Lambs to the slaughter (Lowpe (J) vs Jocke; BillBrown (A)) Finished

[Lowpe]

The 1st Tank Division is reformed at Tokyo, and only 200 points to buy out. Now to rebuild. I set the prep for Sumatra...let him think on that.

The 9th Division, one of the few with a fragment from Hollywood, is at Kodiak and I have tasked it to reinforce Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is as weak as a kitten, but a division prepping for it might slow down Allied plans. Sure, it is a big prisoner of war camp, but at least it is well supplied for now. If Allies ignore Pearl, I will pull them off sometime in 44 depending upon how the supply holds out there.

All but 2 fleet carriers will be active, their radar upgrades done. Will feel good to get a force together that can actually present a threat.

In addition to the Judy 2 starting production yesterday, I also got the Rex. Only one squadron currently upgrades to it, but I allocated a factory to start making them. I believe three squadrons will upgrade to them for the entire game...but since I plan on converting the BB to BB/CS hybrids, I want the Rex to fly on them. Also the Paul!

[Lokasenna]

He will not see via SIGINT your units prepping for bases that you currently hold.

[Lowpe]

Thanks Lok,[&o] didn't know that or forgot it which amounts to the same thing.

[Lowpe]

July 3, 1943

Sweeps in Burma, two squadrons against 3 Marine VMF squadrons, and 2 Army squadrons (one of which was broken into thirds to layer defense low).

The Franks arrive first and the Tojo come in and clean up afterwards.

Allies have been very stingy with using their Corsairs.

[Andav]

That does look like a good trade. Time to bomb/bombard Akyab? There should be some damaged planes on the field.

Wa

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Andav


That does look like a good trade. Time to bomb/bombard Akyab? There should be some damaged planes on the field.

Wa

I doubt it. I have been trying a new strategy with my recon planes. Keeping them all together so they are fairly large but changing their recon destination every day. This way fatigue is much lower, and also I get 9/10 DL that first day and on the second day with no recon flight the DL is still half decent. This has let me calculate Allied Air strength very well...over 800 Fighters in the area.[X(] British of course, but also Lightnings, Jugs and Corsairs. Oh, my!

Akyab has 600 guns there and 24 units (certainly mostly artillery but enough AA). Plus, I don't want to fly my skill 90 pilots into a hornets den. Cox to the north has 7 tanker ships in port, 16 guns and no planes for several days. The risk in bombing it and the Allies move ships there for whatever reason and relocate a strong CAP.

Or I try a selective search arc attack again. I tried it a few days ago in the Burma area, but nobody flew. I don't think Jocke has cottoned on to this...since I watched closely and he hasn't increased fighter coverage over his ports in rear areas where there are active task forces.

I have to hit the Allies were I can -- never hit the Allies strength for strength. But look for those weak spots. Get him to spread his defense or simply to slow down his pace of operations.

[Lowpe]

The Last of the Hollywood divisions to reform...

40 experience; 40 morale; horrible leaders; PP to buy out; huge supply cost to fill out. What could be worse?[:D]

The 1st Tank Div gets a new leader, upgrades their TOE, and will now work on filling the ranks and training.

[Lowpe]

Industry notes:

I have drained Korea of resources pretty much; but China has pulled in 1.6 million resources over 3 days from Indochina. My hope is it is headed to Fusan now.

Shipping continues at a hectic pace at Fusan...I also was shipping from Hong Kong and Keijo. I have shut down those convoys, and will attempt to use only Fusan.

The HI are so thirsty for resources...and I will need a many millions to be in Korea and the HI for the endgame.

One of the costs of the Hollywood operation is that most of Japan's merchant fleet was occupied with that...leaving the shipment of resources to the larger xakl. They are now being benched as Japan's merchant fleet quickly takes care of the shipping -- and more efficiently too.

[adarbrauner]

I didn't know the search arcs could determine/limit also the attack missions. Are you sure?

Indochina's resource convoying to Fusan: are youa chieving by basing great number of ships there+expanding that port?

anyhow, isn't the spoilage invovlved in this trans-continent transportation of resources, high and significant?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: adarbrauner

I didn't know the search arcs could determine/limit also the attack missions. Are you sure?
Arcs do not constrain attack missions. However, poor D/L due to search arcs deliberately not covering an area might cause attack missions to not launch.

Indochina's resource convoying to Fusan: are youa chieving by basing great number of ships there+expanding that port?

anyhow, isn't the spoilage invovlved in this trans-continent transportation of resources, high and significant?

[Xargun]

ORIGINAL: adarbrauner

anyhow, isn't the spoilage invovlved in this trans-continent transportation of resources, high and significant?

Resources and Oil do not suffer from spoilage - only supplies and fuel.

[Lowpe]

Great answer witpqs and xargun![&o] Slight correction: fuel no longer suffers spoilage from transport, overstocking yes, but not transport. patch note somewhere.

July 4, 1943

Minor raid...flew just a little bit low and the 40mm got me I guess...still a success.

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 116 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 36 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 13
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 4 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
LST-24, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Port hits 13
Port supply hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 8000 feet
Port Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

[Xargun]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Great answer witpqs and xargun![&o] Slight correction: fuel no longer suffers spoilage from transport, overstocking yes, but not transport. patch note somewhere.

Thats a life saver for Japan

[Lowpe]

Nice uptick in Korea, especially in resources. I am in the midst of putting the xakl fleet into mothballs at Fusan.

I have not really made huge steps this game to get the magic highway to flow, and in fact I have done things I never did before such as draw resource/oil/fuel from Haiphong to Hong Kong.

Also, I am shipping a lot of oil/fuel to PI.

Until a week ago, the Army played a very small role in ASW. I have had to increase that by allocating the Lilly to select areas. In addition, I was very slow at converting my CM into E. Only now am I starting to get my tankers adequate ASW ships and organizing them for optimal fuel transfer. Prior it was about fueling the California operations.

I have also stuffed Manchuko with supplies.

I seem to be generating an excess of 15K supplies a day on average, and that is with a still active bombing war in China. Changsha is down to forts 1 or 0 with this last attack and should fall shortly. Sadly it's industry is trashed, I guess that is how it starts the war. Urumchi is about to fall, but I never had good luck getting the fuel and oil out of there in any greater amount than a trickle.

[Lowpe]

I fast transported some 10cm AA guns into Buin...but intel suggests that the Allies will be invading again either tonight or tomorrow.

If tonight, they will not be contested although I was sorely tempted with moonlight at 3%. Tomorrow night, if all goes well could see a pretty good clash if my timing is perfect.

I would feel better here if the Allies followed a pattern. So far, the Allies escort their fast transports in with a nasty Cruiser/Destroyer task force. It doesn't always bombard, but sometimes it does.

Ideally, I would like to catch a surface bombardment groups after the bombardment.

Also, I am conflicted with how to structure my surface groups: my normal multiple small task forces won't work well, I think. And large taskforces turn into slugging matches with many ships sitting idly by. Don't worry, I will think on it...plus I have to achieve success with tonight's movement.

[Lowpe]

After pondering the SAG question, I decided to get bigger and I am sending in one screening four squadron destroyer to Shortlands; and the heavy squadron to Buin...if my timing and understanding of Allied operations is correct, there will be a severe naval battle around Buin.

[Andav]

Hi Lowpe,

Is Allied Radar advanced enough in 43 to turn 3% moonlight into a hindrance for the Japanese? If it was 42, I would think advantage IJN. I guess turning the question around and asking if there is enough IJN radar to find the Allies is valid as well. What does your night search look like? Will you have detection on the Allies if they show up?

Wa

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Andav

Hi Lowpe,

Is Allied Radar advanced enough in 43 to turn 3% moonlight into a hindrance for the Japanese? If it was 42, I would think advantage IJN. I guess turning the question around and asking if there is enough IJN radar to find the Allies is valid as well. What does your night search look like? Will you have detection on the Allies if they show up?

Wa

Moonlight is now 10%, and Allied radar is nasty as can be seen on the Phoenix's picture above. The Fletchers have surface radars too, since Feb? I believe. There is a July upgrade for Fletchers that juices their 40mm AA a bunch and in truth it is the AA at night that starts a fire that acts like a magnet for surface fire and usually dooms a ship barring a torpedo hit.

I am counting on experience and heavier ships to inflict a little setback. Hopefully the destroyer squadron dodges a fair bit of torpedoes first. In thinking about it, if you sandwich your heavy SAG with destroyer flotillas before and after, the DD flotilla coming late to the party might get some really juicy torpedo runs in on damaged and lightly escorted ships.

Allies haven't suffered that many cruiser losses in the game, but a fair number of CL. He has strong cruiser of light cruiser task forces near Horn, Solomons, and Bay of Bengal. My goal is to stretch them a little by hopefully catching them post bombardment, but even a straight up fight should favor Japan if his past practices hold true.

I also jacked up night naval search to 100%. So I have the edge in heavier ships, experience, DL. I am hoping that will be enough.

[Lowpe]

Augusts New Planes:

Oscar IV...rejoice, rejoice![:)] this plane will really add depth, numbers and better firepower to my CAP. The Oscar IIIa still makes for a neat escort plane with better range.

Frances...only one squadron till late 43, then only 7 squadrons for the entire game. Still a very important strike plane. Four of those squadrons upgrade to the Frances 2.

Norm: No squadrons fly her.

Lilly IIc...no meaningful improvement except for the upgrade tree opening up more.

KB is almost reunited; only two CV left working on their radar. Katsuragi comes soon the only carrier that survived in my last game.

[Lowpe]

July 6th, 1943

No naval engagement at either Buin or Shortlands, but the task force's night search and Allied search reveals them with the warning to "Send main body."

During the day, at least 70 P38s flying from Milne Bay area sweep Buin, but no bombers fly. In the early afternoon the 3rd Australian attack less some heavy guns and support units...they are met with a spirited defense and suffer much worse than the IJA.