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

[Lowpe]

The Iboat isn't needed...a solid strike with 500kg bombs, sinking sounds heard later, and a kingfisher is destroyed on the ground in the final intel report.

[Lowpe]

Allies enter Magwe in force but leave the backdoor empty...so I am rushing troops there to seal them off.

Allies bomb both Magwe and the troops north of Shwebo, while Japan strafes and bombs the two isolated divisions SE of Shwebo. Only 1 Nick out of 120 is destroyed, and general attack follows and a good roll by the Allies get them a 1-2 but losses are good. Allied troops have malus for disruption, supply, etc. A good day.

What will tomorrow bring?

[Lowpe]

Why no general KB pursuit at Midway?

Basically because I am chicken. [:)] There are very compelling reasons why, but I will keep them compartmentalized for now. Maybe in a weeks time I will revisit the decision.

Little pigs get fed, big pigs gets slaughtered.[;)]

[Lowpe]

Today's listing of ships sunk.

Hope to finish of New Mexico on the morrow.

[Lokasenna]

In all likelihood, the New Mexico's "heavy damage" is System.

[obvert]

Wow. Your Judys did well. That is a solid day 2. And even if one of the heavily damaged BBs makes it, it'll be back pretty late in game. If those Judys have drop tanks there might even be another day of clean-up.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

In all likelihood, the New Mexico's "heavy damage" is System.

I think that might be a little too pessimistic...her speed is 3 for the day.

Anyhow, hopefully get another few whacks in her this next day.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Wow. Your Judys did well. That is a solid day 2. And even if one of the heavily damaged BBs makes it, it'll be back pretty late in game. If those Judys have drop tanks there might even be another day of clean-up.

They were kind of sitting ducks...I am disappointed I didn't get any afternoon strikes in, but my AV support is stretched super thin.

If I would have sent the KB in, I think it would have been a much better day although bad weather seems to be coming in. However, a lot of my thinking right now is damage avoidance and slowing down the Yankee offensive. A spotted KB doesn't accomplish that.

I keep on thinking IF I would have clicked an alternate route for the KB a month ago, the Kaga wouldn't have been hit with two torps and the strike would have been 10% stronger...but perhaps then it might have lost cohesion, and cohesion on the first strike yesterday was what won the fight decisively.

You are correct that I read the tea leaves for this attack...but I wasn't fully prepared. If I would have had another week, well then there would be a lot more sunk ships. I was fully prepared on the ground, except for forts only being 4 (60%) instead of 5. But I made the decision two or three weeks ago to pull the construction for the coming attack. A correct decision decision in hindsight.

When I last contemplated sending in the KB, at Darwin...I pulled back to avoid a full on clash with the Deathstar. It was then, that I made the decision to send them to Kure and await the Midway Invasion, which I felt sure would be with the Alaska carriers, battleships and invasion force -- a perfect match for the KB. I also felt sure it would be the next major invasion. Winter in the north, plus lack of dl and strong garrisons plus involved fighting already put them off the table.

I did toy with the idea of sending the KB into the North Pacific to catch this group ferrying supplies and or troops forward, but decided it was too far, too much fuel, and would put the KB too far from the last known DS location.

I had 40 Emilys and Mavis at Midway, and the lousy Yankees got within spitting distance before being spotted. I was hoping for one more day of warning so he did take me quite by surprise.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

In all likelihood, the New Mexico's "heavy damage" is System.

I think that might be a little too pessimistic...her speed is 3 for the day.

Anyhow, hopefully get another few whacks in her this next day.

My reasoning:

1) You hit her with 250kg bombs. Did any actually penetrate the deck armor or the belt armor and get to the vitals - engine damage messages, etc?

2) The previous torpedo hits did not show heavy damage, so floatation damage was not yet to 50. Nor engine. If you didn't see messages related to either from the bomb hits, then that's not what it is.

3) Fires cause system and minor flooding damage (from being put out), so it's possible that minor flooding damage tipped her floatation over the threshold, but I'm not sure you'd see this in the combat report immediately

4) Bombs blow up on the deck, in the superstructure, and take out AA mounts - generally, causing system damage


And again, you were hitting with 250kg bombs.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

And the afternoon strike...


Allied Ships
CVE Natoma Bay, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Mississippi, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 3, on fire
BB Colorado, Bomb hits 7, on fire
PG Charleston, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AP William Ward Burrows, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
BB New Mexico, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Sigsbee
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB New Mexico

Well this was from a day ago, and they weren't 250 kg bombs...but 500kg off which some penetrated.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

And the afternoon strike...


Allied Ships
CVE Natoma Bay, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Mississippi, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 3, on fire
BB Colorado, Bomb hits 7, on fire
PG Charleston, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AP William Ward Burrows, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
BB New Mexico, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Sigsbee
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB New Mexico

Well this was from a day ago, and they weren't 250 kg bombs...but 500kg off which some penetrated.

Oh, sorry - I was thinking of the Mississippi being the one that took 3 torpedoes and then bombs for a "new" heavy damage result.

In that case... I don't think your latest hits on her really did all that much. Maybe a few points of system [;)].

It's like it's my job to puncture balloons or something.

[Lowpe]

Nov 8, 1943

350 of Japan's best fighters ferry into Magwe...the repair facilities are 90 percent damaged, but the runways in perfect condition. Japan High Command is thinking this will be a bloodbath with heavy Allied sweeps by Jugs, Corsairs, Hellcats and P40s followed by massed 4E bombing....but no, it is a quiet day till later.

A sentai of Tojo IIa doesn't get the orders, and provides LRCAP over the troops in the jungle NE of Shwebo, and to their horror two sweeps of Jugs comes in downing 15 before they could retire. Ooops. But Magwe is quiet....perhaps something in the afternoon.

From the screen picture of bomber losses below, you would say those 350 fighters at Magwe intercepted with authority a bombing mission there in the afternoon and Allied sweeps didn't fly... Magwe has 80,000 Allied troops arrayed in battle order to take the town and those pristine oil wells.

Boy, you would be mistaken. Those bombers were all gunned down ferrying in supplies! Never in life have so many 4E beasties, expert bombing pilots & bristling with defensive guns suffered so much for so little!

Transports flying to 57,47 intercepted by 381 Ku S-1

Removing 50 4E bombers from the short term bombing campaign has huge implications for the Allied divisions currently isolated, which number 10 now, and in another day will number 20. Surely heads will roll in the Allied command structure here in Burma.

And, what is even better, there were no, as in none, aerial bombing of the troops preparing to attack those cut off divisions.[:)]



AIRCRAFT LANDING
AIR TRANSPORT PHASE
Transport Liberator II shot down by CAP
Transport Liberator II shot down by CAP
Transport Liberator II shot down by CAP
Transport Liberator II shot down by CAP
Transport B-24D1 Liberator shot down by CAP
Transport B-17F Fortress shot down by CAP
Transport B-17E Fortress shot down by CAP
Transport B-24J Liberator shot down by CAP
Transport B-24J Liberator shot down by CAP
Transport B-17E Fortress shot down by CAP
Transport B-25D1 Mitchell shot down by CAP
Transport B-25D1 Mitchell shot down by CAP
Transport B-25D1 Mitchell shot down by CAP
Transport B-24D1 Liberator shot down by CAP
Transport B-24D1 Liberator shot down by CAP
Transport B-24D Liberator shot down by CAP
Transport B-24D1 Liberator shot down by CAP
AIRCRAFT LANDING

[Lowpe]

The 2nd Tank Division, the 11th Tank Regiment and 18th Division are all racing north from Schwebo to join forces in place and destroy this Allied Army, in the open, in November of 1943. Who would have thunk it?

[Lowpe]

Quiet here, blue skies and ocean...well, the 24 cm howitzers continue to pick off Allied tanks knocking down the Aussie to 60 assault value while the Yanks are at 0.

[Andav]

The 2nd Tank Division, the 11th Tank Regiment and 18th Division are all racing north from Schwebo to join forces in place and destroy this Allied Army, in the open, in November of 1943. Who would have thunk it?

Not me. He should be bombing your moving guys or the guys sitting in the open instead of flying in supplies in 4Es.

The entire Burma Shuffle is a head scratcher. This is someplace the Allies should be making you pay for staying in the central plains in late 43.

It's like it's my job to puncture balloons or something.

Usually Lowpe is Debbie Downer ... Reality Rhonda ... Don't Get Ahead of Yourself Doris or something ... [:D]

Wa

[Lowpe]

Can I destroy these two Allied Dvisions and one LRP Bde?

Their effective AV is now just 400...and I will attack again as soon as the supplies roll in. A day or two.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Andav


Usually Lowpe is Debbie Downer ... Reality Rhonda ... Don't Get Ahead of Yourself Doris or something ... [:D]

Wa

Are you implying gender there?[:D]

A year from now the picture will be fairly grim, I bet. The Allies will most likely convert to kitchen sink movements.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Andav

The 2nd Tank Division, the 11th Tank Regiment and 18th Division are all racing north from Schwebo to join forces in place and destroy this Allied Army, in the open, in November of 1943. Who would have thunk it?

Not me. He should be bombing your moving guys or the guys sitting in the open instead of flying in supplies in 4Es.

The entire Burma Shuffle is a head scratcher. This is someplace the Allies should be making you pay for staying in the central plains in late 43.

Wa

I blame the Ramree Fetish, but also don't think the timeline is that out of whack. Burma is a tough place to fight - there are a few lines of hexes that are more easily defensible than they appear.

[Lowpe]

General notes:

1st Sentai converts to Frank R...42 planes of joy.

Starting the bombing campaign against the tanks at Midway

Bombing, from 20k, the Allied troops north of Schwebo...lots of AA there I believe.

Bolstered Magwe's air defense more. Strength versus strength there. Will Allies divert to close that base again?

Many troops are making their way to the next lines of defense...and in 8 days I get almost a dozen infantry regiments. Can't wait!

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Andav

The 2nd Tank Division, the 11th Tank Regiment and 18th Division are all racing north from Schwebo to join forces in place and destroy this Allied Army, in the open, in November of 1943. Who would have thunk it?

Not me. He should be bombing your moving guys or the guys sitting in the open instead of flying in supplies in 4Es.

The entire Burma Shuffle is a head scratcher. This is someplace the Allies should be making you pay for staying in the central plains in late 43.

Wa

I blame the Ramree Fetish,

Sounds nasty[:)], but I think you lost me. Are you saying Allies think taking Ramree means instant success in Burma?