The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Canoerebel]

Here's KB and the DEI. John can make a lot of noise down here...and he can inflict some hurt in my good transports. But my bases are strongly defended, so I'm just battening down the hatches to fight.

Meanwhile, KB is out of position...and, to get into position...it has to either steam towards the PI in plain view or go way, way around to ambush.

[Canoerebel]

In the PI, the Allies take Cebu today. With the KB threat eliminated, I'll move on Poilolo, the island east of Manila, tomorrow. Until KB is more of a threat, I'll be more active in this theater.

[bradfordkay]

"With a handful of my bomber squadrons temporarily out of commission, they'll upgrade to better aircraft. "

That is making lemonade when life hands you lemons!

[Barb]

Well, in my PBEM as Allies I am in a position of having pools and units full of planes while the new ones are coming online. My opponent is evading the fight in the SWPac, and we are out of close contact elsewhere, spare Burma. Yet there is also a little "ditch" between allied and Japanese forces. On the other hand I do hate to throw away missions just for the sake of flying. So we both have mostly defensive stance with occasional sting here or there, but nothing mayor. So I still have units equipped with Hurricane Is, P-40Es, Blenheims IV, etc. On the other hand the Japan just sits there and probably produce planes that are probably not needed.

When the time comes (which should be soon), we will probably burn them anyway... and any losses will be made good by upgrading to newer and better planes

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

In the PI, the Allies take Cebu today. With the KB threat eliminated, I'll move on Poilolo, the island east of Manila, tomorrow. Until KB is more of a threat, I'll be more active in this theater.

I dunno, how many bases do you really need? You have more than half a dozen now. Is Poilolo even worth the effort?

[paullus99]

Canoe is thumbing his nose at John - the more he ignores these little "side-trips" that John seems to be bound and determined to attempt, the more likely it will be that John will ultimately get frustrated and do something really stupid.

[Canoerebel]

Poilolo has modest value of its own - I can use it but don't need it. But Poilolo in conjunction with the island or islands I'll take south of Manila might prompt John into rash action - it'll seem to him that I'm drawing a ring around Manila. Too, reconnaissance squadrons are probing empty islands to the north - the Bataan chain, etc. - so that should raise John's concern too.

IE, I can make use of the islands I'm taking, but mainly I'm trying to rattle John as he's off doing weird stuff far away.

[JohnDillworth]

he's off doing weird stuff far away

[Alpha77]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I'll tell you one thing I did - I moved half an army out of Burma more than a year ago. In January '43, the Allies were on the offensive in Burma. Things looked promising. I had one British division, one American division, two Australian divisions, and two or three Indian divisions involved in the assault. I withdrew the Americans and the Australians; those three divisions went to the USA and are now involved in the Pacific War. One or two Indian divisions eventually took their place on the front lines. So, January '43 = six or seven divisions; April '44 = five divisions, only one of which is a major power division.

Yeah but you want bigger forces from him in Burma, which suggests you want to land perhaps at CRB (or somewhere in this area) and cut the western IJ portion off. I am already in trouble in 7/42 vs. the Allies, but in 44 it must be scary for "JFB"s

[Canoerebel]

4/18/44

Burma and the DEI: John has the weight of his navy engaged in the Bay of Bengal and New Guinea. See map for details.

He's using his bombardment TFs to decent tactical effect, but if he isn't furthering a major operational or strategic benefit, this doesn't make sense.

It reminds me of the opening of Big Tent. As the Allied fleets were approaching the undefended DEI, John's BBs detoured to bombard Tarawa. And that was it. There was no larger componment to that bombardment. He was undoubtedly hoping to create worry about the Marshalls, but by then the Marshalls were irrelevant.

What he's doing in Burma and New Guinea have more merit than bombarding Tarawa did, but not a whole lot.

On the ground, the Japanese engaged in another costly shock (to them) shock attack on their west flank.

[Canoerebel]

The Fun House side of things.

[witpqs]

So maybe he is trying to lure your fleet back south?

[Canoerebel]

Quite possible that's his plan. Perhaps he's thinking "Celebes" while I'm thinking "Tarawa."

For him to have a chance, he needs to pose a credible threat to the DEI. He doesn't.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

So maybe he is trying to lure your fleet back south?

Yeah, but he should know from the way Dan has conducted himself in the previous incursions that he won't be drawn away from his own purpose.

I know John has a tendency to succumb to the "Do something! Anything!" urge that hits you when the enemy is chewing up your strategic space and you do not dare confront directly, but he seems even less effective in the edge-nibbling department lately. I think he is over tasked and overtired in real life.

[Alpha77]

BBfanboy:

"I know John has a tendency to succumb to the "Do something! Anything!" urge that hits you when the enemy is chewing up your strategic space"

Always when I succumb to that urge I lose major ships [:@] [>:]

[MakeeLearn]

He's calling out your carriers.....

[Canoerebel]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWo__6Xn6Qs

[Lokasenna]

You guys and your funny base names. I'm pretty sure it's Polillo, unless your mod changed names on the map.

[BillBrown]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

You guys and your funny base names. I'm pretty sure it's Polillo, unless your mod changed names on the map.

They are channeling their inner Greyjoy. [;)]

[Canoerebel]

It took me 11 years to realize that Balikpan was actually Balikpapan.

You're talking to a guy who lost the first grade spelling be by spelling "who": "ho."

But then, the smartest person I've ever known couldn't spell a lick.