THE WAR COLLEGE-Rio Bravo (A) v. El Lobo (J)

[Rio Bravo]

[center]The Overall Situation[/center]
[center]As of March 2, 1942[/center]

El Lobo is detail oriented, methodical, and no doubt sticking with his game plan.

After Malaya, The Philippines, Sumatra, Java, and Burma fully fall to the Evil Empire, the big question is, where will the Imperial Japanese War Mongers strike next?

I would like him to try for India.

However, I think El Lobo will go for New Caledonia and perhaps Fiji.

Time will tell.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

[center]Operation Wake Up Call[/center]
[center]Questions for The War College[/center]

Opening Note

Gentlemen, Scholars, and Allied Strategists-

On March 15, 1942, Allied war ships will leave Pearl Harbor to perform a naval bombardment mission.

I request your analysis and comment regarding the following topics post herein.

The Target

Please choose one of the following:

1.) Saipan and Guam.
2.) Truk.

I am leaning toward Saipan and Guam because I have tentative plans to fully invade the Marianas Islands around June 1 of 1943. It might be wise to bombard Saipan and Guam a few times prior to June 1, 1943 to reduce the port and aircraft capacity.

Task Force Configuration

I will be sending the carriers to provide LRCap for the naval bombardment task forces.

My questions are:

1.) For the carriers, one or more Task Forces? Ship configuration of the Carrier Task Force(s)? Aircraft settings for best protection of Carrier Task Force(s) and Naval Bombardment Task Forces?

2.) For the Naval Bombardment Combat Surface Ships, one or m ore Task Forces? Configuration of Naval Bombardment Task Forces?

3.) Send in DMS first to clear mine fields or include them in Task Forces?

The Route to and from the Selected Target(s)

Both Wake Island and Midway Island have been loaded with supply and fuel.

1.) I thought the route from Pearl would skirt just above Wake Island, and then head to either Saipan and Guam or in the alternative, to Truk.

2.) The return route would be through Wake Island, refueling any ships that might need more fuel to get back home to Pearl Harbor.

Ultimate Hex Destination

1.) For the Carriers, one or two hexes off the bombardment target?

2.) For the Surface Combat Bombardment Task Forces, actually enter the hex(s) to be bombarded?

End Note

I think I pretty much know how many Task Forces I want, the ship configuration of the Task Forces, the settings for Carrier aircraft and Bombardment ships (i.e., 6,000 range, etc.), the actual destination hex(s), etc.

However, I thought it wise to get all of your thoughts prior to just setting sail with solely my own thoughts.

Lastly, two more Battleships will leave Seattle for Pearl on March 5, 1942. So the Battleship count will be 13 total. Also, six more Destroyers will Arrive at Pearl Harbor prior to MArch 15, 1942. So, the Destroyer count will be 39.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[HansBolter]

March 15th, 1942 is awfully early to be venturing into troubled waters with your entire fleet.

Truk is likely a nonstarter.

Have you managed any recon of either target choice?

How many of your carriers have upgraded their fighters to F4F4s? I would assume not many after only 15 days of production.

Your fleet of battleships are old and slow and will have to make their bombardment runs from very close in placing them under escorted NAV attack range.

If you sail into a hornets nest of LBA your carriers are going to be hard pressed to protect themselves let alone the BBs.

Your training level is still way too low across the board to make going head to head with the Japanese in a pitched battle viable.

If you get spotted enroute and the KB shows up in concentrated form you will likely lose most of your fleet.

F4F3s and TBDs are NOT what you want to take on the KB with outside of your own LBA cover.

Your opponent will be able to combine fleet air with LBA while you will not. This is the exact opposite of the conditions you need to give you a fighting chance against the KB in '42.

Sorry, for the litany of glom and doom, but it's just too early to consider such an operation.

Patience padawan, patience.

[BBfanboy]

Exactly my thoughts Hans B. The allies must avoid giving in to the urge to "do something" just because they have some toys and want to play with them. The sandbox must be cleaned of most of the hazards first! This is the reason why Halsey's first foray was to isolated Marcus island rather than the pocket that is east of the Marianas.

[Rio Bravo]

[center]Combat Report[/center]
[center]for[/center]
[center]March 2, 1942[/center]

Japanese Amphibious Assault at Iloilo:

Amphibious Assault at Iloilo (79,84)

TF 16 troops unloading over beach at Iloilo, 79,84

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

19 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad lost from landing craft during unload of 19th/C Div
10 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 19th/C Div
19 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad lost from landing craft during unload of 19th/C Div /3

Iloilo Invasion Support Gives Japanese an additional 128 Casualties!

Japanese Amphibious Assault at Hex 50,98:

Amphibious Assault at 50,98

TF 182 troops unloading over beach at 50,98

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

10 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 16th Guards Rgt /2
19 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad accidentally lost during unload of 16th Guards Rgt /3
10 Support troops lost overboard during unload of 16th Guards Rgt /3
19 troops of a IJA Infantry Squad lost from landing craft during unload of 16th Guards Rgt /4
10 Support troops lost in surf during unload of 16th Guards Rgt /4

Japanese Decimate Chinese Near Nanyang:

Ground combat at 84,46 (near Nanyang)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 3814 troops, 8 guns, 383 vehicles, Assault Value = 224

Defending force 7672 troops, 66 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 40

Japanese adjusted assault: 224

Allied adjusted defense: 5

Japanese assault odds: 44 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), morale(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
47 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
2401 casualties reported
Squads: 200 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 126 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 15 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 28 (17 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Units retreated 5
Units destroyed 2

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
3rd Tank Regiment
5th Tank Regiment
1st Recon Regiment
13th Tank Regiment
26th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
92nd Chinese Corps
22nd Group Army
48th Chinese Corps
41st Chinese Corps
2nd Group Army
3rd Group Army
4th Construction Regiment

Japanese Bombard Clark Field with Little Damage to Allies:

Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 23622 troops, 396 guns, 108 vehicles, Assault Value = 892

Defending force 24774 troops, 362 guns, 494 vehicles, Assault Value = 430

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (5 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
113th Infantry Regiment
56th Recon Regiment
16th Engineer Regiment
2nd Recon Regiment
II./4th Infantry Battalion
20th Infantry Regiment
21st Ind. Engineer Regiment
3rd Ind. Engineer Regiment
16th Recon Regiment
9th Infantry Regiment
2nd Tank Regiment
56th Engineer Regiment
65th Brigade
2nd Engineer Regiment
5th Amphibious Brigade
48th Field Artillery Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Field AF Construction Battalion
2nd Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
56th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Engineer Construction Battalion
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
I./4th Infantry Battalion
56th Const Co
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
2nd Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
14th PS Engineer Regiment
192nd Tank Battalion
3rd/45th PS Inf Battalion
11th PA Infantry Division
Subic Bay Defenses
57th PS Infantry Regimental Combat Team
194th Tank Battalion
1st PA Infantry Division
71st PA Infantry Division
21st PA Infantry Division
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
31st Infantry Regiment
91st PA Infantry Division
2nd PA Constabulary Regiment
86th PS Coastal Artillery Battalion
I Philippine Corps
Asiatic Fleet
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
Manila USAAF Base Force
Far East USAAF
301st Construction Battalion
1st USMC AA Battalion
Cavite USN Base Force
Clark Field USAAF Base Force
1st PA Constabulary Regiment

Chinese Hold Their Ground at Tsuyung and Near Chengting!

Ground combat at Tsuyung (68,46)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12785 troops, 131 guns, 161 vehicles, Assault Value = 465

Defending force 6632 troops, 42 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 134

Japanese adjusted assault: 217

Allied adjusted defense: 154

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
398 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 38 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
286 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
Yokosuka 4th SNLF
22nd Recon Regiment
Sasebo 8th SNLF
Sasebo 3rd SNLF
Yokosuka Assault SNLF
6th Tank Regiment
3rd Militia Regiment

Defending units:
54th Chinese Corps
11th Group Army

And

Ground combat at 91,39 (near Chengting)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 6250 troops, 50 guns, 16 vehicles, Assault Value = 209

Defending force 11419 troops, 77 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 274

Japanese adjusted assault: 78

Allied adjusted defense: 145

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), fatigue(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
403 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 59 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Allied ground losses:
131 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd NCPC Infantry Brigade
2nd NCPC Infantry Brigade
10th/A Division

Defending units:
35th Chinese Corps
83rd Chinese Corps
13th Group Army

Allies Bombard Japanese at Batavia!

Ground combat at Batavia (49,98)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 6554 troops, 119 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 351

Defending force 23536 troops, 318 guns, 110 vehicles, Assault Value = 636

Japanese ground losses:
91 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Allied ground losses:
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Assaulting units:
1st KNIL Regiment
2nd KNIL Regiment
1st Regt Cavalerie
4th KNIL Landstorm Battalion
1st KNIL Landstorm Battalion
Roodenburg Battalion
ML-KNIL
1st KNIL AA Battalion
Batavia Coastal Gun Battalion
1 ML-KNIL Aviation
Merak Base Force
Batavia Base Force

Defending units:
14th Guards Regiment
21st/B Division
55th Infantry Regiment
15th Guards Regiment
16th Naval Guard Unit
15th Naval Guard Unit
21st/C Division
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
15th JAAF AF Bn
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Mortar Battalion
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
III/81st Naval Guard Unit
93rd JAAF AF Bn
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
29th JAAF AF Coy

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

Hans & BB-

Thank you both for your discouraging responses regarding Operation Wake Up Call.

*chuckling*

I will get back to both of you after I clean up the coffee I spit out reading your posts and after my meeting with my client this morning.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[pontiouspilot]

Everything Happy Hans says +1. Make sure you have thoroughly scouted first. Make sure you have very good idea KB occupied elsewhere. Make sure it is a worthwhile target....at this stage Marianas isn't in my view. I would only take 1-2 carriers and those only with fighters. You need to assume and hope your only air opposition will be land based aircraft. LRCAP is highly unreliable. I feel your CVs must travel with your bombardment units, at least until their final run in to target. Take enough replenishment and stage along the route. This seems like a hell of a big fleet to sneak anywhere!! 2-4 BBs would wreck anything worth wrecking at this stage of game in those proposed targets. Finally, be ready to run at full-speed if spotted by a seagull.

As I said earlier, I think you have a much better chance of burning Sapporo down than hitting the proposed targets....having said that I will watch with great anticipation!!!

[SqzMyLemon]

Coming late to the discussion, but have to agree with the comments so far.

Such a deep penetration into the Empire would most likely be spotted, and if so, the slow BB's would put your whole fleet at risk of being caught. There's no way you could win a full speed race against KB. Your ASW isn't great at this stage either, so you'd most likely be a torpedo magnet for any lurking Japanese submarines.

Patience is key. You do have to resist the 'urge to do something' phase of playing the Allies. Also, what really would a bombardment against such far flung targets really get you? Can you exploit a successful bombardment or is this just a case of wanting to blow something up? I'm no expert, but I always try and have my operations mean something. I try to avoid destruction for destructions sake type of operations early in the game, but that's me.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

Coming late to the discussion, but have to agree with the comments so far.

Such a deep penetration into the Empire would most likely be spotted, and if so, the slow BB's would put your whole fleet at risk of being caught. There's no way you could win a full speed race against KB. Your ASW isn't great at this stage either, so you'd most likely be a torpedo magnet for any lurking Japanese submarines.

Patience is key. You do have to resist the 'urge to do something' phase of playing the Allies. Also, what really would a bombardment against such far flung targets really get you? Can you exploit a successful bombardment or is this just a case of wanting to blow something up? I'm no expert, but I always try and have my operations mean something. I try to avoid destruction for destructions sake type of operations early in the game, but that's me.

There is one benefit of doing an early bombardment - crew training. But you can hit any target so choosing a less risky one is best - say a newly conquered island where naval air is not yet dominant.

[Rio Bravo]

[center]Response to The War College[/center]
[center]Regarding[/center]
[center]Operation Wake Up Call[/center]

Opening Note

Things change quickly.

For example, yesterday four (4) carriers and eleven (11) battleships were at Pearl Harbor and ready to put to sea. Today, the Lexington and the Saratoga are in the shipyard refitting for twenty-five (25) days. And, the Arizona is in the shipyard refitting for thirty-six (36) days.

Consequently, if Operation Wake Up Call is to happen at all, it won't happen until April.

I do appreciate the analysis and comments provided from Hans, BBfanboy, pontiouspilot, and SqzMyLemon regarding Operation Wake Up Call. I will attempt to answer some of the questions posed by these War College Members.

Where is the KB?

I haven't a clue as to the present location of the KB. What I am fairly certain of is that the KB is not hanging around the Marianas Islands. For about a month now, I have had over thirty (30) subs flooding the waters West and South of the Marianas Islands. The subs formed an L-shaped picket line West and South of the Marianas Islands. Though the subs have sighted patrol boats and transport ships, the KB has not been sighted.

What About the Hellcats?

All four carriers have F4F Hellcats aboard. And, the Hellcats at Wake Island are presently loaded on AKVs and have been replaced by two squadrons of PBY-5 Catalinas.

None of the Hellcats can be upgraded until April of 1942.

Why Choose The Marianas for Operation Wake Up Call?

1.) It suits the Allies tentative long-range strategy to invade and conquer The Marianas Islands in mid 1943. The plan is to perhaps bombard the Marianas Islands several times before now and mid 1943 with the main goal being to keep the aircraft capacity at Guam and Saipan as low as possible.

2.) To give El Lobo cause to worry that the Allies will strike anywhere, at anytime. Thereby, hopefully causing El Lobo to use more troops and supplies to garrison his rear bases. Consequently, leaving less troops and aircraft to attempt to advance his Empire.

3.) The Marianas Islands are closer to Pearl Harbor than to Japan. Most of the combat ships will be able to get to and back from The Marianas without refueling. And, should the KB give chase, The Allied Task Forces don't have as much sea to cover. Therefore the risk is less.

4.) It would be nice to hammer the airfields at Guam and Saipan so badly that any Japanese aircraft returning will be severely damaged or destroyed. And, of course it would be nice to catch a few troop or supply transport ships in port.

Wake Up Call Game Day

At least thirty (30) subs will form a picket line about 20 hexes West and South of the Marianas Islands. If those subs spot the KB as the Bombardment Task Forces are in route to the Marianas Islands, they will turn around and go back to Pearl.

If bombardment of the Marianas Islands commence and the subs spot the KB, the Allied Task Forces should have a day's head-start heading back to Pearl.

End Note

I am nervous about Operation Wake Up Call, and for good reason. I like Allied ships floating!

However, I am not considering such an operation just to play with Allied toys. I am hopeful that striking the Marianas Islands will set El Lobo back on his heels and slow down his advance. I am hoping to inflict some serious damage on the ports, airfields, aircraft, and troops on Saipan and Guam. And lastly, it leaves the door open to strike the Marianas Islands a few more times should circumstances deem it prudent to so do.

As always, I really do appreciate the analysis and comments of The War College.

Please feel free to be perfectly "Frank" to advise whether I am still taking too big of a risk with the Allied Fleet?

Best Regards,

-Terry

[HansBolter]

I think you are a bit confused about American carrier based fighters.

You won't be seeing any Hellcats until 1943. The Hellcat is an F6F.

There are two versions of the Wildcat in the game, the F4F3 and F4F4 (there is also an alternate version of the F4F3, the F4F3A).

The F4F3 has 6 50 caliber machine guns while the F4F4 has eight, not sure what flight characteristic differences there are..

Your carriers start with a mix of F4F3s and Buffalos.

While you have likely upgraded the one carrier Buffalo squadron (IIRC aboard the Lexington) to an F4F3 Wildcat, or possibly an F$F3A, there is no way you could have upgraded all your carriers to F4F4s by the middle of March when their production only started at the beginning of March.

The F4F4s perform much better in combat against zeroes than the F4F3.

It is considered generally good wisdom to avoid a carrier encounter until at a bare minimum you have upgraded all the fighters to F4F4s leaving the F4F3s for your Marine squadrons.

It is also considered generally good wisdom to also avoid a fight until you have replaced your abysmally short legged TBDs with TBFs.

This doesn't start happening until May.

It's no coincidence that the battle of Midway took place in June and not in March.

Carriers can make full speed runs to get in position and cover vast distances in two days doing so.

The KB can be at Babelbaob and react to your being spotted enroute to the Marianas and get there in time to clobber you.

Only if I was certain the KB was in the Indian Ocean or at least deep in the western DEI would I venture a fleet action in the Marianas in '42....and I would wait until summer or fall to do it.

You are obviously free to make your own choices. Who knows you could pull it off or you could go down in flames.

There is a certain amount of WWI "maintain the fleet in being as an asset" mentality that the Americans have to adopt.

The notion of the Decisive Battle cuts both ways. While you can win the war in one day you can also LOSE it in one day.

The doctrine of the decisive battle is predicated on NOT engaging in it unless you have a pretty good assurance of victory, less you lose the fleet and thus the war in one day.

While you are not looking to precipitate a decisive battle you also don't want to sail into conditions that may result in it being visited upon you.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Rio Bravo
Please feel free to be perfectly "Frank" to advise whether I am still taking too big of a risk with the Allied Fleet?

Best Regards,

-Terry

Well, to be Frank...your chances to succeed in this is so close to 0 it might as well be 0. [:)] The most likely outcome is that KB will show up and clobber the USN to a bloody pulp.

Even if you by some miracle are not spotted and manage to land and even capture it there is no chance you can maintain the LOC all the way from PH. Your opponent will simply isolate the landing, counter land when he finds the time and say thank you for the VPs. [:)]

EDIT: Just glanced through your AAR a bit. Seems this is your opponents first try with the Japanese? You might actually get away with a Marianas landing but don´t think its the best way to use what you have at hand right now.

I know the itch to "do something" is very strong in 42. But 42 is pretty much just about 2 things.
- Avoid AV
- Build a solid base on which to start counter attacking in 43.

I havn´t read your AAR from the beginning so I don´t really know the full situation. But looking at the map your opponent is already in serious problems. Reinforce key areas like NORPAC, Burma, lower DEI, Rabaul and Northern OZ. Those are all key areas he needs to capture. If you can deny him any of those location it will cause him 100x more harm then any venture into the Marianas ever could.

Good luck! [:)]

[Rio Bravo]

[center]Of Wildcats and Hellcats[/center]

Hans-

You're right!

The Enterprise and Saratoga have F4F-3A Wildcats. The Yorktown has F4F-3 Wildcats. The Lexington has F2A-3 Buffalos. Not a Hellcat in sight!

It looks like I could upgrade some of these aircraft now, but only a small portion of them. Exmaple: If I am interpreting this right, right now, I could only upgrade two of the F4F-3 Wildcats.

Thank you for pointing this out to me.

Now then, by what date will I have all the carriers with Hellcats? June of '42?

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: Rio Bravo
Please feel free to be perfectly "Frank" to advise whether I am still taking too big of a risk with the Allied Fleet?

Best Regards,

-Terry

Well, to be Frank...your chances to succeed in this is so close to 0 it might as well be 0. [:)] The most likely outcome is that KB will show up and clobber the USN to a bloody pulp.

Even if you by some miracle are not spotted and manage to land and even capture it there is no chance you can maintain the LOC all the way from PH. Your opponent will simply isolate the landing, counter land when he finds the time and say thank you for the VPs. [:)]

EDIT: Just glanced through your AAR a bit. Seems this is your opponents first try with the Japanese? You might actually get away with a Marianas landing but don´t think its the best way to use what you have at hand right now.

I know the itch to "do something" is very strong in 42. But 42 is pretty much just about 2 things.
- Avoid AV
- Build a solid base on which to start counter attacking in 43.

I havn´t read your AAR from the beginning so I don´t really know the full situation. But looking at the map your opponent is already in serious problems. Reinforce key areas like NORPAC, Burma, lower DEI, Rabaul and Northern OZ. Those are all key areas he needs to capture. If you can deny him any of those location it will cause him 100x more harm then any venture into the Marianas ever could.

Good luck! [:)]

Hey Joc-

Welcome to The War College.

I'm not planning on invading the Marianas Islands right now, just bombarding Guam and Saipan. However, Operation Wake Up Call is looking more and more dangerous to me based on input from Hans, BBfanboy, pontiouspilot, SqzMyLemon, and you.

To date, I have basically invested heavily in and built-up India, Southern Australia, Tahiti, and these Gulf of Alaska Bases: Anchorage, Whittier, Seward, and Kodiak Island.

Right now, I don't have any spare troops to build-up anything.

As new reenforcements arrive, the priority is to build-up these Pacific Island Bases: Wake, Midway, Johnston, Palmyra, and Christmas.

Just not enough troops to build up other areas right now.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[BBfanboy]

Hellcats arrive in 1943. You can get the exact month they first appear by looking at the upgrade types available for your Wildcats from the air unit screen -scroll down the list to find the Hellcats, Corsairs and the FM-2 Wildcat which generally goes to the CVEs you will be getting. Once enough Hellcats are available the CVEs can swap for Hellcats too and the FM-2s can go to land based squadrons.

When I played the Marianas scenario the Hellcat's greater speed and rate of climb made a big difference in defending against Betties, Judys and Jills launched from land. The CVEs with FM-2s were less effective and let the AA gunners have some practice.

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Hellcats arrive in 1943. You can get the exact month they first appear by looking at the upgrade types available for your Wildcats from the air unit screen -scroll down the list to find the Hellcats, Corsairs and the FM-2 Wildcat which generally goes to the CVEs you will be getting. Once enough Hellcats are available the CVEs can swap for Hellcats too and the FM-2s can go to land based squadrons.

When I played the Marianas scenario the Hellcat's greater speed and rate of climb made a big difference in defending against Betties, Judys and Jills launched from land. The CVEs with FM-2s were less effective and let the AA gunners have some practice.

BBfanboy-

The War College Members have impressed upon me the need to pay much closer attention to carrier aircraft.

I have added to my list the need to research this matter and to plan not only for the upgrades for these aircraft, but also take into consideration the timing of the upgrades to coincide with future carrier operations.

Your help and all The War College Members' help is greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[pontiouspilot]

Don't cancel yet!!....I'd love to see it go off. Start now by dispatching appropriate scouts. Subs won't work for this. I'll bet you a good bottle of scotch that your scouts near Hokkaido don't get spotted but your scouts near Marianas do... I am partial to 18yr olds by the way!!....scotch that is.

[Rio Bravo]

[center]A Couple Updates[/center]

Operation Wake Up Call

Based on the sound input from several War College Members, Operation Wake Up Call has been filed under, "Perhaps Another Day."

In other words, it is scratched for now!

A Lull in the War

El Lobo is in the United States visiting family members and friends. He is going to be quite busy the next couple of weeks visiting his nephews in Georgia, and then on to Colorado for a family reunion.

Consequently, turns may be slow over the next couple of weeks.

I will use this down-time to provide detailed reports to The War College regarding base sizes, and troop and aircraft dispositions in the Gulf of Alaska, Tahiti, Southern Australia, and India. These are the four general areas that the Allies have been concentrating on to build-up and halt Japanese expansion.

If any of the War College Members are curious about other matters, let me know and i will try to give you an update on such matter(s).

Best Regards,

-Terry

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Rio Bravo

To date, I have basically invested heavily in and built-up India, Southern Australia, Tahiti, and these Gulf of Alaska Bases: Anchorage, Whittier, Seward, and Kodiak Island.

Right now, I don't have any spare troops to build-up anything.

As new reenforcements arrive, the priority is to build-up these Pacific Island Bases: Wake, Midway, Johnston, Palmyra, and Christmas.

Just not enough troops to build up other areas right now.

Best Regards,
-Terry

That sound very sensible and wise. [:)]

Although I think you can move your defenses quite a bit forward. Especially in SOPAC where your opponent doesn´t seem to have even captured Rabaul?

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

Don't cancel yet!!....I'd love to see it go off. Start now by dispatching appropriate scouts. Subs won't work for this. I'll bet you a good bottle of scotch that your scouts near Hokkaido don't get spotted but your scouts near Marianas do... I am partial to 18yr olds by the way!!....scotch that is.

*laughing hard*

Uh, huh. Are you a Japanese spy!?!?!?!

I do enjoy a good scotch on the rocks now and then.

Through the years, Johnnie Walker Black has been my affordable choice.

Best Regards,

-Terry