Rookie AAR

[BBfanboy]

Even if you can't land your transports because of the runway damage, you can air drop supplies to help the situation. Only do this if enemy fighters are not present yet.

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Even if you can't land your transports because of the runway damage, you can air drop supplies to help the situation.
Only do this if enemy fighters are not present yet.

Thank you, I believed they would do this automatically if not able to use the airfield. I can't see any
other command than "supply transport" for this purpose (it's a friendly base). While the flight is (it says so,
anyway) within range (Kendari-Denpasar and Koepang-Denpasar) a logical problem might be that it is out of range
if they cannot land for return flight refuelling.

Fred

[BBfanboy]

If you can set the target without getting an "out of range" message, it is in range for supply transport. 20% of fuel usage is for take-off and landing so going to a destination and not landing saves fuel.
If you have tried and they won't fly it is possible the squadron leader "knows" there is CAP there and he won't fly into it. Or it is weather. Jocke is having the same problem getting aircraft to fly right now.

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

If you can set the target without getting an "out of range" message, it is in range for supply transport. 20% of fuel usage is for take-off and landing so going to a destination and not landing saves fuel.
If you have tried and they won't fly it is possible the squadron leader "knows" there is CAP there and he won't fly into it. Or it is weather. Jocke is having the same problem getting aircraft to fly right now.

What I wonder is if a supply flight (not air drop) within "normal" max. range is supposed to be refuelled for the
return flight. If the software at all counts in, and warns of, "not within range" if it cannot land due to, say,
airfield conditions. The field is still in friendly hands and marked as such. That said, there has been no problems
sending in fighters in spite of runway damages.

Presently, the field is CAP'ed by own fighters.

Fred

[BBfanboy]

Range should not be the problem then. If you look at the "maximum range" for the aircraft, that is the one-way transfer range. The "extended range" is normally half of that, so the game is designed to NOT refuel at the target hex before the return trip home.

Check that your air leader of your transports has some aggressiveness (over 50) and set Supply Transport for the mission. If it doesn't fly, I blame the nebulous weather in the game, which cannot be predicted on a hex-by-hex basis.

PS: I have been dropping supply to a unit in the jungle with no problems. Maybe the problem is that there IS a base at your target hex so the AI assumes a landing and when it can't land the mission is just scrubbed because it was not an air drop mission initially? Is there any fatigue on the squadron to indicate that it flew to target and returned?

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Check that your air leader of your transports has some aggressiveness (over 50) and set Supply Transport for the
mission. If it doesn't fly, I blame the nebulous weather in the game, which cannot be predicted on a hex-by-hex
basis.

You may be right about this one. The three squadron leaders averaged about 25 - "promising, if cautious" - 1lts.
I thought that was a little junior for leading 25-plane transport squadrons, anyway, so I replaced them. Shall
see how that works out. Thing is, now supplies are getting in by sea. Have to check this out, though....[;)]

Fred

[Leandros]

That did the trick! Today three squadrons flew supplies Kendari-Denpasar. I shall wind that down now, supplies are
arriving by sea, but it was nice with this new knowledge. Thank you, BB.

The "supply" item is giving me some problems. I've never understood how supplies are supposed to "flow" on the ground.
I experienced this before when trying to get aviation fuel (supplies) from Darwin to Katherine Pass. This was finally
solved by flying in supplies, as nothing happened on the ground.

Now the V US Bomber Command has arrived in Charter Towers with a consequent increasing demand for supplies. The place
is out of supplies so I am arranging for a new air bridge. If I put the supply demand in Charters Towers higher than
Townsville's, shall supplies start to "flow"...? Otherwise, I shall have to move the Command to Townsville which can
be supplied by sea.

Fred

[BBfanboy]

See the thread on the War Room forum or the main forum called "Logistics 101".
Supply goes to where there is demand and to the largest base (combined port/AF). Putting Charters Towers supply demand up will help but may need some more tweaking after that. Build the base to help draw more supply.

[Leandros]

Sitrap Sep. 7th 1942 – afternoon

I should have been more careful in announcing that the air had gone out of the Japanese balloon. The next night they arrived outside Akyab again with a strong cruiser force and plastered two transports with shells and torpedoes. A force led by the already damaged battleship Valiant and light cruiser Caledon tried to intervene but they were both sent to the bottom by the aggressive enemy heavy cruisers led by Mikuma. Valiant fell victim to the effective enemy torpedoes. In her already damaged state, one did the trick. During the day they were revenged by light cruiser Glasgow and two Dutch destroyers, that sank the sub-chasers Cha-14 and coastal freighter Oregon Mary south-west of Kendari. Later in the day the same ships intercepted a large minelayer and two other sub-chaser escorting five small transports. At this stage the allied ships were getting low on ammo, and with little knowledge of any other enemy warships in the vicinity, they only made a demonstration to have the enemy ships turn back. This they succeeded in. It also proved to be the advance guard of a much larger convoy following them. I shall come back on that.

Yesterday, carrier HMS Indomitable was back in the Andamans again and as it was reported by air scouts that the enemy cruiser force had put in at Rangoon it was decided to make a whole-hearted try at catching them there the next day. Indomitable joined up with cruiser HMS Enterprise and three destroyers and proceeded to a position one hundred miles south-west of Rangoon. In the morning concerted raids were flown against Rangoon both by Indomitable’s bombers and bombers based in Akyab. Alas, there were no fat enemy targets in Rangoon, they had left. Instead, there were a multiplicity of enemy fighters and it all developed into a minor disaster for the British. Five Albacores, four Swordfish, two Martlets and two Fulmars were shot down by the enemy CAPs. The follow-up attacks from Akyab suffered serious losses, too: Of 13 Blenheims and 12 Hudsons three Blenheims and one Hudson were destroyed. Luckily, attacks on Indomitable by bombers flying from Rangoon later in the day were unsuccessful. At the same time the heavily damaged carrier Illustrious settled in the port of Sabang.

Later in the day the enemy cruiser task force was reported going full blast on a south-westerly course by HMS Truant, one of the two British submarines patrolling outside Phuket, in the northern approaches of the Malacca Strait. The enemy was most probably heading for Singapore. Truant’s captain tried for some long-range torpedo shots but it only resulted in two enemy destroyers coming after her. She got away, though. Hopefully this shall give the British a little time to get their act together again. Presently they have withdrawn to Port Blair to lick their wounds.

Back to cruiser Glasgow and her cohorts. As there was no immediate relief available they continued to patrol the area south-west of Kendari. In the mean-time a destroyer tender was ordered to shift from Ambon to Kendari to, at least, be able service the destroyers. The cruisers shall have to go to Menado for ammo replenishment. However, before this was executed they got a nasty surprise. Another enemy transport convoy appeared on the western horizon, consisting of no less than 30 coastal freighters. There was little in the way of escorts to see but Glasgow’s captain, H. Hickling, drew the conclusion that such a large convoy necessarily had to have a covering force not very far away. He again decided to just make a show-off, which again resulted in the enemy doubling back. That was when Hickling decided to get out of there and do some serious ammo load-up. Light cruiser Achilles with destroyers Ward and Banckert took over the watch south of Kendari. The naval command in Ambon is mobilizing for some serious Jap hunting tomorrow. Three other ships, Louisville, Ellet, Case and converted minelayer Breeze, on their way to Australia for repairs, are also being re-directed to possibly do some damage to the stubborn enemy convoy. What is their supposed destination?

The transfer of the main part of the US submarines to the strait between Formosa and the Chinese mainland is starting to take effect. As the first boats arrived in the area reports started coming in on heavy ships traffic. Both USS Gar, Pickerel and Whale had contacts with enemy destroyer Hayate. USS Albacore put a torpedo into the oiler Notoro. A two-cruiser task force, led by Captain Moore in cruiser Quincy, is presently making a raid along the enemy shipping routes in the South China Sea. Multiple position reports from planes and subs have made it possible to interpolate the most common route used. No success so far, though.

The supply crisis in Denpasar is over with 87 C-47’s flying supplies in there today. Ships are presently unloading supplies, too. The greatest problem in Denpasar now is the morale of the Dutch and Australian fighter pilots, they have been in continuous action for many weeks. With the arrival of the Navy and AAC squadrons they are now stood down.

Preparations for the “next step” is well under way. So far, a dozen large transports are assembled in the Mindanao Sea, north of Cagayan. They shall start moving north in a few days.

Fred

[Leandros]

Sitrap Sep 9th 1942 - afternoon

The enemy continued his stubborn attempt to penetrate into the Moluccan Sea with a large transport convoy - heading for whatever unknown destination. The 30-ship convoy from the other day had diminished somewhat but was still of a considerable size. Lousville and her damaged companions did a great job in diminishing it further, followed by light cruiser Achilles and her destroyer friends. Today Glasgow came sprinting down from Menado again after replenishing her ammunition. The Japanese have suffered tremendous losses in ship-borne troops. Several thousand.

At the same time he has tried to get ships through to Manila and Bataan but the allied screen is very solid - half a dozen PT boat divisions and a dozen cruisers and destroyers in various constellations. This evening’s reports indicate that he is still not giving in, more oncoming ships are sighted south of Kendari and outside Manila. Tomorrow shall be another bloody day.

The Formosa Strait submarine blockade is tightening.

Fred

Picture: Sep. 8th ships lost list. The little beauty spot at the bottom was two ships that "lost their way" north of NPG.

[Leandros]

Picture: Sep. 9th ships lost list:

[Leandros]

Sitrap September 17th 1942 – afternoon.

Operation Quickstep – the invasion of the Pescadores has, so far, been a success. The landings started the day before yesterday and by this afternoon the enemy was chased out of the city and old fortress on the main island, Penghu, and pressed into a corner with their backs to the sea, on the northern part of the island. Ashore are the main elements of the 1st Marines and several support units, Base Forces, AA artillery and Engineer units. The garrison was estimated to be a small one but it defended itself well and had an abundance of coastal artillery, among it 20 cm. guns.

The landings started with a bombardment of several naval units, led by the old battleships Mississippi and West Virginia. Each transport-ship section also had dedicated cruisers or destroyers for individual support. The old fortress was a distinct nuisance in the beginning, hits were made on many own ships but this was greatly reduced after more than 90 dive bombers from four carriers made a concerted attack on their artillery positions. As more and more forces landed, enemy resistance slowly rescinded. A surprise frontal attack by the Marines on the second day broke enemy resistance. Air attacks on Takao has also been made by the carrier bombers and B-17’s and Liberators flying from Vigan.

Penghu has a good airfield and great importance was put on not damaging it during the naval bombardment. This worked very well. Escort carrier Copahee, halfway between Penghu and Vigan, has just flown off her Wildcats as the island’s initial fighter protection and has turned around to load up the 18th FS in Vigan and transport it back. This has been prepared for a while.

Mines were a major problem, and largely unexpected. Destroyer minesweepers Long and Hopkins did an excellent job of sweeping, together with two destroyers, but in end both were sunk. Apart from that, two of the transports eventually settled outside the beaches due to hull damage by coastal artillery. Almost all personnel had come ashore but much equipment was lost. In all, this proved negligible compared with the very positive result of the operation. Now everything depends on air defense of the port and airfield. Why the Pescadores? The base is to be used to strangle off the Formosa Strait by air and naval resources, mainly PT boats, submarines and the Kingfisher squadrons which have less and less work in the south. Tenders for submarines, destroyers, PT boats and destroyers are now assembling in Vigan to take the hop up to the Pescadores, PT tender Wega with two PT divisions has already left Iba. As some will know MacArthur was a great fan of PT boats and tried to build such a force in the Philippines before the war. His plan stranded, mainly for financial reasons, but the USN PT boats have proved their worth there in the last few months, one recently sank an escort carrier in Manila Bay. Two dozen more PT boats are on their way on ships from Australia.

It is hoped that the Japanese shall try to retake this important base. That shall give ample opportunity to reap more of their transports and smaller escort vessels. They shall probably not use their heavier units so close to enemy land-based bombers, they are not as haughty as they used to be. When their transports are diverted south of Formosa the same strategy shall be used with Batan Island between Luzon and Formosa. Hopefully, this shall work on the enemy’s stomachs.

Fred

P.S.: General MacArthur is aboard the new battleship North Carolina, observing the proceedings from the sea.

Picture.: The South China Sea and The Pescadores.

[Leandros]

An incident that hasn’t been reported here: On the early morning of Sept. 14th, 1942, just before the Pescadores landings started, there was a naval battle outside Ramree Island, Burma. British battleship Royal Sovereign with three RN cruisers and several destroyers managed to intercept an enemy “cruiser” force south of Akyab. It proved, however, to be a battleship force, led by IJN Hyuga. In the low visibility the Royal Navy ships got the advantage with their radar equipment. Both battleships ended up sunk, the enemy also lost the light cruiser Tatsuta (claimed sunk on an earlier occasion) and had three destroyers badly damaged. These escaped south. The remaining RN ships were only lightly damaged. Royal Sovereign received her death knell by two “Long Lance” torpedoes launched by one of the enemy destroyers.

It should be noted from the list that the USN submarines have already started to reap the benefits of their heavy concentration east of the Pescadores.

Picture – ships sunk list:

[Leandros]

Sitrap - September 22nd 1942

The remaining Japanese forces on Penghu, Pescadores, were annihilated yesterday. Below a list of the US land forces ashore. The first regiment of the 32nd Infantry division is now aboard ships in Davao, ready to be inserted either on the Chinese mainland or on Formosa.

Elsewhere, the enemy seems paralyzed except that battleship Ise has been reported east of Port Blair again.

Fred

[Leandros]

Below the US air complement on Penghu, Pescadores, Sep. 22nd, 1942. 18th Fighter Squadron with its 19 P-36's has returned to Vigan. The USN Wildcat squadron has flown back to its carrier, Copahee. Instead, the whole 8th Fighter Group has been moved up from Busuanga and Vigan. This is the most complete and experienced Fighter Group in the Southwest Pacific. PBY's, Kingfishers, and dive bombers are next.

Seaplanes, destroyer, PT and submarine tenders have all arrived and are anchored in the excellent harbour.

Fred

[BBfanboy]

Your fatigue levels on those fighter squadrons are much too high to continue at that pace. They will fight much better/lose fewer aircraft and pilots if you get them below 10 fatigue.
What range do you have them flying? Anything over 1 is over radar range for that kind of intercept.

[Leandros]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Your fatigue levels on those fighter squadrons are much too high to continue at that pace. They will fight much better/lose fewer aircraft and pilots if you get them below 10 fatigue.
What range do you have them flying? Anything over 1 is over radar range for that kind of intercept.

Thank you, BB - I'm stepping them down - they have a lag from their previous station. With that concentration I
do not expect the enemy to try very hard so they shall soon rest up. Putting them down to 20 in utilization. Their
morale should improve, too.

Range is 0-1 - they are only supposed to cover the base and port for now. I have withdrawn the carriers except for
the Copahee - she is east of Formosa looking for enemy transports trying to go on the Southern side. In a day or
two I shall probably set down a Para force at Bataan Island and base some PT's there. Together with the
concentrated submarine forces that should do the trick. It has a small airfield, too.


Fred

[Leandros]

September 28th 1942.

The closing of the Formosa Strait works nicely and a “first” has been achieved, a few days ago a TBD torpedoed an enemy merchant in Amoy harbour. At the same day an RN Albacore damaged an enemy light cruiser with a torpedo in Andaman Sea. Also a “first”.

The closing off of the ocean area between Formosa and Luzon with a tight submarine net hasn’t worked completely, an enemy convoy slipped through into the south China Sea undetected. Due to this MacArthur has set in motion another operation, that of taking Batan Island between Formosa and Luzon. This was executed by three USMC Para battalions flown in from Vigan, at the same time landings were made from three destroyer transports, also operating from Vigan. On the second day all Japanese resistance was beaten down. Two PT divisions have been transferred there together with a squadron of Kingfishers. Untill further, there shall also be four destroyers in the area. That should give ample coverage.

This evening there are two distinct hotspots, one near Sabang and one near Manila. In the Andaman Sea an enemy battleship force has been operating with impunity and ravaged the harbours of Port Blair and Sabang, sinking several transports – it is reported just south of Sabang this evening. The battleship has been identified as the Huyga which was allegedly sunk by the Royal Sovereign when she went down. Could be a sister ship. The Royal Navy Command on Ceylon has decided that enough is enough and has assembled a cruiser force in the Andamans, it is now going full speed for Sabang. The ships are Cornwall, Enterprise, Dauntless, Emerald and Newcastle with six destroyers. Carrier Indomitable is positioning herself northwest of Sabang to try to get in a shot with her Albacores. The RN submarines Trusty and Truant have been moved south to the narrowest point of the Malacca Strait, just north of Singapore. They hope to get a chance when the enemy battleships eventually have to withdraw to Singapore.

The enemy land forces outside Sabang and Akyab are continuing their headlong attacks with ever larger losses.

The other hot point is Manila Bay. An enemy battleship force has been reported approaching Manila Bay, probably in for some replenishing. An intricate plan has been laid to trap them. Four PT divisions, operating from Lubang and Iba, shall sweep the area and there are two independent two-ship destroyer detachments for scouting and interdiction. The allied main force is coming down from Vigan, two flotillas with, in all, three battleships - West Virginia, Mississippi and North Carolina with the cruisers Indianapolis, Quincy, Concord, Atlanta and three destroyers. These are not going straight in but shall rather await the eventual results achieved by the PT’s. It is expected that the enemy battleships shall leave Manila again before the morning but all bombers in TayTay and Vigan have been organized for an extensive search. Carriers Enterprise and Hornet has left Penghu, the Pescadores, with their escort, to a position in the South China Sea, northwest of Manila.

The enemy has been relatively successful in his submarine warfare lately. Also, long-range torpedo-bombers flying from Rabaul have scored some successes in the Coral Sea. Air attacks on Port Moresby from a carrier force in the Bismarck Sea resulted in disastrous losses for them. PM is pretty well defended in the air with several RAAF Kittyhawk squadrons, two Beaufighter squadrons and a Spitfire detachment from the RAF. All US squadrons have been withdrawn.

Fred

[Leandros]

Sitrap October 8th 1942 – afternoon

The trapping of the enemy battleship task force approaching Manila worked only partially, and developed into a three-day hide-and-seek operation where Japanese ships entered Manila Bay successfully, escaped out again to Subic Bay, only to return to Manila Bay again. All the time pursued by allied ships and planes from all directions. Unfortunately, after the first day, West Virginia and North Carolina had problems with their ammo replenishment, Mississippi had to take the brunt alone, and suffered for it together with five US destroyers and three PT boats (see list). The enemy light cruiser Oi was sunk together with an enemy destroyer. In the confused night fighting torpedo hits were claimed by destroyers and PT boats on Kirishima and Mutsu, both of them battleships. During day-time the enemy ships were harassed by land-based bombers and aircraft flying from two US carriers west of Luzon. CVE Hosho accompanied the enemy task force into Manila Bay. Her mission was obviously to transfer more fighters to Luzon, as a couple of dozen Nates suddenly appeared where there had been none for weeks.

Hosho was damaged, too, and left behind when the capital ships escaped, later to be sunk in Manila bay by gunfire from Indianapolis and a torpedo from destroyer Anderson, taking with her a dozen Zeros and Kates. Nothing more was seen of battleship Kirishima and an accompanying destroyer but three days later, battleship Mutsu was caught in the blockade net between Formosa and Luzon, first bumped into by destroyer Mustin that was looking for blockade-breakers in the night. Mustin was promptly sunk, a companion successfully evaded. Mutsu was picked up again in the morning by scouts flying from Batan Island, later also by SBD’s from Yorktown and Lexington, they were patrolling east of Batan Island. Throughout the day she was attacked and bombed by dozens of Kingfishers, Vindicators, TBF’s and SBD’s, even some PBY’s. She finally succumbed in the evening. Mississippi was revenged.

South of Formosa the blockade has not been 100 % effective. Just recently an assembly of small convoys that had piled up on the western side tried to get through to Japan. Even if bomb hits were claimed on most of them, no sinking could be confirmed. To that effect more support personnel, surface vessels and patrol planes have been transferred to Batan Island. There have been singular successes in the vicinity of Hengchung and Orchid Island.

Fred

Picture: Sinkings, among others, in the battle of Manila Bay

[Leandros]

Picture: CVE Hosho and BB Mutsu eventually went down, too