THE WAR COLLEGE-Rio Bravo (A) v. El Lobo (J)

[Rio Bravo]

[center]June 22, 1943[/center]


A Brief Synopsis of Combat Events for Today


1.) Captain Haggard's Mine Sweeping Task Forces did not encounter any mines at any of the four southern Marianas Islands.

2.) Each of the Allied Bombardment Task Forces bombarded their respective objectives (Range set at 25).

3.) The KB attacked Saipan. Allied Carrier Fighters intercepted incoming Japanese Carrier Aircraft. Two Walrus' closed and engaged Zeros.

4.)Each of the Allied Amphibious Assault Task Forces unloaded troops at their respective objectives.


A War Correspondent imbedded with the Rocky Mountain Ranger Battalion will be providing a report regarding the Canadian Amphibious Assault of Rota.

Attached below is a link for the entire June 22, 1943 Combat Report.


Best Regards,

-Terry

[pontiouspilot]

It looks like an easy and early land victory at Guam and Saipan. He has very little there. You may not have to hang around for extended period with fleet. My recall is that you had LBA support in this invasion. I would dump off at least my carrier fighters and bug out. He'll have more trouble sinking the islands than your carriers if KB comes out to play.

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

It looks like an easy and early land victory at Guam and Saipan. He has very little there. You may not have to hang around for extended period with fleet. My recall is that you had LBA support in this invasion. I would dump off at least my carrier fighters and bug out. He'll have more trouble sinking the islands than your carriers if KB comes out to play.

pontiouspilot-


No, I didn't have any LBA support for this invasion; just Carrier Aircraft and the vast majority fighters as I left the bombers at Pearl to accommodate more fighters.

El Lobo's Carriers did come out, 13 of them. He attacked Saipan.

Yes, if we capture a base(s) soon enough and the base(s) have airfields in tact, I will fly some hellcats off the Carriers until we return with more fuel, supply, troops, and LBA.

Yes, as soon as all the troops and supply unload, the Invasion Fleet will head back to Pearl.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[CaptHaggard]

To our Canadian friends:

*Special Dispatch Rota Marianas*

"At 2:40 AM first elements of Rocky Mountain Ranger Battalion struck land at Tweksberry beach, at the very western tip of Rota. Enemy sentries stopped firing as soon as landfall was broached by landing craft; these sentries were last observed retreating up the steep circular bluff known as "Wedding Cake". Companies of Rangers fanned out down the beaches to surround this high ground and cut off enemy retreat at the pinch of the peninsula to the east. Directed by fire-control OP on Tweksberry, fleet bombardment group wasted no time digging up the "icing" atop the "cake."

Meanwhile, the 16th Brigade struck the beach at Tetato, located in the northern-central shore, and the 14th and 18th set up perimeter further east on Mochong. Between these two beachheads, construction and support battalions began to land, as nocturnal recon aircraft circled overhead, and this latter operation continues full-speed to this hour.

Resistance so far is meager, and most of the unfortunate casualties of the Canadians is the result of drowning. There appears to be a force of perhaps 500 - 1000 enemy present, but it thus far it is impossible to say how many front-line troops."

Forwarded by Haggard Group, CINCPAC

[Lowpe]

I would say that is a pretty good day...very weakly held.

Kudos!

[HansBolter]

Its always a good idea to bring LBA loaded on ships, preferably AKVs, to unload in support of your invasion as soon as an airfield is secured.

Bringing both fighters and anti-shipping bombers ensures your holding has both a defensive and offensive punch.

[pontiouspilot]

Too bad no LBA support. Oh, as a very insignificant aside....you appear to be needlessly losing Walrus and Kingfishers. It looks like you are setting them for escort/cap. All they are good for is search and ASW...in my opinion anyway.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

Too bad no LBA support. Oh, as a very insignificant aside....you appear to be needlessly losing Walrus and Kingfishers. It looks like you are setting them for escort/cap. All they are good for is search and ASW...in my opinion anyway.

And Recon in support of bombardments ...

[Ian R]

At night.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Ian R

At night.

I do it in the daytime too. I just set their altitude at 13,000 feet to be above most Japanese flak.
You need to set "Remain on station" to get the daytime bombardment, and even then it will only happen if there is a good DL on the target.

[Ian R]

You need to set "Remain on station" to get the daytime bombardment, and even then it will only happen if there is a good DL on the target.

And also if none of your ships go to winchester.

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: CaptHaggard

To our Canadian friends:

*Special Dispatch Rota Marianas*

"At 2:40 AM first elements of Rocky Mountain Ranger Battalion struck land at Tweksberry beach, at the very western tip of Rota. Enemy sentries stopped firing as soon as landfall was broached by landing craft; these sentries were last observed retreating up the steep circular bluff known as "Wedding Cake". Companies of Rangers fanned out down the beaches to surround this high ground and cut off enemy retreat at the pinch of the peninsula to the east. Directed by fire-control OP on Tweksberry, fleet bombardment group wasted no time digging up the "icing" atop the "cake."

Meanwhile, the 16th Brigade struck the beach at Tetato, located in the northern-central shore, and the 14th and 18th set up perimeter further east on Mochong. Between these two beachheads, construction and support battalions began to land, as nocturnal recon aircraft circled overhead, and this latter operation continues full-speed to this hour.

Resistance so far is meager, and most of the unfortunate casualties of the Canadians is the result of drowning. There appears to be a force of perhaps 500 - 1000 enemy present, but it thus far it is impossible to say how many front-line troops."

Forwarded by Haggard Group, CINCPAC

Captain Haggard-


Well done.

That was well, written, interesting and humorous.

Let's hope the Canadians can capture Rota!

Your pal,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I would say that is a pretty good day...very weakly held.

Kudos!

Lowpe-


That was one of the big gambles for the Allies; whether El Lobo had stuffed the Marianas Islands with aircraft and ground troops.

I was glad to see that the Allies only had to face a Naval Guard Unit on Saipan and the 124th and 144th Infantry Regiments on Guam.

Thank you for the Kudos!

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Its always a good idea to bring LBA loaded on ships, preferably AKVs, to unload in support of your invasion as soon as an airfield is secured.

Bringing both fighters and anti-shipping bombers ensures your holding has both a defensive and offensive punch.

Hans-


Welcome back, I have been wondering where you have been.

Generally, I agree with you. However, with reference to Operation Sea Shark I respectfully disagree.

Until the Invasion Fleet was 360 miles away from the Marianas Islands, I didn't have a clue what El Lobo's strength in terms of aircraft and ground forces were at Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam. Accordingly, nor did I have a clue how long it might take to capture an airbase nor what shape it would be when captured.

I did not want to leave precious AKVs (I only have four of them) for whom knows how long as sitting ducks for El Lobo to trash.

Further, I knew that If things went well, I could easily fly off some fighters and Dauntless Dive Bombers from the Allied Carriers. Additionally, I knew that I had planned and prepared to load and unload a CD Unit and several AA units at Saipan, Tinian,and Rota. As to Guam, a CD unit and numerous Marine Corps Defense Battalions.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

Too bad no LBA support. Oh, as a very insignificant aside....you appear to be needlessly losing Walrus and Kingfishers. It looks like you are setting them for escort/cap. All they are good for is search and ASW...in my opinion anyway.

pontiouspilot-


As to LBAs, please review the post I left for Hans.

I am not sure why the Walrus and his friendly Seagull buddy disobeyed their orders to search to close on and engage Zeros, but they did. *laughing hard*

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

BBfanboy and Ian R-


For each of the four Bombardment Task Forces, all search aircraft aboard were set for Night Recon at each of the respective islands that the Bombardment Task Forces were to bombard.

Captain Haggard had advised me that Allied bombardment results might be better with Night Recon on each of the four southern Marianas Islands.

It is seldom that I do not heed the sage advice of Captain Haggard!

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

ORIGINAL: Ian R

You need to set "Remain on station" to get the daytime bombardment, and even then it will only happen if there is a good DL on the target.

And also if none of your ships go to winchester.

Ian R-


The four Bombardment Task Forces and the Two Surface Combat Task Forces that went to Saipan and to Guam, were all set to "Remain on Station."

However, I only wanted to bombard each of the four southern Marianas Islands once.

I wanted to conserve ammunition for fear that El Lobo would send his Carriers and Surface Combat ships to fight; which he did.

Accordingly, if El Lobo attacks with his Surface Combat ships, I now have seven Surface Combat Task Forces to hopefully provide some damage to the Japanese.

Best Regards,

-Terry

[Rio Bravo]

[center]Japanese Warships

North of Pagan (Marianas Islands)

June 23, 1943[/center]


El Lobo has directed numerous Japanese Warships including thirteen Carriers to the Marianas Islands.

See map below.


Best Regards,

-Terry

[CaptHaggard]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for your advice. While I cannot actually see Bravo's settings, the planes in question were set to recon (for their bombardment groups) or conduct general search (from ships in the TF Group hex)—and these tasks we observed them perform during the CR.

So as you can imagine, we were surprised to see them trying to tangle with Zeros during the massive enemy KB raid on Saipan.

I've no idea why. I haven't looked at the available secondary flight assignments of these search planes. But I would be shocked if a CAP function is even available.

If it is, having it selected is an oversight that will be corrected.

*Salute*

Hag

PS—Just saw the recent posts, above. That will teach me to refresh my screen prior to posting!

[BBfanboy]

13 carriers - but surely not all are full fledged CVs.
I don't know how much you have bled the KB air groups in the past, so its pilot quality may be pretty good or not, but your aircraft should be better.
Just avoid the 8-hex strike by moving suddenly toward him and make sure you do not have CV TFs following one another - if one reacts the others may NOT follow.
Fighters assigned by full squadron to CAP or Escort. Some low CAP, some around 12K and some around 20K.