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

[JocMeister]

Just got the turn back. A very good day for the allies.

Update coming after dinner!

[Canoerebel]

That sounds promising.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]India[/font]
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Looks like Jeff moved a DD squadron up to Akyab at the same time as I moved my CVs forward...

Morning Air attack on TF, near Akyab at 54,45

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 3
Swordfish I x 16
F4F-3 Wildcat x 13
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
SBD-3 Dauntless x 65
TBF-1 Avenger x 14

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Urakaze, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Kasumi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Yamagumo
DD Murakumo, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Myojinami, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Arare, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Suruyame, Bomb hits 1

Another strike hits the Kasumi and sinks her. So probably 4 DDs gone for Japanese OOB. A good day. [:)]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]SOPAC[/font]
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KB surges forward again. I don´t really see the point of these raids. I know he comes down from time to time so he never catches anything useful. This time he didn´t hit a single ship.

Not going to play this game. The Allied mini TFs will either disband or head back under the 300 Fighter CAP at Noumea. CL TF will sprint back to Noumea. The TF they covered is already back at Noumea anyway.

I have a small surprise for him though...lets see what some Beuforts on LowN can do.

Japanese landings in Northern Santa Cruz.

[Lokasenna]

I'd wager only 3 DDs in trouble. Myojinami almost certainly survived, despite heavy fires listed. Arare could have lived also. Don't be hasty!

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I'd wager only 3 DDs in trouble. Myojinami almost certainly survived, despite heavy fires listed. Arare could have lived also. Don't be hasty!

Might be. Usually anything with "heavy" in it is bad news for the Japanese. And if she makes it she will have a long limp home...at least she will be gone from the IO for a while. [:)]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]SIGINT[/font]
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21st/C Division is planning for an attack on Vancouver.

I think this prepping for Vancouver is a ruse though. Pretty much the worst place on the WC to land.

[poodlebrain]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

[font="Verdana"]SIGINT[/font]
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21st/C Division is planning for an attack on Vancouver.

I think this prepping for Vancouver is a ruse though. Pretty much the worst place on the WC to land.

I agree, but I still think he has something planned for the West Coast. He has too much stuff moving east, and there is no other use for all that stuff.

[JocMeister]

Perhaps. I doesn´t make much sense to me at this point though. But he is certainly up to something that is for sure. Lots and lots of stuff going to Pearl and NORPAC right now.

I have to go back and check but I think its 3 divisions now. One of which he pulled from India no less which was really odd.

[paullus99]

Doesn't make sense unless he's looking to do an offensive operation. You don't need Pearl & he has no reason to garrison it as he has.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: paullus99

Doesn't make sense unless he's looking to do an offensive operation. You don't need Pearl & he has no reason to garrison it as he has.

Well, he doesn´t know I don´t care about Pearl besides the VPs. [:)]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]SOPAC[/font]
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Busiest turn in a long time! [X(]

Lets start in SOPAC. All my TFs got away unmolested but my CL TF connects with the oddest TF I´ve seen. 4 Jap CAs rush into Luganville and clash with the Allies.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Luganville at 120,150, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 5, on fire
CA Furutaka, Shell hits 1
CA Kako

Allied Ships
CL St. Louis, Shell hits 2
CL Helena, Shell hits 1
CL Boise
CL Phoenix, Shell hits 1
DD Bagley
DD Blue
DD Mugford
DD Ralph Talbot
DD Henley
DD Patterson, Shell hits 2
DD Jarvis
DD Craven

Something must have happened with the escorting DDs or Jeff simply messed something up. Sadly the Allies are stuck with the historic era conventional WW2 subs. So the 6 subs patrolling the area decided that 4 Japanese CAs without DD escort isn´t important enough to try to attack.

Damage to the Helena is only 12 SYS. No other damage registered. Looks like Jeff have withdrawn from the area.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]NORPAC[/font]
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A TF of expendable assets have patrolled the Alaskan Gulf for quite some time now. They are refueled by some high endurance xAKs. So if they were caught nothing I couldn´t afford.

Finally after over 2 months on patrol...

Night Time Surface Combat, near Alliford Bay at 194,54, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DMS W-2, Shell hits 5, on fire
DMS W-20, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Sakura Maru, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Alaska Maru, Shell hits 6
xAK Bordeaux Maru, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PB Nishimi Maru, Shell hits 38, and is sunk
PB Shinko Maru, Shell hits 2
PB Fukkai Maru, Shell hits 16, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Ryuto Maru, Shell hits 2
PB Ichiyu Maru, Shell hits 1
E Uruyame, Shell hits 5

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh
CL Detroit
DD Phelps
DD Farragut
DD Aylwin
DD Monaghan
DD Worden
DD Allen
DD Litchfield
DD Ward
DD Chew
DD Crosby

During the day every single ship is hunted down and sunk! About 70 VPs all in all. Nice! [:)]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]NORPAC[/font]
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Time for the allies to assault Coal Harbor from the air again. We do okay but things look really good for tomorrow.

Morning Air attack on Coal Harbour , at 204,49

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 20 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 66
A6M5 Zero x 12
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 36

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 32
F4F-3A Wildcat x 16
F4F-3 Wildcat x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 2 destroyed
F4F-3A Wildcat: 4 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 3 destroyed

This was the first of many, many sweeps. Most interesting is the fact that during the last 125 planes sweep...the sky over Coal Harbor was empty...I have to check my squadrons. If things looks good enough I´ll go again tomorrow. Together with the 4Es.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Air Losses[/font]
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Not stellar. But considering we are attacking what is probably the heaviest defended airspace on the map I can´t really complain.

Together with ship and LCU losses elsewhere the score for the day is +373 VPs. Very good day. [:)]

EDIT: Amazingly only 17 KIA, 11 WIA and 11 MIA! Moved a couple of subs into CH the turn before. Can´t remember if that makes a difference in the code though?

[Barb]

I believe that in the code - any friendly unit (sub, ship, ground) in a target hex counts as having a higher chance to pick up pilots shot down.
However I would do it anyway as it is what probably would have been done IRL - positioning a pick-up subs along the way just to get few guys fished up from the soup...

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Barb

I believe that in the code - any friendly unit (sub, ship, ground) in a target hex counts as having a higher chance to pick up pilots shot down.
However I would do it anyway as it is what probably would have been done IRL - positioning a pick-up subs along the way just to get few guys fished up from the soup...

Good to know! Thanks. [:)]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]16th October -42[/font]
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Just smaller action.

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NORPAC/WC
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Sadly the 2nd day attacks all rained in. So instead of trying again I decided to wait until everything from the first day has recovered. Once they do everything will be thrown at CH again. Including the bombers on day 1.

My SCTF makes it to safety.

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SOPAC
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Another IJN raid catches and sink 2 almost empty xAKLs unloading at Luganville. Soon I´ll have a surprise in place for Jeff if he comes raiding again.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Luganville at 120,150, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma
CA Maya
DD Yugumo
DD Makigumo
DD Natsushio
DD Usugumo

Allied Ships
xAKL Lyemun, Shell hits 10, and is sunk
xAKL Capitaine Illiaquer, Shell hits 14, and is sunk

In an amazing feat the S-37 attacks and sink the Kongo Maru.

Submarine attack near Ndeni at 120,143

Japanese Ships
AMC Kongo Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-37

AMC Kongo Maru is sighted by SS S-37
SS S-37 launches 4 torpedoes

She later attacks not only once but twice and score two more hits. Sinking sounds are heard after that. [:)]

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India
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A day of rest here. I´m holding the navy back a bit. I want to be ready if Jeff tries to evacuate by air. Reinforcements arrive at Karachi. 55.000 men starts unloading. Mostly engineers and BFs. They will help expand the recaptured area. I want several level 9 AFs on the border to Burma.

32 Mitchells and 16 Vengence DBs arrive in Calcutta. 8 Squadrons of B17Es are en route and will land in India in a couple of days.

[JocMeister]

Turns and updates will be very few the comings days. In laws are coming up to babysit the kids and me and the wife will leave town early Saturday.

I have a crap load of chores to do up until then. Things should be back to normal on Tuesday.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

[font="Verdana"]NORPAC[/font]
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A TF of expendable assets have patrolled the Alaskan Gulf for quite some time now. They are refueled by some high endurance xAKs. So if they were caught nothing I couldn´t afford.

Finally after over 2 months on patrol...

Night Time Surface Combat, near Alliford Bay at 194,54, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DMS W-2, Shell hits 5, on fire
DMS W-20, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Sakura Maru, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Alaska Maru, Shell hits 6
xAK Bordeaux Maru, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
PB Nishimi Maru, Shell hits 38, and is sunk
PB Shinko Maru, Shell hits 2
PB Fukkai Maru, Shell hits 16, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Ryuto Maru, Shell hits 2
PB Ichiyu Maru, Shell hits 1
E Uruyame, Shell hits 5

Allied Ships
CL Raleigh
CL Detroit
DD Phelps
DD Farragut
DD Aylwin
DD Monaghan
DD Worden
DD Allen
DD Litchfield
DD Ward
DD Chew
DD Crosby

During the day every single ship is hunted down and sunk! About 70 VPs all in all. Nice! [:)]

Good haul! [:)]

Strange set-up. A mixed speed TF with some decent ships and some very average ones. Sakura Maru, E Uruyame and DMS W-20 are way too good to be in that TF. You don't get may of any of those types, and they're all really useful.