Sqz stands down. The AAR is now concluded. Sqz (A) vs. obvert (J)

[RangerJoe]

I just read the entire AAR. It is very interesting.

I remember reading about intercepting air evacuations where someone put a CAP or LRCAP at 1000' or 2000' altitude and would shoot down some of the transports. A good use for the P-39.

Try sweeping at a base/hex other than where his planes are based to see if there is any leaky CAP to shoot down.

Try to shut down any airbases not used. Any airbases being used should be bombed at night, if nothing else the fatigue should go up if the pilots don't get their beauty sleep.

Try bombing the ports at night as well, you might get lucky and hit docked ships as a bonus.

At Katherine, you might try an Air HQ with torpedoes there and TB units with experienced pilots for night torpedo attacks against bombarding ships. It might work, it might not.

A good place for the CVE is behind the CV/CVLs providing LRCAP and replacements. They can also carry some Avengers for ASW work.

Take what he gives you and see what opens up.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I just read the entire AAR. It is very interesting.

Welcome aboard. I'm glad you are finding it interesting. Drama aside, sadly it's not my best effort at an AAR.

I employ many of your suggestions and it's always good to get a reminder now and again of what others might try. I have some pretty tough Japanese positions to deal with, so I'll just have to see what openings Erik does gives me.

[SqzMyLemon]

April 29/44:

No counter-invasion of Darwin, but Japanese cruisers and battleships, including Yamato hammer the base. KB masses in the shallow ocean hex northeast of Darwin and launches a port strike against Groote Eylandt. A heavily damaged DE is sunk that was disbanded in port from the previous day's strike. The port is level 0, but now sports 43% damage. I had no idea you could damage dot base ports before.

With KB massed at Darwin, I'm concerned about a port strike against Normanton where I have a large volume of transport ships deployed. I'm strengthening the air defences at both Mornington and Normanton. My carriers are currently deployed at Sydney, Brisbane and Rockhampton. I will redeploy the fleet to Townsville to be in position to intervene if Erik moves against Normanton. I'll commit my CV's defensively if the situation warrants it supported by strong LBA.

I don't know what Erik is up to, but I'm glad to know the whereabouts of KB.

[Lokasenna]

Given the game's date, I highly doubt you will have to deal with any counter-invasions now that the Darwin operation has been revealed to just be harassment. Let him have his Arafura/Banda Sea party, and take your toys somewhere else. Or activate those toys that are already somewhere else.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

Have you had any luck finding a solution to his stacked low CAP?

Not yet. I've tried different combinations of aircraft, altitudes and LRCAP. Depending on how the AI commits my forces, some combinations do ok, others not so good. When all is said and done though I'm lucky to achieve 1.5:1 losses on a good day, but usually it's no better than 1:1. I just can't sustain those loss ratio's.

I've resorted to sitting my aircraft until an operation is pending. Kills the surprise, but if I try for sustained suppression I run out of aircraft. Low CAP for Japan gets the numbers up really fast and swamps my sweeps.

[SqzMyLemon]

April 30/44:

I guess he just can't help himself. Erik counter-invades at Darwin. IJA 38th Division and a special base force land. The Australian 2nd Division will withdraw from the base tomorrow. There was no way I could hold it considering it suffers a naval bombardment every 3 days.

So more delays trying to move the Allied position forward. One of these days I'll be in position to punish Erik's aggressiveness, but right now I just have to continue to take it. In ten days my carrier strength in Australia will be 9 CV's, 7 CVL's and 21 CVE's. I believe CV Franklin is my next carrier to arrive within 40 days and Lexington should be repaired within three months. I hope.

It sucks that Tennant Creek can't stockpile enough supply to allow me to use drop tanks from the base. I'm going to run out of supply for my troops at Katherine and Fenton. If the supply situation wasn't so crappy I could suppress Darwin, Bathurst and Wyndham. Instead, Erik gets to do whatever he wants because he can get supply forward while I can't.

I'm actually starting to get pissed off about the whole damn situation due to supply issues. I'm swimming in the stuff, but can't use any of it where I need it the most.

[Lokasenna]

Well, just think of the supplies and fuel spent on those bombardment runs.

[ny59giants]

It sucks that Tennant Creek can't stockpile enough supply to allow me to use drop tanks from the base. I'm going to run out of supply for my troops at Katherine and Fenton. If the supply situation wasn't so crappy I could suppress Darwin, Bathurst and Wyndham. Instead, Erik gets to do whatever he wants because he can get supply forward while I can't.

You can try moving a Command HQ to TC to draw extra supplies.
Move some heavy bombers there to draw supplies. Then, fly them back to Alice Springs on days you want to use drop tanks for your fighters.
I imagine you have the base built up, so these are the only other way to draw supplies except by transport planes.

[SqzMyLemon]

On a different note.

I loaded up the 22nd Marine Rgt. at Tabiteuea on the May 1st turn. It will sail for Abemama on the 2nd. The regiment is 100% prepped, but will only receive help in the form of two CL's conducting a pre-landing naval bombardment. Once the Marines are ashore, bombers from Tabitueea will support the follow up ground assaults. I think the garrisoning might consist of nothing larger than a Naval Guard unit.

I'm looking at moving against Ponape so I can start to sweep Truk in the near future.

I want to try and entice Erik to move his naval forces around in the Central Pacific. I might get lucky with a submarine or see an opening to deploy the fleet against non-KB targets.

I'm waiting for Nadzab to reach level 9, then I launch an all out air offensive against Vanimo and Hollandia. I'm going to try and slip in amphibious invasion forces to Aitape and Dagua. I've got a large number of forces prepped for Hollandia and I've decided to launch an amphibious landing against the base if I can gain control of the air. KB is always a risk, but I need to start pushing again.

[Lokasenna]

How are you bases on New Guinea? Can you protect your southwestern flank for a move on Ponape? Hell, you may even need to come at it from that direction unless you've already taken the northernmost Marshalls to prevent him from getting eyes on you.

Beware the Ponape CD guns. You need BBs for that one.

[BBfanboy]

Looks like you have found your balance again - good to see.
Looking forward to your offensives.

[SqzMyLemon]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Looks like you have found your balance again - good to see.
Looking forward to your offensives.

Ha, I'm not sure I'd go that far. If only Australian infrastructure had been built up, and more importantly protected, by my predecessor, it would make my life much easier right now.

[SqzMyLemon]

May 3/44:

The Abemama amphibious operation goes without a hitch. It should have considering the garrison was only 10 AV of a Japanese Naval Guard Unit. I expect little to no resistance as I move through the Gilbert and Marshall Island's. Suits me fine, I'll take the VP's where I can get them right now. I'll be looking at Nauru, Ocean and Tarawa next.

I've ordered some night fighter sweeps in Burma and New Guinea to see if Erik is prepared for night bombing raids. I'm also about to begin air operations in Burma and New Guinea again. It's time to get back into the war.

I seem to be getting a little better supply flow in Burma now for some reason, not great, but since I've moved the bulk of the troops out of some bases they are getting supply regularly. I find this ridiculous, but it's the way the game works. I've always disliked the 3x base supply requirements, but sometimes the only way to get supply forward is to turn a base into a ghost town. [8|]

[adarbrauner]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon



This game has been decided by the 8 hex Japanese strike feature. Any enjoyment I'd get from this game is effectively gone thanks to this feature. Erik might as well be playing the AI.

8 hex is 280 miles.
This is the move Ozawa (tried to) make at the Phillipine Sea, i.e. keeping an at least 240-250 costant distance between his carrier group and the americans, to exploit the longer range of his airplanes, so this is a real Japanes feature (?!).

[SqzMyLemon]

May 4/44:

Neither night fighter sweep mission flew. Am I wrong thinking I can employ this tactic? Can I only perform CAP with night fighter units?

Since I'm on the topic of night fighters, can they perform escort missions during night bombing raids?

A quiet couple of turns, no Japanese offensive missions whatsoever.

I'm concentrating on getting radar and aviation support forward to make best use of the new level 8 and 9 airbases being constructed in New Guinea. I've ordered an all out 4E bombing raid against the airbase at Dagua. The intention here it to suppress Aitape, Dagua and Wewak and burn supply. I hope to force supply to migrate from Hollandia to these bases, requiring regular Japanese supply runs to feed the 80k Japanese troops now committed between Hollandia and Sarmi.

The last of the U.S. divisions from the Burma theatre have reached Karachi. They will embark for deployment to the Pacific.

British and Commonwealth troops continue to redeploy in Burma. I'm about to start an air war over Ramree Island and Prome. The plan is to force Erik to use his aircraft offensively to prevent my supplying Ramree Island with transport ships. I'm going to try and take away Erik's low CAP tactic by forcing him to take the offensive. Providing I get radar warning, the Allied fighters seem to perform better against Japanese sweeps. Plus, he'll be losing his pilots for a change.

I'm starting to formulate a plan, one that I hope will create the conditions to finally start kicking some ass. I'm tired of being the whipping boy in this one.

[dave sindel]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

May 4/44:

Neither night fighter sweep mission flew. Am I wrong thinking I can employ this tactic? Can I only perform CAP with night fighter units?

Since I'm on the topic of night fighters, can they perform escort missions during night bombing raids?

I've had the same experience. I have some Beaufighter NF's stationed at Ramree Island and tried to sweep over Rangoon for several turns. They never flew. When I put them on LRCAP over Rangoon, they were present when my B-24's arrived on a night bombing mission. Didnt do much vs the Nicks that my opponent had flying, but at least they were there.

[BBfanboy]

Any fighter can be put on a night mission, but can only fly defensive CAP type missions. Sweep is not allowed.

Having radar on the fighter is not a guarantee of intercept. That is logical, especially on LRCAP. The fighter radar is not 360º search, only a narrow cone in front of the aircraft so it would need a friendly ground radar to vector it to a target. I think the code recognizes that by requiring a very good D/L on the attackers.

And because you cannot have masses of fighters maneuvering at night in close proximity each fighter operates individually which limits the number that can intercept the enemy during the time of the strike. For the same reason your fighters cannot work together to sweep at night.

[SqzMyLemon]

Thanks for the posts.

I'll try the LRCAP idea. It may not be terribly effective, but perhaps it can help out a bomber or two. I've refrained from night bombing so far, but now that I'm in a different frame of mind, I'll use whatever tools I have to turn this around.

[Lokasenna]

I've never had NFs conduct a sweep. It just never happens.

For intercepts, the radar on the plane helps them with attacking... I guess. I never notice a difference. They seem to perform the same with or without. But it says in the combat report "Some CAP with radar" when they have it, so presumably it does something. On the margins.

[SqzMyLemon]

May 12/44:

Not much going on, but thought I'd post a morale boosting air action update.

Erik, as per his usual aggressive self, has been sweeping Groote Eylandt with Franks from Darwin. Today, I moved in some Spitfires and joined battle. The Franks get a drubbing. AAR follows:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Groote Eylandt , at 82,130

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-84a Frank x 37

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 14
Spitfire VIII x 24

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 9 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire VIII: 1 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Groote Eylandt , at 82,130

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 72 NM, estimated altitude 34,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-84a Frank x 4

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 10
Spitfire VIII x 17

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses


In Burma, I tried a larger supply run to Ramree Island, but this time I chose to defend my airspace against the Japanese LBA attacks I was sure would follow. Erik obliged, as I knew he would. For the loss of three British LST's and one AM, the Japanese air attacks get mauled. I land an additional 6k of supply bringing the total at Ramree Island to over 20k now. AAR's follow:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ramree Island , at 54,48

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 49 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-84a Frank x 49

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 28
Spitfire VIII x 56
P-40E Warhawk x 11
P-38H Lightning x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 22
P-40N5 Warhawk x 23
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 46
F4U-1A Corsair x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed
P-40N5 Warhawk: 1 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Ramree Island , at 54,48

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 32 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-84a Frank x 49

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 28
Spitfire VIII x 52
P-40E Warhawk x 8
P-38H Lightning x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 13
P-40N5 Warhawk x 18
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 46
F4U-1A Corsair x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-84a Frank: 5 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Spitfire Vc Trop: 1 destroyed
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Ramree Island at 54,48

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 46 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 32
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 49

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 24
Spitfire VIII x 48
P-40E Warhawk x 8
P-38H Lightning x 1
P-40K Warhawk x 10
P-40N5 Warhawk x 18
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 45
F4U-1A Corsair x 14

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 12 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 5 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
LST 11, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
LST 73, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
AM Carnatic, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
LST 160, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ramree Island at 54,48

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
D4Y1 Judy x 17
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 33

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 23
Spitfire VIII x 52
P-40E Warhawk x 8
P-38H Lightning x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 9
P-40N5 Warhawk x 21
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 43
F4U-1A Corsair x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
D4Y1 Judy: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 4 destroyed

No Allied losses

On the day, the air losses indicate I lost 29 aircraft from all causes, the Japanese 98. The P-40's take the brunt of the losses with 16, but they were low CAP. The Allied Corsairs, P-38's, P-47's and Spitfires performed spectacularly only losing one aircraft each, excepting the Corsairs and Spitfire Vc's which lost two. Only four Allied pilots were lost on the day. I don't trust the intelligence report which showed 72 Franks, 21 Oscars and 33 Judy's being destroyed in A2A and Ops, but still a rough day for the Japanese. More importantly, I'm guessing many good enemy pilots were shot down and captured.

I've been trying some different approaches of late with my air units, and so far so good. I may not be able to perform offensive sweeps effectively, but on defence my fighters, especially the Spitfires, are laying it on the Japanese.

In other news, CV Franklin arrived at Balboa on the 11th and is en route to Pearl Harbor. The last damaged CV in Australia will be fully repaired next turn. I'm going to target Ponape next, while I wait for forward airbases on New Guinea and Manus to reach level 8. Then I unleash my LBA to hammer Japanese positions along the north coast and conduct some smaller amphibious operations against Aitape, Dagua and Wewak.

I'm almost ready to move in Burma with the new ground offensive. I'm not optimistic, but it's time to start grinding away.