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

[obvert]

[Lowpe]

Late October 1943

The night starts off with the Natori doing her job, as long as she doesn't sink.

[Lowpe]

We lighten the Deathstar by about 75 planes. I hope to do better today over Tinian, although I suspect my losses will be heavier too.

Corsairs are tough! I suspect he has more Corsairs flying CAP over his deathstar.

[Lowpe]

Just simple brute force here.[:)]

This will the the third day of operations for the Deathstar, and they will be facing the toughest airfield yet at Tinian. I really hope to have got my altitudes correct for this attack.

I figure I have another day before he lands, and my hope is that this is a one base rushed attack to take opportunity of the KB being in the Andamans.

Rota is the weak leak here, but he may be going for the throat at Guam, or he may breakup and get lots of bases. Don't really know. What will be, will be.

Basically I want to degrade the deathstar, threaten with my surface ships but not engage, and hold on the ground until the KB is back, and I can turn it into a slogging match. Probably won't work, but that is my plan. I can't fight him force to force.

Lots of Iboats moving into position, and 13 midget subs will be two deepwater hexes away from Saipan to Tinian.

The invasion fleet has taken a really circuitous route to get here...

[Lowpe]

IJN surface assets getting into place. Not much really, but If I can time it right to hit him when his forces are depleted or returning for re-arming I might be able to do something.

I will try and get some CL/DD groups between Marcus and Marianas, he seems to have come from the Marianas. I would really like to carrier raid the Marianas and hit his support ships there, but not doable.

Hopefully, this will be a long fight and that my closer supply line and his lack of Corsairs plays to my advantage.

I have protected all my strike planes so far...so I have avoided that first 600 plane disjointed strike with horrendous losses for the Japanese Air Force and instead have a credible threat. Instead, I hope to wear his fighters down, making that attack a little better. Not sure it will work, but so far it is.

[Lowpe]

Commonwealth divisions moving in here in Burma.

I should be able to hold north of Uttaradit with 2 Divisions plus, but I will lose Chiang Mai. Life as Japan...

[Lowpe]

The Haruna bombarded Port Blair again, but no planes damaged despite 100 fighters there.

Allies build a level 1 air field.

Bombarding Cap Nicobar this turn with Musashi. Sending light cruisers and destroyer north to near Tavoy for a run into Port Blair...we will see if they can stay undetected.

Heavy bombing of Bangkok and Moulmien last turn.

The heavy siege mortars is killing off 2-4 squads a turn at Trinkat. Combat squads that is.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

I don't think I will do too well depending upon his invasion spot. The best I can hope for is a fight at the long end of the Allied supply line before he is ready.

We shall see if the Allies cooperate.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Good luck Lowpe. Make him bleed for them!

I hope to!

These kind of attacks are hopefully long and involved and I can hope that he doesn't realize a Divison and level 5 forts are a little different than an Naval Guard atoll invasion.

We shall see.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I shall be waiting for NYGiants I told you so! [:D][:D]

Never!!

Well....maybe? [;)]

No, go ahead...you have been consistently prescient.[&o]

[ny59giants]

I wonder why he doesn't take some or all four of the smaller northern Marianas Islands?? It would be easy to expand those bases with all the SeaBees he has and allow him to disband a few AEs to allow reloading of his CAs and BBs along with his CVs. I would like to have some LBA to help with the conquest of the larger southern islands.

[ny59giants]

P. S. 800 lb gorilla has been found!!

[Lowpe]

Forgot to mention from last turn another leaf from the Empire fell...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I wonder why he doesn't take some or all four of the smaller northern Marianas Islands?? It would be easy to expand those bases with all the SeaBees he has and allow him to disband a few AEs to allow reloading of his CAs and BBs along with his CVs. I would like to have some LBA to help with the conquest of the larger southern islands.

I am hoping that he panicked, and saw fresh troops showing up in the Marianas that he has rushed his attack. A slim hope.[:)]

Still, nothing is very strong. Guam, Tinian and Saipan have a division plus support units behind lvl 5 forts. And they aren't great divisions at that.

Rota has but 2 Naval Guards, a CD unit, some Eng and only level 3 forts (soon to be 4 if I get a few more days)...it was slated to get a division in about 2 weeks.[:(]

[JocMeister]

Depends on what he brings...the USMC havn´t had their major TOE overhaul yet I think and Shermans should be pretty scarce still. He will probably need 2-3 USMC with lots and lots of support or 3-4 US divisions to get results reasonably fast. Even with that it can take him a couple of weeks. And if you can wrestle sea control for him with troops landed...

If he hasn´t done everything flawlessly you have a very good opportunity to deal a major blow. Personally I think he is too early. At least against a solid well prepared defense. I would wait until he has landed and see what he has brought. If you can hold him for 2-3 weeks I would send in the KB and try to isolate the landing. Probably your last chance to cause him a significant delay before he will simply overwhelm you.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I wonder why he doesn't take some or all four of the smaller northern Marianas Islands?? It would be easy to expand those bases with all the SeaBees he has and allow him to disband a few AEs to allow reloading of his CAs and BBs along with his CVs. I would like to have some LBA to help with the conquest of the larger southern islands.

I am hoping that he panicked, and saw fresh troops showing up in the Marianas that he has rushed his attack. A slim hope.[:)]

Still, nothing is very strong. Guam, Tinian and Saipan have a division plus support units behind lvl 5 forts. And they aren't great divisions at that.

Rota has but 2 Naval Guards, a CD unit, some Eng and only level 3 forts (soon to be 4 if I get a few more days)...it was slated to get a division in about 2 weeks.[:(]

Your position here is worrisome. At this point, he has enough assault shipping to land 2 divisions plus supporting units. Including USMC... which will make short work of just 1 IJA ID, even behind level 5 forts. He'll be doing you a favor if he comes to Saipan, so I would expect him to move for Tinian or Guam.


Be careful with your TFs there... only 1 CV in that ACTF is asking for trouble. I know you probably didn't have any others around to partner up with it, but I still think it's risky.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Your position here is worrisome. At this point, he has enough assault shipping to land 2 divisions plus supporting units. Including USMC... which will make short work of just 1 IJA ID, even behind level 5 forts. He'll be doing you a favor if he comes to Saipan, so I would expect him to move for Tinian or Guam.


Be careful with your TFs there... only 1 CV in that ACTF is asking for trouble. I know you probably didn't have any others around to partner up with it, but I still think it's risky.

My position in this game has been worrisome since day 1 of my takeover. Nothing has changed, the Allies are uber aggressive.

I am a little surprised he saw my ships...his recon is especially good. I can't get the same results in Downfall flying from a lot closer with probably more planes.[&:]

Hopefully my ships go dark this next day.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Depends on what he brings...the USMC havn´t had their major TOE overhaul yet I think and Shermans should be pretty scarce still. He will probably need 2-3 USMC with lots and lots of support or 3-4 US divisions to get results reasonably fast. Even with that it can take him a couple of weeks. And if you can wrestle sea control for him with troops landed...

If he hasn´t done everything flawlessly you have a very good opportunity to deal a major blow. Personally I think he is too early. At least against a solid well prepared defense. I would wait until he has landed and see what he has brought. If you can hold him for 2-3 weeks I would send in the KB and try to isolate the landing. Probably your last chance to cause him a significant delay before he will simply overwhelm you.

I have felt pretty overwhelmed the whole game...I just want to get to rockets! Is that too much to ask for?[&:]

Lets hope you are right and I can isolate the landings...and hold. But I don't think so. I simply don't have any troops.

[Lowpe]

Oct 30, 1943

Go big, or go home....

[Lowpe]

Hey, Sherlock, it is an invasion![:D]

First real confirmation of invasion ships.