Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[koniu]

Thanks for all good words. But war is not ended.

4 March 1945

Allies capture Siem Reap (Thailand)

xAP damaged by TT last turn near Saigon sunk. I was sure he will survive. Damage was low without fires.

100 P-51D sweep Phnom Penh (Thailand) but no Japanese CAP

Docup sens small TF with supplies to Woleai. 50 Japanese MB and DB sunk them all
Afternoon 40 IJA bombers bombard AF on island scoring 51 hits

120 Ki-83 sweep Namlea. No allied CAP

And now most interesting news.
26 hexes Nort East of Marcus Island enemy AC TF emerge from shadows. I only know about it because enemy bombers attack and sunk one of ships i have in that area as picked
DL is low, i see only one 3 ship size TF, on ii I see 140 fighters and 60 bombers.
Sending more picked ships and subs in that area.

It could be nothing or Kurile Invasion

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kure Island at 144,73

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 9 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-5 Hellcat x 31
SB2C-1C Helldiver x 14

Allied aircraft losses
SB2C-1C Helldiver: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAKL Raizan Maru, Bomb hits 11, and is sunk

[KenchiSulla]

What does your fuel reserve look like?

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

What does your fuel reserve look like?

Look at post 2469

Total empire 3.7M
In Japan only i have 3.0M

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: koniu


And now most interesting news.
26 hexes Nort East of Marcus Island enemy AC TF emerge from shadows. I only know about it because enemy bombers attack and sunk one of ships i have in that area as picked
DL is low, i see only one 3 ship size TF, on ii I see 140 fighters and 60 bombers.
Sending more picked ships and subs in that area.

It could be nothing or Kurile Invasion

Assume he is going for Hokkaido. Meaning, take no chances, react with force. I would shift several Nettie groups to the area and at least 3 Mavis/Emily patrol groups. Put the Netties on night naval attack.
Base them at: Marcus, Chichi-jima, Kushiro. I wouldn't even care if I have AV support at those locations ... patrols will fly. Move AVD followed by base forces later. You must respect any movement in the north until you know exactly what it is.
You already know he has some sort of carrier support there. For me, that is enough. I want to know a lot more about the force, and quickly. He is only 31 hex away from Kushiro ... way too close. That is less than 4 days steaming for his AKA/APA's.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: koniu


And now most interesting news.
26 hexes Nort East of Marcus Island enemy AC TF emerge from shadows. I only know about it because enemy bombers attack and sunk one of ships i have in that area as picked
DL is low, i see only one 3 ship size TF, on ii I see 140 fighters and 60 bombers.
Sending more picked ships and subs in that area.

It could be nothing or Kurile Invasion

Assume he is going for Hokkaido. Meaning, take no chances, react with force. I would shift several Nettie groups to the area and at least 3 Mavis/Emily patrol groups. Put the Netties on night naval attack.
Base them at: Marcus, Chichi-jima, Kushiro. I wouldn't even care if I have AV support at those locations ... patrols will fly. Move AVD followed by base forces later. You must respect any movement in the north until you know exactly what it is.
You already know he has some sort of carrier support there. For me, that is enough. I want to know a lot more about the force, and quickly. He is only 31 hex away from Kushiro ... way too close. That is less than 4 days steaming for his AKA/APA's.

I had full KB anchored in Haha-jima. I ordered them to move on sea today - direction NE.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: koniu

I had full KB anchored in Haha-jima. I ordered them to move on sea today - direction NE.

[&o][&o][&o]

I would still move the Nettie/Mavis into position so that I wouldn't give away the KB in case it is just a ruse to locate the KB. If you can sink that CV/CVL/CVE that is up there, so much the better.

[:D][:D][:D]

[koniu]

5 March 1945

Allies troops capture Chanthaburi in Thailand

I lost direct contact with enemy AC TF in Pacific. But G3M3 detect two TFs in that area.
I only see TFs without planes but carriers are there. I lost 4 search planes above them.
What is strange. Enemy move only 4 hexes NW[&:]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: koniu
What is strange. Enemy move only 4 hexes NW[&:]

Refueling perhaps? Slow LSTs?

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: koniu
What is strange. Enemy move only 4 hexes NW[&:]

Refueling perhaps? Slow LSTs?

Actually it was 3 hexes move.
And You can be right. Some of APA/AKA ships are only 13kn cruise or less speed, so If he refueled at night phase, he don`t move during that phase, and only 3 hexes at day phase

[koniu]

Map

[KenchiSulla]

Maybe his TFs were scattered and he allowed the stragglers to catch up (because of your detection?). Or perhaps he is trying to bait you now, far from LB support..

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

Maybe his TFs were scattered and he allowed the stragglers to catch up (because of your detection?). Or perhaps he is trying to bait you now, far from LB support..

I will not take that bait. KB will be involve but will stay in shadow right now. I ordered them to keep in LBA range
If he want to have his ships on middle of nowhere i will let him. He need to come to me

I will try long range day naval attack with G3M3, H8K2 or FP from one of subs in area. This will give me info about his CAP

Until that KB will slowly falow him but stay close to HI coast.

PS. Must clean my mind. Going to see move about biggest battle of polish troops since WW2
http://veteransfilmfestival.com/2015/07 ... -iraq-war/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFTZoHtuct4

[koniu]

6 March 1945

Not much happens. But allied ships still moving slowly north. If they keep current direction, they will move directly toward Shimushiri-jima

I start to belive that ships i saw last days was forward guard and now main force arrive little south

Non of bombers at night and day fly but i lost 6 search planes aver enemy fleet

KB undetected

[Lowpe]

Good luck!

Very exciting....to watch this happen to somebody else![:D]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Good luck!

Very exciting....to watch this happen to somebody else![:D]

If Docup will continue moving with speed of 6 hex/turn, landing day should be 3-4 days from now. It will be also KB+LBA attack day. Tomorrow KB will be in attack area. I have retreated over 1000 fighters and bombers to Japan. More is in move. I try to move only planes from places Docup is not reckoning. All places with DL are untouched so he should not see major plane moves.

I hope i will be able to launch total 2500-3000 planes (KB+LBA)


PS.
So far i can confirm two enemy ships.
Two Allen M. Sumner class destroyers that attack one of my subs in area

[aciddrinker]

It's start looking interesting.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: koniu

Non of bombers at night and day fly but i lost 6 search planes aver enemy fleet

That is telling ... 6 Mav/Emily's? That's a big CAP .... think you are doing all the right things aviation-wise.
Check your defenses in Hokkaido. Be ready to repel major assault. Hopefully you have +10 ID's there, with at least 3 at Bihoro and 2 at Kushiro behind heavy forts. Any of the islands can be re-taken, or at worst reduced to a training center for your bombers from Hokkaido. A strong hold on Hokkaido though is almost impossible to retake.

Good LUCK!

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: koniu

Non of bombers at night and day fly but i lost 6 search planes aver enemy fleet

That is telling ... 6 Mav/Emily's? That's a big CAP .... think you are doing all the right things aviation-wise.
Check your defenses in Hokkaido. Be ready to repel major assault. Hopefully you have +10 ID's there, with at least 3 at Bihoro and 2 at Kushiro behind heavy forts. Any of the islands can be re-taken, or at worst reduced to a training center for your bombers from Hokkaido. A strong hold on Hokkaido though is almost impossible to retake.

Good LUCK!

Luck will be needed.
I have 5 IDs only in Hokkaido.[:(]. At lest forts are decent. Another ID is sailing, two more are loading on ships.
For sure it will be bloody for both of us. Let hope more for him.

I confess i oversleep little Hokkaido preparations. But i was sure i still have 3-4 months before Docup decide to Holy Mary move

I believe he will throw at me ~3000-3500 planes on carriers. I will be able to send almost equal number. If i beet on result i will give 60:40 advantage of Allies in such encounter.

[PaxMondo]

Well, with 5 ID's, put 2 to your mobile reserve. 2 at Bihoro and 1 at Kushiro. You'll have to hope you can hold at both places until you can reinforce. I'd move another 500 IJA LB to Hokkaido so that you can hit his troops at his beachheads along with another 500 IJA fighters for escort. This is above what you have moved to attack his naval landing force.

Other than that, keep moving ID's to the area. You've got 8 identified, that's about 2500AV. On defense, that's not bad. But if you have to retake a base, you'll need a lot more. I'd get 7 more moving in that direction. I know its a lot and hard to find, but you cannot lose Hokkaido. Holding the line in SE Asia or DEI is meaningless if you lose Hokkaido, right?

Best guess, if he is coming for Hokkaido, and your last screenshot does not indicate otherwise so plan for it, then he will come with ~10ID + support.

Your biggest decision is what do you attack with your naval aviation? What is your plan there? The landing force or the Death Star?

[Lowpe]

+1 Pax.[&o]

Plus you need as much heavy artillery as possible to counter the tanks. Even fly in the 75mm stuff and 47 rapid fires AT if you have too.

And make sure there is plentiful supply to create mtbs and midgets at the likely invasion spots.

Barges from Honshu to Hokkaido can load, travel, unload and disband all before the morning air strikes. A good thing to remember.

Plus, preposition some disbanded destroyers in small dot bases, they can form up and make runs from out of the blue on the invasion beaches.

You need to disrupt the invasion beaches, as the Allies unload troops ungodly fast.

Don't forget minefields. Use every weapon you have!

PS: I queston your not moving back air squadrons that Allies have recon on. There is no deception here, it is time for the kitchen sink. No half measures. Go for the throat with everything you have!