Tale of the Sheep! - JocMeister (A) vs. Lowpe (J)

[tiemanjw]

Just read this... I noticed a few days back he had the KB at Coal Harbor (in the hex). CVs in base hexes can only launch 1/2 its CAP. The screen shot suggests less than 100 fighters in the TF. Do you have any anti shipping assets in CONUS / Canada? Get everything together and if he parks them their again, send the house. CVWs from land bases, those moose hunting DBs you've held back from India, cats with fish, those USMC groups that are often training at Edwards (or whatever the WWII name of that base is). You can sweep and use 4Es to bomb the base too, which will just suck up more CAP. (Keep the sweeps low, and they should beat the bombers to the target - same with the 4Es... better if they arrive first).
The KB is the key to Japanese defense. Once it is gone, the entire Pacific basin is open and you can go anywhere you want.

[Rio Bravo]

Way to go Joc!

You are hanging in tough.

Soon you will be burning those Japanese Suns and raising American and Canadian flags.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

Just read this... I noticed a few days back he had the KB at Coal Harbor (in the hex). CVs in base hexes can only launch 1/2 its CAP. The screen shot suggests less than 100 fighters in the TF. Do you have any anti shipping assets in CONUS / Canada? Get everything together and if he parks them their again, send the house. CVWs from land bases, those moose hunting DBs you've held back from India, cats with fish, those USMC groups that are often training at Edwards (or whatever the WWII name of that base is). You can sweep and use 4Es to bomb the base too, which will just suck up more CAP. (Keep the sweeps low, and they should beat the bombers to the target - same with the 4Es... better if they arrive first).
The KB is the key to Japanese defense. Once it is gone, the entire Pacific basin is open and you can go anywhere you want.

The land base likely has it's own fighters for CAP.
The American land based fighters and bombers have very inexperienced pilots.
Anti-shipping aircraft are in very short supply in CONUS in this time period.

If the Americans were to move their carrier based fighters and bombers ashore and supplement them with every LBA asset available, they could possibly bring enough to the party to get through and deliver hits.
Would be very, very bloody at a time when American aircraft pools are in horrid shape,
BUT it could be a game changer worth the risk and cost.

I can't see it working without the carrier based air involved, though.

[tiemanjw]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

Just read this... I noticed a few days back he had the KB at Coal Harbor (in the hex). CVs in base hexes can only launch 1/2 its CAP. The screen shot suggests less than 100 fighters in the TF. Do you have any anti shipping assets in CONUS / Canada? Get everything together and if he parks them their again, send the house. CVWs from land bases, those moose hunting DBs you've held back from India, cats with fish, those USMC groups that are often training at Edwards (or whatever the WWII name of that base is). You can sweep and use 4Es to bomb the base too, which will just suck up more CAP. (Keep the sweeps low, and they should beat the bombers to the target - same with the 4Es... better if they arrive first).
The KB is the key to Japanese defense. Once it is gone, the entire Pacific basin is open and you can go anywhere you want.

The land base likely has it's own fighters for CAP.
The American land based fighters and bombers have very inexperienced pilots.
Anti-shipping aircraft are in very short supply in CONUS in this time period.

If the Americans were to move their carrier based fighters and bombers ashore and supplement them with every LBA asset available, they could possibly bring enough to the party to get through and deliver hits.
Would be very, very bloody at a time when American aircraft pools are in horrid shape,
BUT it could be a game changer worth the risk and cost.

I can't see it working without the carrier based air involved, though.

Perhaps, but it is still a small airbase, plus he is bombing CONUS with what? Nells or Betties? (IE, 2Es - which take up a lot of space at the field). If he is putting the KB there, I would say he is doing it because he NEEDS their CAP.

I agree it would be a blood bath, but if successful, it is a game changer. If a failure, you lose what? Some crap pilots and worse airframes. You aren't going on the offensive any time soon - these are not the pilots or airframes you are going to win the war with, and your primary defense (AA) is not risked at all. From a VP perspective, it isn't bad either - trading airframes at 1:2, 1:3, or even 1:3.999 right now is a "win". Remember, the plan would include P38 sweeps, B17 raids on the airstrip and LRCAP out of Vancouver / Victoria to absorb CAP (and / or wreck the airfield). Use 2Es, P39s, A24s, PBYs, Bolos, King Fishers, Bolingbroks, Sharks, Stranraers, and every navy bomber you can scrounge to hit the ships (I'd send the Stearman's to toss hand grenades if I could). Transfer out any pilots hiding on Lex, Sara, or big E (AVG, Oz, PI, wherever) to get them into any squadrons you can scrounge up in CONUS. I agree that the best (and perhaps only) chance for a meaningful success is to get the navy (and their pilots) involved in this, so make every effort to get as many of them involved as you can (and you don't even need to risk the decks!)

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

So far the vaunted campaign against North America is pretty much a bust, huh?

Yeah, so far it hasn´t been stellar. But Jeff is hampered by the lack of airfields which means he hasn´t gotten LBA to bear yet. Coal Harbor is at 3 and expanding. Personally I´m not so sure one airfield is enough though. And the window for "easy" points are closing as the USAAF is getting stronger each day and more flak arrives. Not going to say too much yet though. But I´m cautiously optimistic. [:)]

ORIGINAL: Rio Bravo
Way to go Joc!

You are hanging in tough.

Soon you will be burning those Japanese Suns and raising American and Canadian flags.

Best Regards,
-Terry

Thanks! [:)]

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: tiemanj
I agree it would be a blood bath, but if successful, it is a game changer. If a failure, you lose what? Some crap pilots and worse airframes. You aren't going on the offensive any time soon - these are not the pilots or airframes you are going to win the war with, and your primary defense (AA) is not risked at all. From a VP perspective, it isn't bad either - trading airframes at 1:2, 1:3, or even 1:3.999 right now is a "win". Remember, the plan would include P38 sweeps, B17 raids on the airstrip and LRCAP out of Vancouver / Victoria to absorb CAP (and / or wreck the airfield). Use 2Es, P39s, A24s, PBYs, Bolos, King Fishers, Bolingbroks, Sharks, Stranraers, and every navy bomber you can scrounge to hit the ships (I'd send the Stearman's to toss hand grenades if I could). Transfer out any pilots hiding on Lex, Sara, or big E (AVG, Oz, PI, wherever) to get them into any squadrons you can scrounge up in CONUS. I agree that the best (and perhaps only) chance for a meaningful success is to get the navy (and their pilots) involved in this, so make every effort to get as many of them involved as you can (and you don't even need to risk the decks!)

Ah, playing with PDU OFF things are a little bit different. To sum it up I don´t have any planes to try an attack with. [:)]

My strike AC on the WC is as follows:
- 0 TBs (Have 12 in the pool but I need them to refill Saras TB squadron)
- 5 Vindicators
- 22 SDB 1s
- 18 SDB 3s

Thats it. I have a USMC squadron with 0 planes that can upgrade to the SDB-3 but I only have 36 in the pool and I want to get rid of Hornets Helldivers.

Trying to the the KB would just be a wet dream at this stage. Jeff has half the KB CAP + 80 LBA bases Zeroes. The chances of anything getting through (let alone hit anything) is so slim its not worth the risk. While losing the strike planes doesn´t bother me much losing fighters to escort the strike could cripple me.

What I will do though is use my 4Es. They are ready but every day they can train they become more dangerous. Just waiting for the right opportunity. Zeroes and Oscars do horribly against B17Es. They will be my offensive weapon. And against Oscars/Zeroes I´m not even sure I need to escort them. [:)]

I can´t "win" anything at this stage. What I need to do is make his strategic bombing campaign so painful he has to stop it. If I can do that (and avoid AV) the entire Japanese PH/NORPAC/Canada venture would be a failure and Japan would be in a horrible position to defend.

[BillBrown]

Is it possible to send some TBs at 1000 feet? I have found that most of them will get through the CAP.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

Is it possible to send some TBs at 1000 feet? I have found that most of them will get through the CAP.

I try to avoid that. Someone (cant remember who, aztez? crsutton?) tested this extensively and found that going in at 1000 feet is "uninterecepteble". IE, the engine goes bonkers and CAP cannot react to the strike properly. So I never set it below 4000. [:)]

[tiemanjw]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: tiemanj
I agree it would be a blood bath, but if successful, it is a game changer. If a failure, you lose what? Some crap pilots and worse airframes. You aren't going on the offensive any time soon - these are not the pilots or airframes you are going to win the war with, and your primary defense (AA) is not risked at all. From a VP perspective, it isn't bad either - trading airframes at 1:2, 1:3, or even 1:3.999 right now is a "win". Remember, the plan would include P38 sweeps, B17 raids on the airstrip and LRCAP out of Vancouver / Victoria to absorb CAP (and / or wreck the airfield). Use 2Es, P39s, A24s, PBYs, Bolos, King Fishers, Bolingbroks, Sharks, Stranraers, and every navy bomber you can scrounge to hit the ships (I'd send the Stearman's to toss hand grenades if I could). Transfer out any pilots hiding on Lex, Sara, or big E (AVG, Oz, PI, wherever) to get them into any squadrons you can scrounge up in CONUS. I agree that the best (and perhaps only) chance for a meaningful success is to get the navy (and their pilots) involved in this, so make every effort to get as many of them involved as you can (and you don't even need to risk the decks!)

Ah, playing with PDU OFF things are a little bit different. To sum it up I don´t have any planes to try an attack with. [:)]

My strike AC on the WC is as follows:
- 0 TBs (Have 12 in the pool but I need them to refill Saras TB squadron)
- 5 Vindicators
- 22 SDB 1s
- 18 SDB 3s

Thats it. I have a USMC squadron with 0 planes that can upgrade to the SDB-3 but I only have 36 in the pool and I want to get rid of Hornets Helldivers.

Trying to the the KB would just be a wet dream at this stage. Jeff has half the KB CAP + 80 LBA bases Zeroes. The chances of anything getting through (let alone hit anything) is so slim its not worth the risk. While losing the strike planes doesn´t bother me much losing fighters to escort the strike could cripple me.

What I will do though is use my 4Es. They are ready but every day they can train they become more dangerous. Just waiting for the right opportunity. Zeroes and Oscars do horribly against B17Es. They will be my offensive weapon. And against Oscars/Zeroes I´m not even sure I need to escort them. [:)]

I can´t "win" anything at this stage. What I need to do is make his strategic bombing campaign so painful he has to stop it. If I can do that (and avoid AV) the entire Japanese PH/NORPAC/Canada venture would be a failure and Japan would be in a horrible position to defend.

I have no experience with PDU off, so I'll have to defer to you on that one. However, I don't see the point in upgrading Hornets (or any CV) airwing right now. In most cases, you can't beat the KB until the fall of '43 without LBA support.

Any Pacific Basin campaign requires a foothold and secure SLOC to some sizeable base near your objective. With CV dominance, you can jump loooong distances to establish that next base. Without it you need to nibble under LBA cover. Solomons, Gilberts, Marshalls, Fiji / Samoa, New Caledonia / New Hebrides are good places for this. The problem is, with a IJN base in Hawaii, you don't have anything resembling a secure SLOC. So your choices are:
a) watch him slowly take over / fortify the aforementioned areas. Forget the units you have in SOPAC if you can't get them supplies and gas they are useless at best, and possibly even net liabilities.
b) use the USN to escort the necessary supplies and gas - and risk the whole KB interdicting it
c) wait until the fall of '43 to retake the Pacific - and risk AV (most of those Alaskan bases have multipliers of 10, and Juneau is 100) and a naval showdown with the KB while you are tied to supporting transports

or
d) try to do something about it now.

If it were me (and I'll admit, I'm an extremely aggressive player), I'd try to do something now. I don't see much point in using your TBs and SBD3s to refill CV squadrons. Right now you need to keep your decks hidden so you can use them for (b) or (c) above. The TBDs you have suck, and few players will even risk their CVs with them, so why bother refilling a squadron at CT. You won't even get that CV into a fight until you have TBFs anyway. You get, what, 21 SBDs a month - so you can make good the losses of a 18 A/C USMC squadron in April. Again, do you really plan to put Hornet in action in the next 3 weeks?

If you are that worried about the 80 LBA zeros, send the B17s in a day ahead of time. You say you don't fear using them. If they crush the AF, and he moves the KB into provide cover, that is 2/3 of the CAP problem solved. If he pulls away, oh well, at least you tried. If he stays, he'll have to suffer with the CAP penalty for being in a base hex, tired and possibly attrited pilots by the B17 strikes. Seriously, what's to lose?

Further, I think AV is a real threat here. Other comments about this being a flop aside, how do you avoid AV? He has easy access to all of Alaska and the Canadian coast. There is no place you can move significant reinforcements / counter invasion forces by land - which means you need a naval / amphibious campaign to retake it. That will take time, and he can bring the KB to smash up any counter invasion with that (plus, if you wait until late '42 to do this, most of the area is in the cold zone). He doesn't need much in the way of garrison forces, so he gets a ton of VPs here then has forces free to go elsewhere. I assume this will put him close to the AV threshold by itself. Then he can just figure out how to solve the rest of the AV problem by
a) invading some high value location later with the forces he no longer needs here
b) racking up VPs with KB bombing SOCAL or the bay area
c) racking up VPs sinking the hundreds of ship reinforcements you get in SOCAL and the bay area

the point is, he doesn't even need a strat bombing campaign to win at this point.

And one more thing to think about. Sure he is using up a lot of gas. Maybe you can make his strat bombing campaign "painful"... but in what way? Use up more HI replacing airframes? The AARs I've read (I'm just now getting into reading these things though, so maybe this isn't usually the case), have millions of HI points in '45. And oil well into '44 or '45. If he is landing at Canada, thrusting in India and China, my guess is he is going for AV. Meaning he wants to win this thing in '43 or '44. If this is the case, what does it matter if he runs out of oil or HI a few months earlier? You can shoot down all the zeros and netties in the world over Seattle, and he just isn't going to care. I know I had a high tolerance for airframe and pilot loss over Tokyo - and the allies only get a fixed number of airframes, no ability to increase replacement rates. He'll just build more factories. He will have no second thoughts about mortgaging '45 to pay for '42 at this point.

[tiemanjw]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: BillBrown

Is it possible to send some TBs at 1000 feet? I have found that most of them will get through the CAP.

I try to avoid that. Someone (cant remember who, aztez? crsutton?) tested this extensively and found that going in at 1000 feet is "uninterecepteble". IE, the engine goes bonkers and CAP cannot react to the strike properly. So I never set it below 4000. [:)]

First I heard this. Sure, it is hard to intercept - few people put CAP that low and radar detection ranges are dependent on altitude (which would mean it is harder to detect, thus shorter reaction time plus longer response time as the CAP descends). If he places his CAP to defend higher altitude attacks, why fight with one hand tied behind your back?

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

I have no experience with PDU off, so I'll have to defer to you on that one. However, I don't see the point in upgrading Hornets (or any CV) airwing right now. In most cases, you can't beat the KB until the fall of '43 without LBA support.

I have plans for Hornet. Don´t worry. [;)]

ORIGINAL: tiemanj
Any Pacific Basin campaign requires a foothold and secure SLOC to some sizeable base near your objective. With CV dominance, you can jump loooong distances to establish that next base. Without it you need to nibble under LBA cover. Solomons, Gilberts, Marshalls, Fiji / Samoa, New Caledonia / New Hebrides are good places for this. The problem is, with a IJN base in Hawaii, you don't have anything resembling a secure SLOC. So your choices are:
a) watch him slowly take over / fortify the aforementioned areas. Forget the units you have in SOPAC if you can't get them supplies and gas they are useless at best, and possibly even net liabilities.
b) use the USN to escort the necessary supplies and gas - and risk the whole KB interdicting it
c) wait until the fall of '43 to retake the Pacific - and risk AV (most of those Alaskan bases have multipliers of 10, and Juneau is 100) and a naval showdown with the KB while you are tied to supporting transports

or
d) try to do something about it now.

If it were me (and I'll admit, I'm an extremely aggressive player), I'd try to do something now. I don't see much point in using your TBs and SBD3s to refill CV squadrons. Right now you need to keep your decks hidden so you can use them for (b) or (c) above. The TBDs you have suck, and few players will even risk their CVs with them, so why bother refilling a squadron at CT. You won't even get that CV into a fight until you have TBFs anyway. You get, what, 21 SBDs a month - so you can make good the losses of a 18 A/C USMC squadron in April. Again, do you really plan to put Hornet in action in the next 3 weeks?

If you are that worried about the 80 LBA zeros, send the B17s in a day ahead of time. You say you don't fear using them. If they crush the AF, and he moves the KB into provide cover, that is 2/3 of the CAP problem solved. If he pulls away, oh well, at least you tried. If he stays, he'll have to suffer with the CAP penalty for being in a base hex, tired and possibly attrited pilots by the B17 strikes. Seriously, what's to lose?

Further, I think AV is a real threat here. Other comments about this being a flop aside, how do you avoid AV? He has easy access to all of Alaska and the Canadian coast. There is no place you can move significant reinforcements / counter invasion forces by land - which means you need a naval / amphibious campaign to retake it. That will take time, and he can bring the KB to smash up any counter invasion with that (plus, if you wait until late '42 to do this, most of the area is in the cold zone). He doesn't need much in the way of garrison forces, so he gets a ton of VPs here then has forces free to go elsewhere. I assume this will put him close to the AV threshold by itself. Then he can just figure out how to solve the rest of the AV problem by
a) invading some high value location later with the forces he no longer needs here
b) racking up VPs with KB bombing SOCAL or the bay area
c) racking up VPs sinking the hundreds of ship reinforcements you get in SOCAL and the bay area

the point is, he doesn't even need a strat bombing campaign to win at this point.

And one more thing to think about. Sure he is using up a lot of gas. Maybe you can make his strat bombing campaign "painful"... but in what way? Use up more HI replacing airframes? The AARs I've read (I'm just now getting into reading these things though, so maybe this isn't usually the case), have millions of HI points in '45. And oil well into '44 or '45. If he is landing at Canada, thrusting in India and China, my guess is he is going for AV. Meaning he wants to win this thing in '43 or '44. If this is the case, what does it matter if he runs out of oil or HI a few months earlier? You can shoot down all the zeros and netties in the world over Seattle, and he just isn't going to care. I know I had a high tolerance for airframe and pilot loss over Tokyo - and the allies only get a fixed number of airframes, no ability to increase replacement rates. He'll just build more factories. He will have no second thoughts about mortgaging '45 to pay for '42 at this point.

I have absolutely no intention of doing something in CENTPAC. At this point in the game its irrelevant (and as you point out even more so with Japanese possession of PH. The loss of PH hasn´t really bothered me at this stage.

I disagree on my SLOC being unsecure though. I´m dumping more fuel/supply in OZ then I have ever done in any game. With the KB sitting in NORPAC all I have to fear are surface raiders and subs. And these I can deal with as USN losses (besides slow BBs) have been negligible. I have a very lively and healthy logistics system up and running. In a month or two I will have enough fuel to start sustaining more offensive USN operations down there.

Doing any kind of counter invasion in Canada is not going to happen for a very long time. If ever. The only reason I would attempt such a thing is if AV was absolutely impossible to avoid without it. If AV doesn´t become I real threat I will happily let him keep it for as long as he wants. [:)]

AV is absolutely a real threat. And yes there are some high Japanese multiplier bases up there. But he will have to build them up first. I have 8 more months before AV will hit. I don´t intend to sit idly by and watch him win. But Canada isn´t the place to fight him. As you say I can´t counter invade without amphibs and as long as the KB is there I can´t do that. And getting rid of the KB at this stage wont happen. And 36 DBs arn´t going to change that. Even with a full allied CV strike backed up by all the LBA I have doing any kind of damage to the KB is unlikely at best.

Right now I feel pretty good about the overall situation. There is no need to take stupid risks. I´ll save that until I absolutely have to. My hunch still is that this wasn´t the best Japanese move. I may be proving wrong in the coming 8 months. But right now I´m not that worried.

PS. Regarding making it painful. Every lost Japanese plane = 1 allied VP = 4 Japanese VPs he will have to gain to break even.

I´ll try to explain my mindset a bit more clearly tomorrow. Running out of time here as I have to head to bed. Up at 05:00 tomorrow.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Ah, playing with PDU OFF things are a little bit different. To sum it up I don´t have any planes to try an attack with. [:)]

Has something changed? Is the replacement rate and reinforcement queue different for the Allies in a PDU-off game as opposed to a PDU-on one? Since the Allies can't affect production, I would think the same amount of aircraft are available in both preferences, so how does PDU-off make that any different?

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Ah, playing with PDU OFF things are a little bit different. To sum it up I don´t have any planes to try an attack with. [:)]

Has something changed? Is the replacement rate and reinforcement queue different for the Allies in a PDU-off game as opposed to a PDU-on one? Since the Allies can't affect production, I would think the same amount of aircraft are available in both preferences, so how does PDU-off make that any different?

I have a lot less aircraft available compared to PDU ON as squadrons doesn´t really upgrade to what I want them to...I have some SDB2s in the pools for example. But only 3 squadrons (two on Ent? and 1 USMC squadron) use them. I have 3 DB squadrons on the WC that start with Vindicators and doesn´t upgrade from that. One starts with SDB-1s and doesn´t upgrade to anything else. And I have neither Vindicators nor SDB1s in the pool. And so on...there are more examples. [:)]

[JocMeister]

I have two turns in the backlog from the AAR. I´ll try to get an update up tomorrow. Will probably take a week or two before I settle in with the new routine of working again.

[Bullwinkle58]

You still have P. Rupert from the last map screenie. I urge you to study that base. Its capacities, its transport network, its location, its ability to accumulate supply and fuel. Sure, you don't have a lot of amphibs, but you have some non-X ships. And even the X ships unload OK if you only load troops, spread them out in a lot of ships, and send supply in dedicated transports. Don't be so sure you can't take back some of Alaska proper earlier than you think.

And cross your fingers and HOPE he tries to start bomb SoCal in the summer. CONUS ain't OZ.

[tiemanjw]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

You still have P. Rupert from the last map screenie. I urge you to study that base. Its capacities, its transport network, its location, its ability to accumulate supply and fuel. Sure, you don't have a lot of amphibs, but you have some non-X ships. And even the X ships unload OK if you only load troops, spread them out in a lot of ships, and send supply in dedicated transports. Don't be so sure you can't take back some of Alaska proper earlier than you think.

And cross your fingers and HOPE he tries to start bomb SoCal in the summer. CONUS ain't OZ.

Moose, just curious here... why do you say CONUS isn't Oz? I presume you mean it is easier to defend than Oz, but I would think a raid (as opposed to a campaign) with the KB could hit, say LA one turn, SF the next, then be gone. With fore warning, this would be a bad move (as the defenses could be stacked), but if he comes in out of the blue, I'd put my money on the KB hitting good, than getting away. And while I base this off results of US CV raids on the HI in '44, these strikes can be rather effective - even with a lot of AA guns and fighter cover.
And, how many fighters / AA guns are you going to have in LA / SD / SF if Seattle and Portland are under direct threat from LBA? A few training groups plus maybe 50 fighters on CAP?

Prince Rupert is a wonderful base - size 9 port, size 7 AF, 3x def bonus, high capacity rail in with no real places to sever it. I think it was a real mistake for Lowpe to not take it with the amphib bonus. Make sure it is well garrisoned, and also make sure Terrace (dot base in the mountains) and Prince George can withstand a paratrooper assault. I agree with the Moose that you can launch offensives from here (assuming the KB is not around) to retake the Alaskan panhandle and the Canadian islands around. (Heck with a size 7 AF, you may even be able to risk low value ships with the KB and dare him to strike at them... dead KB pilots are good KB pilots)

[tiemanjw]

One more question... Moose, I remember you saying that the US emergency reinforcement package is triggered on a horizontal line from Vancouver, I think? Does this mean Spokane, Butte, Great Falls are outside the reinforcement window?

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

You still have P. Rupert from the last map screenie. I urge you to study that base. Its capacities, its transport network, its location, its ability to accumulate supply and fuel. Sure, you don't have a lot of amphibs, but you have some non-X ships. And even the X ships unload OK if you only load troops, spread them out in a lot of ships, and send supply in dedicated transports. Don't be so sure you can't take back some of Alaska proper earlier than you think.

And cross your fingers and HOPE he tries to start bomb SoCal in the summer. CONUS ain't OZ.

Moose, just curious here... why do you say CONUS isn't Oz? I presume you mean it is easier to defend than Oz, but I would think a raid (as opposed to a campaign) with the KB could hit, say LA one turn, SF the next, then be gone. With fore warning, this would be a bad move (as the defenses could be stacked), but if he comes in out of the blue, I'd put my money on the KB hitting good, than getting away. And while I base this off results of US CV raids on the HI in '44, these strikes can be rather effective - even with a lot of AA guns and fighter cover.
And, how many fighters / AA guns are you going to have in LA / SD / SF if Seattle and Portland are under direct threat from LBA? A few training groups plus maybe 50 fighters on CAP?

Prince Rupert is a wonderful base - size 9 port, size 7 AF, 3x def bonus, high capacity rail in with no real places to sever it. I think it was a real mistake for Lowpe to not take it with the amphib bonus. Make sure it is well garrisoned, and also make sure Terrace (dot base in the mountains) and Prince George can withstand a paratrooper assault. I agree with the Moose that you can launch offensives from here (assuming the KB is not around) to retake the Alaskan panhandle and the Canadian islands around. (Heck with a size 7 AF, you may even be able to risk low value ships with the KB and dare him to strike at them... dead KB pilots are good KB pilots)

CONUS isn't OZ because it has unlimited supplies and fuel, and because virtually all fighter reinforcements in this era appear there. Jocke is not shipping them out. With proper search, which he should also have, the KB won't be unseen. And his CAP should butcher an air strike from it. Japan players get so used to the KB this, and the KB that, that they forget it has little staying power against a continent. It can mess up USN carriers in 1942, yes. Against SF? Carnage, and the pre-war elite pilots dead. You underestimate how many fighter groups he will receive in the next two months. Normally a lot of them are shipped to OZ and India. Here they stay home, to join the PH resurrectees.

And in exchange? Damaged factories Jocke can easily repair without breaking stride. The VPs are bothersome, but you're not talking thousands. And I'd gladly trade a damaged factory making a model I won't see for two years for a gutted KB air wing today. Make that trade all day long.

Re paratroopers, only if Japan likes losing paratroopers. This isn't Burma. The US Army has real, live tank units in CONUS in white restricted. What isn't bombed can be swept aside at the inland bases. P. Rupert shouldn't need full-time rail though. In mid-1942 I had 1.5 million supply there in my Lokasenna game. It's in the 12.2 million range now in late 1943. Fuel is 880,000. Didn't ship a bit of it. It just flows that way. A few weeks with the rail line cut is not going to matter.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

One more question... Moose, I remember you saying that the US emergency reinforcement package is triggered on a horizontal line from Vancouver, I think? Does this mean Spokane, Butte, Great Falls are outside the reinforcement window?

A horizontal line one hex below Vancouver I believe. y=50?

I never tested to see whether the US country code controls or the line itself for those bases. Don't know if anyone has. I suspect the country code does. Makes sense the US would activate for an actual invasion of US territory if they would also activate for land near Coal Harbor. Wouldn't be that hard to test, just tedious if you're not good with the editor like me and instead use a stock scenario and sail Japanese troops the distance.

[tiemanjw]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

One more question... Moose, I remember you saying that the US emergency reinforcement package is triggered on a horizontal line from Vancouver, I think? Does this mean Spokane, Butte, Great Falls are outside the reinforcement window?

A horizontal line one hex below Vancouver I believe. y=50?

I never tested to see whether the US country code controls or the line itself for those bases. Don't know if anyone has. I suspect the country code does. Makes sense the US would activate for an actual invasion of US territory if they would also activate for land near Coal Harbor. Wouldn't be that hard to test, just tedious if you're not good with the editor like me and instead use a stock scenario and sail Japanese troops the distance.

It was more a curiosity... even without any reinforcements, I would welcome a Japanese move here. Not sure how they would do it though.