abukuma at 7,000 yards
DD Hull engages DD Kikuzuki at 7,000 yards
DD Oboro engages DD MacDonough at 7,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Wakaba at 7,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD Hull at 7,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Hull at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 13,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages CL Trenton at 13,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Hull at 13,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Kikuzuki at 13,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Hatsushima at 13,000 yards
DD Hull engages DD Shigure at 13,000 yards
Range increases to 14,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages CL Trenton at 14,000 yards
DD Hull engages DD Kikuzuki at 14,000 yards
DD Oboro engages DD MacDonough at 14,000 yards
DD Wakaba engages DD Hull at 14,000 yards
DD Hatsushima engages DD MacDonough at 14,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Shigure at 14,000 yards
Range increases to 18,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Hull at 18,000 yards
DD Oboro engages DD MacDonough at 18,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Wakaba at 18,000 yards
DD MacDonough engages DD Hatsushima at 18,000 yards
DD Shigure engages DD Hull at 18,000 yards
Easton J. orders Allied TF to disengage
Range increases to 20,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages CL Trenton at 20,000 yards
CL Trenton engages DD Kikuzuki at 20,000 yards
CL Abukuma engages DD MacDonough at 20,000 yards
CL Trenton engages DD Wakaba at 20,000 yards
CL Trenton engages DD Shigure at 20,000 yards
Range increases to 23,000 yards
CL Trenton engages CL Abukuma at 23,000 yards
CL Trenton engages DD Wakaba at 23,000 yards
CL Trenton engages DD Hatsushima at 23,000 yards
CL Trenton engages DD Shigure at 23,000 yards
Range increases to 25,000 yards
CL Trenton engages CL Abukuma at 25,000 yards
CL Trenton engages DD Wakaba at 25,000 yards
CL Trenton engages DD Hatsushima at 25,000 yards
CL Trenton engages DD Shigure at 25,000 yards
Task forces break off...

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Feb 27:
No turn yet, but a very interesting combat replay

Pacific:
Nothing to report about the raiders; Nauru was bombarded for some minimal damage. Tulagi raiders left at high speed.

Malaya:
Very interesting news; Shokaku was found near Singapore! [X(]
and for those not following this AAR, this is huge news; in the early days; Prester John split his carriers on 2 "KBs"
- KB-1: Akagi, Kaga, plus all smaller CVLs, conversions, CVEs, etc. --> They took care of Luzon, Malaya, and India invasions
- KB-2: Shokaku, Zuikaku, Soryu, Hiryu --> They did an unconvincing Pearl Harbor, and then supported Coral Sea invasions

KB-1 covering the Indian Ocean, KB-2 the Pacific... why is Shokaku near Singapore? ... a full assault on India? Ceylon? maybe Western Australia?

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Feb 27

Ceylon:
Really bad news; a cruiser/ DD TF managed to get into Colombo waters; I had 2 transported moving out an AA LCU I just bought [:(]
Results of course were horrendous. 22nd Light AA regiment was destroyed, together with 2 nice Empire/Glen transports [:(]

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Night Time Surface Combat, near Colombo at 28,47, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Kiso
CL Oi
DD Yamakaze
DD Kawakaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Akebono
DD Sazanami

Allied Ships
xAP Glenapp, Shell hits 19, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Glenorchy, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 69 (39 destroyed, 30 disabled)
Vehicles lost 69 (52 destroyed, 17 disabled)

By pure coincidence, I had the British carriers travelling to Cochin; they found the raiders and gave them some small revenge:

Kind of worrying that CL Oi took a torpedo, but according to this report; there was no visible damage, no fires, etc [:@] damn invulnerable Japanese cruisers


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Trivandrum at 27,45

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 13
Fulmar II x 15
Swordfish I x 12

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 1 damaged
Albacore I: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CL Oi, Torpedo hits 1
CL Kiso
DD Yamakaze

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Swordfish I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
12 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo

[IdahoNYer]

Perhaps Shokaku is heading to/from a refit?

Still good intel - if the rest of the KB is in the west, you have good opportunity in the Pacific!

[Jorge_Stanbury]

ORIGINAL: IdahoNYer

Perhaps Shokaku is heading to/from a refit?

Still good intel - if the rest of the KB is in the west, you have good opportunity in the Pacific!

It is of course a possibility; but why so close to Singapore? I mean the natural base of operations of a Shokaku covering the Pacific is Truk or Rabaul.
Truk of course doesn't have a shipyard, so it makes sense to go somewhere else, but the Japanese islands are much closer

EDIT: No, Shokaku upgrades on 06/42... too early for a refit


I don't have a clue on where are the other carriers, but what I assume is the following:
- he still has carriers in the Pacific; at least 3 fleet carriers + early commisioned CVL Shoho
- he will strike again in the Indian Ocean; Colombo likely; and he wants more carrier cover; not necessarily a stronger strike capability, but maybe longer cover; so he splits his carrier TFs in two. And there is always one patroling until the second one take over.

Lexington and Saratoga were supposed to start refitting next turn (March 1st, 1942); but I decided to postpone this until I am certain the whereabouts of all the carriers. I will make some "noise" with them next turn, to scare him a bit and to see what is the reaction. I still want to avoid any carrier vs carrier action. But if I confirm they are in the west; I will do something

EDIT: This is how Colombo is looking now: I think I will keep the carriers close ; I think the escorts can handle 2 CLs+ DDs, plus he spent many torpedoes againsts the troop transport last turn

[IdahoNYer]

With only two carriers, and one very, very slow - why do you need the carriers themselves? Ceylon won't sink and has much better capacity.

Just a thought....

[Jorge_Stanbury]

You are right; I didn't think about that...

I will rebase the carrier squadrons to Colombo and withdraw the carriers

Only the Sea Hurricanes will remain; at 100% CAP


I also have started some operation on the Pacific; nothing too crazy or fancy, I just want to give him something to think about;
More to come on the next days

[BBfanboy]

It wouldn't hurt to form a SCTF with a couple of CLs and DDs and send them down to the corner of Ceylon near Koggala to catch the cripples. The AI will often split off an escort TF if one ship has too much speed reduction to keep up with the rest.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

It wouldn't hurt to form a SCTF with a couple of CLs and DDs and send them down to the corner of Ceylon near Koggala to catch the cripples. The AI will often split off an escort TF if one ship has too much speed reduction to keep up with the rest.

Yes I did that; in addition to the 2 TF coming from Cochin, I have formed another one from some CV escorts; I have them on "patrol" with react = 6
That said, I prefer to keep them closer to the carriers for next turn. Although the carrier are keeping some credible firepower, better if they are far away from harm

Pacific Operation
The idea is very simple, based on Shokaku's intelligence, I think I have the short term advantage in the Pacific, thus I will unleash the USN [8D]
I will send the carriers and the battlefleet to Midway.
I will also send two fast AOs + supporting cruisers and destroyers
They will all be supporting a "Fast Transport" TF of 1 AMC + 4 APDs... they are loading the 2nd USMC Parachute Battalion;
The 2nd USMC Parachute battalion is preping for Eniwetok.. which is of course too far away. Thus I will use them to land somewhere else; this somewhere else is still yet to be decided; I think Wake is too risky, but maybe I go far north and liberate Armchitka island; I doubt there will be more than a few eng coys there.

So the plan so far is to move north to Midway. From Midway we will see what happen, likely the CVs + BBs will move to Wake, for bombarding it.
Fast transports will remain on the rear, if I have intelligence of the carriers being far away, like seeing Zuikaku crossing the Malacca strait, then I might try to assault somewhere.
If I don't get new intelligence, then I will send the fast transports, the AOs and some supporting BBs to Armchitka

What do you think? is it too crazy? this is the kind of plans that work wonderful for Japan,
How bad is the penalty for disembarking without any preparation (preparing for somewhere else) ?

[Jorge_Stanbury]

It is for turns like yesterday's that I am playing this game. Seriously, what a fantastic, never ending, series of naval engagements!
I really like the tension of watching highly contested naval battles for around 45 min.

Lets go from the beginning: Yesterday, Prester John sneaked a TF of 2 CLs and 5 DDs on the waters NW of Ceylon. He caught, 2 loaded transports carrying the 22 Light AA LCU and after a brief battle, they all died.
In that same turn, my British carriers managed to put a torpedo into CL Oi. You can see how the map looked before this turn a couple threads ago (post 293 & 295).

On this turn, I had 3 British SCTF on the hunt, these were:

Carrier escort detachment
CA Dorsetshire
CL Enterprise
CL Emerald
DD Napier
DD Nizam

as the name implies, these guys were part of the British CV TF; they got detached to seek a naval combat. Carriers + other escorts left the area, planes were rebased to Colombo as per IdahoNYer suggested (thanks!!!)

Cruiser TF
CL Durban
CL Danae
DD Encounter
DD Isis

Battleship TF
BB Revenge
BB Royal Sovereign
DM Thracian
DE Starling
These two TFs were at Cochin; originally they were part of one big TF. I decided to split so to give better chances of engaging. They both were set to patrol west of Colombo to at full speed

Finally, Indomitable and Hermes carrier planes (except Sea Harriers) were re-based to Colombo, then set to do naval bombing (bombs) and search

The Japanese raiders:
CL Oi --> Kitakami class --> it was torpedoed last turn and vanished afterwards, included here for reference
CL Kiso --> Kuma class
DD Yamakaze --> Shiratsuyu class
DD Kawakaze --> Shiratsuyu class
DD Suzukaze --> Shiratsuyu class
DD Akebono --> Shikinami class
DD Sazanami --> Shikinami class