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

[Lowpe]

I am definitely seeing signs of frustration and just full speed ahead and to heck with the losses as over in Indochina no less than four deliberate attacks are pulsed against the IJA...after withering aerial bombardments.

Ultimately, these guys are all doomed, and I may start pulling back into Rahaeng with the group to the west, but it was a good day in the jungle for the IJA. As I understand it the tank pools aren't generous for the Commonwealth and British so some very good attrition here was accomplished this day.

The best attack went in at 1-6; while the closet attack went in at 1-2. I just added up the AFV disablements and it was well over 300. Every attack the Allies suffered worse than the Japanese in victory points by a wide margin and the forts at Rahaeng are still pristine.

I am not sure about pulling back into Rahaeng, as that would open up a flow of supplies to the Allied Tank Army, I have hopes of maybe shooting down his transports here in a CAP trap.





I lost 16 VP to the Allies 41 VP in land combat losses last turn. Now at some point, he will keep growing in strength, and if I don't beat feat fast enough he will gain lots of VP when I am forced to retreat. But I am gaining time. Time for what? No clue, but it sounds swell.[:)]

[Lowpe]

From reading Greyjoy vs Radar, Greyjoy seemed to be all over the place with his bombing of Honshu trying all sorts of big attacks early, instead of nibbling on the less defended easier targets first. He also flipped and flopped on target selection too, and never shut down the flow of oil and fuel to the HI instead he put together a huge invasion of Honshu. He did close down Radar's advanced plane r&d.

I expect that to occur here, but with more Allied night bombing which Greyjoy was prevented by HR from following, although at one point he did ask for a change in the night bombing HR.

[Lowpe]

I am thinking of abandoning Muroran. It can be so easily bypassed. Rather 1000 points of AV can be in the woods to the north west, and a second position can be prepared closer to Hakodate.

I would like to keep Hakodate if possible because I like the straits and the CD guns...but it will fall to a determined assault. But if that assault buys me more time in preparing Honshu, it will be worth it.

[Lowpe]

In other good news the CVE Nassau and Chenango show up on the sunk ship page. Hopefully that isn't fog of war. Anybody have an idea about how many he has now in Jan of 1944? I know he will get close to 100 total...

[Lowpe]

I probably let an opportunity go by here, as I thought about sending a squadron of Helen kamikazes here with some Oscar escorts...but they would be flying into 175 fighters, but might have nailed one or two more CVEs.

There is no Allied detection on my base, and rather I would like to get two Helen Squadrons up for Kamikaze runs against something that hopefully doesn't have quite as strong an air CAP.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I am thinking of abandoning Muroran. It can be so easily bypassed. Rather 1000 points of AV can be in the woods to the north west, and a second position can be prepared closer to Hakodate.

I would like to keep Hakodate if possible because I like the straits and the CD guns...but it will fall to a determined assault. But if that assault buys me more time in preparing Honshu, it will be worth it.

Sounds like the right calculus!

[Lowpe]

I like these LSTs, and believe me I am using them all. To save one is just the thing that makes a JFB smile in the position I am in. I will take little victories.

[Lowpe]

One of the nasty consequences of losing Hokkaido, besides all the obvious ones, is that the ports make a fair number of ML, MTB, SC.

I believe if the ship is never actually started then the Allies won't get sunk ship VP when they take the port, although I could be wrong. So I went to thru the build cue and stopped all production, but I did hurry some up that are near completion.

Last turn I abandoned all the north of Honshu & Hokkaido to Allied air power. This turn, I suspect the Allies will pound all the industry there, so it seems to me worthwhile to fly in fighters for the day. Hopefully he will split his sweeps and I will be able to get some bombers. He bombed my troops on Hokkaido without any fighter protection or sweeps, perhaps an opportunity, perhaps a trap.

I guess we will find out![;)]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I am thinking of abandoning Muroran. It can be so easily bypassed. Rather 1000 points of AV can be in the woods to the north west, and a second position can be prepared closer to Hakodate.

I would like to keep Hakodate if possible because I like the straits and the CD guns...but it will fall to a determined assault. But if that assault buys me more time in preparing Honshu, it will be worth it.

Sounds like the right calculus!

I wish you the joy of the cosine![:D] or words to that effect, Captain Aubery on board the Surprise (I think).

[Lowpe]

New strategy for fighting Lightnings. Take my lumps and just wear them down.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I am thinking of abandoning Muroran. It can be so easily bypassed. Rather 1000 points of AV can be in the woods to the north west, and a second position can be prepared closer to Hakodate.

I would like to keep Hakodate if possible because I like the straits and the CD guns...but it will fall to a determined assault. But if that assault buys me more time in preparing Honshu, it will be worth it.

I don't like this 'falling back' you mention. Where is the banzai spirit?

It's time not to think of what you can keep, but how long you can take. Keeping Muroran will make him take longer, even if you lose troops there. Of course it depends on you forts and what you can do to battle bombardment runs.

If you decide not to keep it, maybe consider a bigger block forward and continuing to reinforce from Honshu into Hakodate. You could hod a long time in the woods there if you can get the troops dug in. My two cents.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I am thinking of abandoning Muroran. It can be so easily bypassed. Rather 1000 points of AV can be in the woods to the north west, and a second position can be prepared closer to Hakodate.

I would like to keep Hakodate if possible because I like the straits and the CD guns...but it will fall to a determined assault. But if that assault buys me more time in preparing Honshu, it will be worth it.

I don't like this 'falling back' you mention. Where is the banzai spirit?

It's time not to think of what you can keep, but how long you can take. Keeping Muroran will make him take longer, even if you lose troops there. Of course it depends on you forts and what you can do to battle bombardment runs.

If you decide not to keep it, maybe consider a bigger black forward and continuing to reinforce from Honshu into Hakodate. You could hod a long time in the woods there if you can get the troops dug in. My two cents.

Unfortunately, it is a sad reality that I only have enough AT assets to hold one place the block on the woods or Muroran.

We will see how things turn out the next few days, the wood block has to be the first priority to avoid being isolated at Muroran, but holding him up several more days at Muruoran, or even longer does have some merit.

Good advice.[&o]

[ny59giants]

Supplies...Supplies...Supplies
How much are you using up daily now??
Forecasting into the future, is there trouble on the horizon??

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Supplies...Supplies...Supplies
How much are you using up daily now??
Forecasting into the future, is there trouble on the horizon??

I am at 5.5 million; I think I may be good for the year or at least until the B29 shows up. 4 million on Honshu. Or invasion Honshu.

I just went thru Manchuko and Korea looking at indsutry and factory bombing sites. Gosh, I have a thirst for fighters, fighters and more fighters.[:D] If I started to supersize my squadrons and split them into thirds, it really would make the air defense so much easier, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Same with enlarging the NF squadrons.

I will diminish and go into the west.[:D]

[Lowpe]

Shipped the turn, normally I should get it back later today on Saturday.

Trying a few things: Only 17 guns at Shikotan, but 20 bombers and ships in port. I plan to hit it with 3 sentai of bombers flying low (5K to stay above the 50cal) and there is 9 minesweepers floating around so I will try and take them out with low level torpedo strikes. Allies stopped CAP because of my sweeps, and no fighters presently there. We shall still sweep and LRCAP the base.

Put together an anti-Fletcher force to catch the next bombardment of Ustonomiya.

Jiggled around and had to divide a sentai of NF to get coverage where I need it.

More, and more troops being sent back to Honshu, the first real troops arrive tomorrow.

Trying a ground bombardment at Rahaeng to kill some of those 200 disabled AFVs.

[Lowpe]

I am trying to anticipate somewhat the Allies will do, but whatever it is it will be nasty.

I am thinking he might do night naval bombing of Kure, or any of the plane factories.

He may start to go all in on the destruction of northern Honshu, but he might be somewhat afraid of CAP traps.

[ny59giants]

Heavy AA guns coming back from Indo-China?? IMO, priority will be to place best AA and fighters over fighter factories. You can't afford to run out of George and Franks. [:-]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Heavy AA guns coming back from Indo-China?? IMO, priority will be to place best AA and fighters over fighter factories. You can't afford to run out of George and Franks. [:-]

Yep, everything is coming back. But for now I am short AA as I wan't thinking about this deep strike, although I should have known better.

Considering I see you posting on the evil side, no more CAP with Jugs and Lightnings; I suspect a full out attack on my fighter production, perhaps he might shift to night fighters first.[X(] And probably more diverse attacks.

Once the NF are gone it is over...I have only 213 in the pools but I am making 210 a month. So I might have 400+ by the time the B29 shows up.

[Lowpe]

Jan 29, 1944

Night bombing of Nagoya, Petes rise up but the Irving Sa's don't. Shucks. Several Manpower hits, and fires started but nothing. I don't think anything important went up in flames - no industry that I see.

Allies sweep Ominato, and bomb the port taking out 2 more xaks that were damaged previously.

We hit him and score a tanker I think, it had fuel on it burning pretty well. This is a long way to haul fuel, and perhaps we can exploit that a little.

[Lowpe]

This would be nice...but my Helen Kamikaze squadron has only 17 of 27 repaired, tomorrow there will be 26 of 27. Sigh.