The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Canoerebel]

Flying Trapeze

[Bullwinkle58]

My druthers would be to lift it off if you have LSTs/LCIs to spare. It's hosed and as you say you need the room.

By this date you have to assume he has Forts 6 on most islands that can build them. Every landing needs some engineers and some tanks. And prep. Bombardments will sorta work over time just by burning his supply. If he goes to zero and you can eat his organic supply internally, then a lack of engineers can be overcome. If he has supply and Forts 6 you gotta really over-land. I don't worry about the 6000 too much. I can dump supply about as fast as I need it if I have to for a short fight. I've gone over 16,000 on a 6000 limit before and made it work. Clumsy, but it worked. You can assume he's going to be in the 6000 neighborhood though as a planning stance. Japan can't dump endless supply onto garrisons.

But that's all pre-landing stuff. Once a unit is as bad as this one, get it out of there if you can safely.

[JeffroK]

May help to have an AV at Kure Is and base Kingfisher/Catalinas for ASW and 2 extra hexes of search.

[Capt. Harlock]

My two cents is to at least wait for the engineers. You need those forts reduced.

[JohnDillworth]

Every landing needs some engineers and some tanks.

^^^What the antlered one said^^^^ Combat Engineers are your limiting factor here. Plan every invasion around them. you should have more of these coming on line although they are not as plentiful as you would like

[obvert]

You have time here, and Wake is not something John can easily reinforce or resupply. I'd get the disabled ind reg off and land some tanks and engineers after disruption has lowered, some disables are fixed for the other unit there. Constant daily bombing runs to keep his disruption up would be ideal there too. Is Wake in range of any of your Marshalls bases that have level 5 field for 4Es to hit it?

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: obvert

You have time here, and Wake is not something John can easily reinforce or resupply. I'd get the disabled ind reg off and land some tanks and engineers after disruption has lowered, some disables are fixed for the other unit there. Constant daily bombing runs to keep his disruption up would be ideal there too. Is Wake in range of any of your Marshalls bases that have level 5 field for 4Es to hit it?

Exactly my thoughts ... Wake is a vulnerable atoll in that it is isolated stacking limit of 6,000 and difficult for the IJ to supply
and if the IJ want to perform air operations some of the stacking limit has to be aviation support.
But ..

Wake is a tougher nut to crack in my opinion because of the remoteness .. For example No 4E's can participate for example to whittle down the supply and AV ..
But CR showed he does not need any 4E support in his previous clearing out of Tarawa and the Marshal's [8D]

Anyway The IJ can't reinforce .. but the Allies can continue to attrite ..that overtime the atoll will fall ..6th level forts multiplying a firepower/AV of 0 is .. 0 [:'(]
my post is for those with less experienced than I ..
CR already knows this I bet and is a part of his plan [;)]

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

Wake is a tougher nut to crack in my opinion because of the remoteness .. For example No 4E's can participate for example to whittle down the supply and AV ..
But CR showed he does not need any 4E support in his previous clearing out of Tarawa and the Marshal's [8D]

Strikes can run from the Marshalls. Wotje is 17 hexes, Maleolap is 19. Ailuk and Likiep at 16 hexes could be set up with AS and Mariners and Coronados could also be used from there or from Taongi at 9 hexes. The important thing is not necessarily hitting and destroying a lot, but keeping up disruption. His AA will also use up a lot of supply and since a lot of guns could be DP, using those units will raise fatigue. I find AA units or units with embedded AA can go to 80-90 disruption after a day of heavy strikes.

[JohnDillworth]

You have time here, and Wake is not something John can easily reinforce or resupply

Worst thing you could do is assume that the KB is dead and stay in a predictable position for long. He probably wont come after you, but he might if you hang around. Lord knows there is never a shortage of IJN aircraft in stock, much less a John III mod

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

Wake is a tougher nut to crack in my opinion because of the remoteness .. For example No 4E's can participate for example to whittle down the supply and AV ..
But CR showed he does not need any 4E support in his previous clearing out of Tarawa and the Marshal's [8D]

Strikes can run from the Marshalls. Wotje is 17 hexes, Maleolap is 19. Ailuk and Likiep at 16 hexes could be set up with AS and Mariners and Coronados could also be used from there or from Taongi at 9 hexes. The important thing is not necessarily hitting and destroying a lot, but keeping up disruption. His AA will also use up a lot of supply and since a lot of guns could be DP, using those units will raise fatigue. I find AA units or units with embedded AA can go to 80-90 disruption after a day of heavy strikes.

Or just send your more that adequate carrier force to pound Wake and pray that he sends his. Five days of air attack and most any force will collapse due to disruption.

[Canoerebel]

All comments and suggestions appreciated.

Jeffk, I moved my PBY squadron from French Frigate to Kure Island. The AV will make the same trip. Thanks. (This group was positioned at French Frigate just prior to the great naval battle.)

Obvert, I had dismissed LBA because Wake is too far from Wotje/Maloelap for anything but B24s. Those two airfields are levels 3/4. But I'll give it a try with a squadron to see if anything productive happens.

crsutton, I originally had Death Star's divebombers set to secondary "ground strike," but none of them flew during the invasion. I fiddled with the setting a few turns back to try again with one squadron. This time it worked. I'll use that again during the next attack. I don't use it more frequently on the chance that enemy carriers or combat ships show up.

JohnD, agreed. Staying in one place too long is generally an invitation to misfortune. I seriously doubt KB will be employed (surely, John's privates would shrivel to angstrom-based measurements at the thought of losing any more carriers). Subs are the biggest concern.

Another major concern is to not delay Big Tent while getting caught up in the reduction of Wake...although focusing on Wake is a viable alternative when mixed with other near term objectives.

All of these things are going through my mind right now. Big Tent will be ready to get underway in about three weeks. The engineers and tanks should be ready to land at Wake in a week or slightly longer (the engineers have to go wide around Roi-Namur to avoid bombers). So I'm leaning toward awaiting their arrival, making one last big effort, and, if necessary, standing down to proceed with Big Tent. Supply is way overdone at Wake, so I'm confident the Canadians could, if called on, stand alone for weeks or months.

[crsutton]

[quote]ORIGINAL: Canoerebel



crsutton, I originally had Death Star's divebombers set to secondary "ground strike," but none of them flew during the invasion. I fiddled with the setting a few turns back to try again with one squadron. This time it worked. I'll use that again during the next attack. I don't use it more frequently on the chance that enemy carriers or combat ships show up.


{quote]

Your primary strike should be set to naval and secondary to ground strike. Don't forget to set the target for the ground strike as well. It should work. If naval forces show up they will be your primary but otherwise all the set bombers should hit the target. Plus a non-naval strike is not restricted to the 7 hex limit. If you have Helldivers or SBD-5s on your carriers, you should be able to strike from a greater distance using drop tanks. Infantry hit by 300 SBDs will crack after a few attacks.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Obvert, I had dismissed LBA because Wake is too far from Wotje/Maloelap for anything but B24s. Those two airfields are levels 3/4. But I'll give it a try with a squadron to see if anything productive happens.

All of those naval B-24s you get now have 17/21 range so should fly from smaller fields at 17. I'd try them from Wotje. Your Mariners and Coronados also carry 8 x 500lb though and will bomb from a dot hex. Helps of course to have AS and supply there rather than just an AV, especially so close to JIII positions. But an AV may work too if it's not spotted.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Obvert, I had dismissed LBA because Wake is too far from Wotje/Maloelap for anything but B24s. Those two airfields are levels 3/4. But I'll give it a try with a squadron to see if anything productive happens.

Helps of course to have AS and supply there rather than just an AV, ... But an AV may work too if it's not spotted.

[&:]
An AS can't help serve float planes can it? Did you mean AE or AKE? Even those I am not sure can help with float planes. And I don't think the allies have any CS to operate float planes/flying boats.

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Obvert, I had dismissed LBA because Wake is too far from Wotje/Maloelap for anything but B24s. Those two airfields are levels 3/4. But I'll give it a try with a squadron to see if anything productive happens.

Helps of course to have AS and supply there rather than just an AV, ... But an AV may work too if it's not spotted.

[&:]
An AS can't help serve float planes can it? Did you mean AE or AKE? Even those I am not sure can help with float planes. And I don't think the allies have any CS to operate float planes/flying boats.

I read it as Air Support.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Obvert, I had dismissed LBA because Wake is too far from Wotje/Maloelap for anything but B24s. Those two airfields are levels 3/4. But I'll give it a try with a squadron to see if anything productive happens.

Helps of course to have AS and supply there rather than just an AV, ... But an AV may work too if it's not spotted.

[&:]
An AS can't help serve float planes can it? Did you mean AE or AKE? Even those I am not sure can help with float planes. And I don't think the allies have any CS to operate float planes/flying boats.

USN Port Svc detachment would be amazing. You can use Cats to transport them, and Cats to help with the supply, too.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: obvert




Helps of course to have AS and supply there rather than just an AV, ... But an AV may work too if it's not spotted.

[&:]
An AS can't help serve float planes can it? Did you mean AE or AKE? Even those I am not sure can help with float planes. And I don't think the allies have any CS to operate float planes/flying boats.

I read it as Air Support.

Of course - that makes sense now. My apologies Obvert.

That's the problem with acronyms, they can stand for different things like AV = seaplane tender/aviation (base force)/auto-victory/assault value!

[AcePylut]

AS is a subtender. Won't do much for aviation support.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy



[&:]
An AS can't help serve float planes can it? Did you mean AE or AKE? Even those I am not sure can help with float planes. And I don't think the allies have any CS to operate float planes/flying boats.

I read it as Air Support.

Of course - that makes sense now. My apologies Obvert.

That's the problem with acronyms, they can stand for different things like AV = seaplane tender/aviation (base force)/auto-victory/assault value!

Ha! No worries, Just being lazy. Yes, Air Support.

In O'Kane's clear the bridge there is a great description of being on lifeguard duty as a flight of Coronados comes in low at night to bomb the Japanese positions.

[Canoerebel]

10/5/43 and 10/6/43

Flying Trapeze: Now comes a ticklish part of the operation. Slow xAKs and LSTs carrying a combat engineer unit from Tarawa have arrived at Maloelap. I'm going to send them straight to Wake under threat of air attack from Roi-Namur rather than send them via a safer, but longer, route swinging wide to the east and then north. Tonight, the transports will move to a hex north of Wotje, where LRCAP is supposed to provide cover. At the same time, the carriers will move south from Wake Island. If all goes well, transports and carriers unite in two days. Then the reinforcing invasion of Wake can take place. The transports carrying the armor will arrive a day or two early. The absence of the carriers for a few days will give John time to reinforce or provide supply, but probably he won't catch on for at least one turn. By the time he can organize something, he'll fear the carriers might sprint back.

CVE Sangamon's damage is actually improving (she has a good captain) as she continues to steam slowly towards Hawaii. I think she's 20 hexes from Pearl (and less from some of the other islands and French Frigate) so that she can seek refuge sooner if she springs a leak. Of course, one more sub encounter would be fatal.

But John naturally seems to be focusing his subs on the sea lane between Midway and Wake, where so many Allied BB Tfs are traversing. I've decided to divert the BBs south to join the carriers, electing to use them in one combined bombardment on "D-Day" rather than to try to get in two more rounds. Time is one consideration, but John's had time to figure out a way to ambush the shipping in or near Midway, so I'm trying to minimize the risk.

I'll also try to get the divebombers to fly on D-Day.

An IJN sub scored one hit on the AV that was moving from French Frigate to Kure. She'll pump out water at Midway, just two hexes distant. Damage is moderate.

Big Tent: A vast number of TFs between San Fran and Pearl, bringing in the balance of the troops for the next big op. All TFs should arrive in ten days or less, meaning I'm going to want to embark on the Big Tent move prettty soon. That's one reason the Wake Island combat engineers are taking the direct route. I expect Big Tent to get underway in no more than three weeks. I'd like to get my carriers back to Pearl to refuel before departure date.

Elsewhere: I've let John get some looks at a CVE TF that was moving in the IO, south of Cocos on the way to Oz. At the same time, I commenced recon of New Caledonia's bases. The idea was to tickle John's spidey senses that something might be up from Oz. Not really, but I do think John has evacuated New Caledonia. That will suit both of us - he has extracted important troops from what seems like an untenable bases; but the bases really aren't untenable unless I have carriers down there, and I don't plan on that for a long time to come.