Since they are dive bombers with probably crews that have good experience the results are to be believed though the bonb load is light.
They are not dive bombers, just light level bombers. Notice that they release their bombs at 6K altitude. The 50 Kg bomb is enough to disable a soft target in clear terrain or destroy a disabled soft target. Obviously the chances of disabling or destroying are higher with larger ordinance, but as light bombers these use 1/2 the supply of the medium bombers.
They are good pilots. One thing about Apbarog withdrawing his fighters from Malaysia is that my bombers have had free reign and the pilots are improving quickly. This unit is all above 70 exp. and 70 ground bombing. I may have a few TRACOM eligible bomber pilots soon. In fact, I am thinking about forming up a group of Sonias with my highest experienced bomber pilots and using them regularly to create a cadre of TRACOM eligible bomber pilots to use in training squadrons.
After bypassing Luzon in the early going, I am setting up a training center for my pilots at Hengchun. What is Hengchun? A surprisingly useful base on the southern tip of Formosa. Like Java, the major bases on Formosa are in poor terrain, and like Java, I want to multiply my force on defense by taking advantage of terrain, keep my forces under the jungle canopy late in the war, and have access to a port and airfield. Hengchun fits this bill as a redoubt on Formosa to be expanded and fortified.
Conveniently, it is also 10 hexes from Clark Field and Manila (normal range for Oscars with drop tanks and Sallies). I have been working on the airfield at Hengchun for 2 months, and it will be size 4 in the next couple of turns. Formosa is "general defense," so I can transfer permanently restricted air units from Honshu to Formosa. I will transfer a group of Betties and Zeros over for the time being and begin to bomb the allied positions on Luzon to build experience for my pilots. I also want to destroy the ACMs that Apbarog has deployed at Bataan and Manila to preserve the minefields there. This job will be for Sally Ics, as I do not want to fly Betties over the flak at Bataan. In addition to building experience for my pilots, I can also target the airfields and ports and destroy some supplies.
I have spotted 11 cargo ships near Noumea today with my newly positioned float planes. And the most recent reports place 15K troops, mostly U.S. at Noumea. It seems Apbarog will run no further and that there will be a fight here. Mission accomplished. It appears that we have brought the allies to battle. Slowly but surely our SoPac position is filling out. Noumea is now a size 2 airfield and capable of limited offensive operations. The 23rd air HQ is there, and I will send in some Betties and recon planes today. The 11th Air Flotilla is en route to Moresby, which will also fill out to 20K+ supply to provide replacement a/c to the entire theater for the coming battle. The 21st is at Koepang, and the 24th is at Truk.
We continue to suffer material shortages in the region. Supplies are OK, but fuel continues to be a problem. We have 6k at Rabaul; 25k unloading at Moresby; 125K at Truk; and 15k on tankers bound to replenish the Ashigara heavy CA group which is going on station in the Solomons. The CVs are low again, and 3 fast AOs are inbound to Truk to run fuel to them at Rabaul. They will then go on station near Tulagi.
Guadalcanal is the key to this region. From Tulagi and Guadalcanal, Japan controls the nexus of the Coral Sea, Solomon Sea, and Marshalls area. From here, we threaten the whole coast of Australia while simultaneously being capable of responding to U.S. fleet operations around New Caledonia and in the Solomons and are able cover TFs moving down the Torres Straits from the DEI. This is why Guadalcanal is important in this game and was historically. I will begin to create a fuel depot here and naval construction battalions are en route to build up Tulagi and Guadalcanal. AKEs, AGs, and ADs are positioned along the Solomon chain to Ndeni to replenish the fleet. I have one large group headed to New Caledonia now and will be moving 2 divisions to New Caledonia from Java in the next 7 days.
The first midget-sub carrier/glen hunter/killer group has been formed with I-8 and I-18 at Kwajalein. It will patrol the area around Pago Pago, which is a size 2 port ATM without nets. As I mentioned, the two subs will work together patroling the area and using the glen to recon small ports from time to time to try to find high value targets at anchor for the mini-sub.
So Apbarog swept Koumac today with P-40Es coming in at 23K. I had 45 Zeros on station, set to 70% CAP, range 0, at 9K. The battle reports and AARs are more confusing than usual. The combat replay and air losses for the day show about 14 P-40Es destroyed for 11 Zeros. I can confirm the 11 Zeros. However, the intelligence screen scoresheet shows 25 allied losses for the day, and the squadron screen shows a net gain of 21 kills for the Zero squadron. I believe the squadron screen and the intelligence screen are more likely to be accurate. Is this true? It is rare for there to be such a large discrepancy in the various reports and screens. Whatever the case, I lost only 3 pilots KIA (though I had 6 wounded), so I am pleased with the results. The WIA pilots should be back in a few months.
Jakes at Koumac spotted a TF that they now report contains a BB at Noumea. This is a mixed Jake group, cobbled together. It has 4 good pilots (68-70 nav search, 60-65 exp), and 5 pilots who are not so good (60 nav search: 50-55 exp). Yesterday they reported that TF as containing a CL. I am not sure which report to believe, but I suspect that the BB may be the correct report. The Warspite should be arriving in SoPac about this time. There is also 1 ship in port at Noumea, which is reported to be an AMc, but I suspect that it is an ammunition ship. All of which leads me to believe that Apbarog may try to bombard Koumac. I think that I will evacuate the Zero squadron to Port Moresby to recover. There is not a major bomber threat, it seems, at this moment to Koumac.
I cannot respond to any BB bombardment mission at the moment. My CVs are in the Rabaul area, half-refueled and awaiting another AO group, which is 2-3 days away. The Myoko-class CA group is at Tulagi completely refueled, but I think that I will break down this TF and use these CAs for CV escorts for the time being. I then can put together an SCTF/bombardment group with 3 fast BBs (minus the Kongo which is repairing at Truk and is out for 2 weeks) and the CA Maya. The Chokai, Atago, and Takao have arrived safely at Yokohama to repair and then upgrade. The Kitakami is at Truk with the Tenryu, both have 25-35 flot damage and will make some minor repairs and then (hopefully) return to Yokohama with a set of Minekaze-class DDs, who are due for their Feb. upgrades.
Here is the combat report of the battle at Koumac. I like the 9K altitude for the patrol because it keeps the Zeros in their manuever bands and gives them some room below 15Kto climb and scramble while remaining in their best band. Notice how some scrambled to 11K. Also Apbarog seems to like 10K for his bombers, and 9K places my fighters at an altitude that I like for bomber attacks (to try to get head-on attacks that separate the bombers from their formation). Notice the slow interception time. I need radar. JNAF Battalions are slower to get radar than JAAF battalions and flak guns. I have 3 JAAF BTNs on Truk now, waiting to deploy south. The first Japanese radar does not appear until April, so I must suffer 2 more months of poor CAP at the front.
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Morning Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 48 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 17 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 45
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 22
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 5 destroyed
CAP engaged:
Tainan Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 22 on standby, 13 scrambling)
10 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 24 minutes
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Morning Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 20
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed
CAP engaged:
Tainan Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 3 on standby, 8 scrambling)
27 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 11000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 38 minutes
After the sweeps, a group of Liberators came in over Koumac. Notice how the Zeros are getting pulled higher by the sweeps, now scrambling as high as 16K, even though the bombers are coming in at 10K. The combat replay showed the Zeros diving on the Liberators, so no "head-on" attacks, unfortunately.
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Morning Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
CAP engaged:
Tainan Ku S-1 with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 2 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
22 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 6000 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 72 minutes
I was right that Apbarog was set up to bombard Koumac, though wrong about the Warspite. It was a light bombardment group composed of Indianapolis and Boise. He also rotated in 2 new fighter groups and swept with fresh pilots and full groups, so I am happy that I decided to evacuate the A6M2s for time being. It appears as though the Indianapolis group moved off, either to Suva, Melbourne, or Brisbane.
I loaded 3 JAAF Btns at Truk yesterday to move south so that I can upgrade their sound detectors to radar at the first opportunity and give my front-line SoPac bases a better raid warning. A division will begin loading at Soerabaja today for New Caledonia. I may hold the CVs, fast BBs, and Myoko-class CAs at Rabaul for the moment and bring in the whole fleet with the division, though I am still undecided. Leaving nothing on station at New Caledonia will allow him to move in additional reinforcements (which may not necessarily be a bad thing if the goal is to destroy U.S. assets... which it is). Holding back the whole fleet until the division arrives in SoPac from the DEI also will save fuel and allow to stockpile some fuel in SoPac. I have 90K fuel en route to Rabaul (40k from Truk, the rest from the DEI) and 6K unloading at Tulagi. I will move more to Tulagi as the base expands.
I remain committed to taking New Caledonia before commencing the invasion of Australia, and I think that buying out the heavy artillery first was a good idea. I may even be able to take Java before the Australian campaign begins in earnest. Batavia will fall in a few days, and I will start on Bandoeng and see how the bombardments go. The heavy artillery is en route to Batavia and will arrive in a week. I may buy out 5 armored regiments next and then start on the elements of the 1st division. I normally deploy the elements of the 2 tank divisions to Burma, but in this game, I think that at least 1 tank division will go to Australia, possibly via Java if Bandoeng appears likely to fall to an assault.
I also must begin to think about what units I want to commit to Luzon. One division from Java and the heavy artillery for certain. I will want at least 4 divisions and some armor. I can only buy out a division per month from Manchuria, give or take. If I deploy the 1st division south, which will cost me most of my PPs through the end of February, the rest of my PPs for March, April, and May will have to go to buying out units for Luzon, unless I wait until July to invade Luzon, in which case I could buy out 1 more division for Australia.
2 divisions from Manchuria, the 2 divisions in SoPac, and 2 divisions from Java will give me 6 divisions to begin the Australian campaign. That should be enough to start, but not enough to finish the campaign. I do not know what to expect actually in Australia. I have never invaded Australia before with the intent of taking all of it.
Some players are very good with submarines. Apbarog seems to be one of them. I was lucky the past few days as allied subs fired at a CS and the CVE Hosho, but the torpedoes either missed or did not detonate. Today I was not so lucky and lost an AO loaded with fuel for Rabaul. IJN subs responded by sinking a U.S. ACM: not a very good trade for Japan.
My first group of Zero pilots graduated training yesterday and have been assigned to a small Zero squadron at Bihoro on Hokkaido to fly CAP and gain experience and air skill. Here is a group portrait of the first pilots to graduate the Aurorus training program. They are excited to exchange their Pete and A5M4 trainers for real Zeros. What a happy group! Little do they know the fate that awaits them and the empire.
An interesting tactical situation has arisen in SoPac. I have no idea if this is a critical moment or not, but it could be. Here is the situation. I have an amphib. group carrying the recon and artillery divisional support for the regiment currently at Noumac along with naval support. This naval support is important, because I have division en route from the DEI and will need the naval support to offload. I have the full KB and 3 CVLs in the theater, but out of position. A small amphibious unit was spotted by allied patrols yesterday at Espiritu Santo, and I moved First Air Fleet near Espiritu Santo to cover a possible SCTF moving up to engage this amphib group.
Today, I detect heavy radio traffic from Brisbane, which indicates a large U.S. TF, possibly CVs, probably departed Brisbane yesterday. There are 81 Zeros on station at Koumac, and recon reports 74 allied fighters at Noumea. Scout planes report a U.S. transport TF docked at Noumea as well as what looks to be a light SCTF covering TF. In effect, we could both be in the exact same position. We both have transports to cover; we both have an SCTF in theater; we have an equal number of fighters on New Caledonia; and we both could have CVs in theater on opposite sides of New Caledonia from one another. He has spotted my CVs, however, and knows their position, so he has an advantage. He has not spotted my SCTF covering TF at Koumac, and he has only 1 DL on Koumac, so I doubt that he is aware that there are 81 Zeros there. (There were 0 Zeros there yesterday).
Here are my options and possibilities. Moving my CVs anywhere within 7 hexes of Noumea would risk launching a raid on the transports or SCTF at Noumea and into heavy CAP. I could sweep Noumea with the Zero groups from Koumac to thin out the CAP, but this would leave my SCTF and my transports without cover. Of course, Apbarog could be thinking the same thing and try to sweep Koumac as a prelude to a possible CV strike on my SCTF and transports. Of course, he could retire his CVs, or he could have no CVs deployed. He could move his CVs into a position about 7 hexes directly south of Koumac, which would place him in range of my transports and SCTF and place Noumea directly between my CVs and his CVs. He could also move to within 1 or 2 hexes of Noumea and use his LBA fighters to provide additional CAP for his CVs. This is what I would do, if I were Apbarog and my CVs had departed Brisbane yesterday.
what does the "capricious" weather look like it will be?
I agree about the pilots, especially top Zero pilots. I do not mind sweeping Buffalos or Dutch fighters with Zeros, but I do not like to make a habit of sweeping P-40s without a friendly unit in the hex. I much prefer Tojos for this job.
The weather forecast is clear, though there is light rain over New Caledonia at this point. I slept on the decision last night and am finishing up a long turn in my other game right now (reconfiguring air units, rotating pilots from training squadrons, and filling out rear-area CAP and the training squadrons).
I have decided that the heavy radio traffic is the 4 U.S. CVs. He spotted my CVs 3 days ago in the Solomons, heading SE. He did not spot them yesterday. Today they turned up near Espiritu Santo. He would not have dispatched the Indianapolis grp. or any other SCTF with my CVs moving into the area. I doubt that it is a transport group from the West Coast either. He would not be reinforcing Australia with the IJN threatening New Caledonia and Suva. If these are indeed CVs, and I believe that they are, his plan must be to move adjacent to Noumea and try to cover his CVs with LBA. That is the only logical conclusion.
This means that he will have his CAP from Noumea set to a range beyond 0. I think that I will withdraw my SCTF and my transport group. I think that I will move my CVs west to try to get between his CVs and Australia, and I think that I will sweep the dot base adjacent to Koumac. If his LBA CAP is set to cover CVs, some planes will leak over into this hex and I may get numbers and kills. There is also the possibility that he received sigint indicating a division leaving Soerabaja for SoPac, and he may try to sneak his CVs north along the coast of Australia to intercept the division. By moving my CVs west, I may be able to cut him off. That is the plan as of this moment. I still have to complete my turn in my other game, so I may change my mind.
Moving my CVs west is a little risky, as they will have to run a gauntlet of submarines, but Vals reported hitting at least 2 of these subs yesterday, so hopefully, hopefully, we can pass through the sub screen without any major issues.
I changed my mind. As it happens, I have a port unit loaded onto an AMC in the transport group. I detached this AMC and moved it by itself into Koumac to unload and flew my A6M2s on CAP over the hex. I did not want to risk the entire transport grp. and the SCTF, because the base force, naval engineers, and heavy CAs are too important. If he does move CVs south of New Caledonia for a strike on Koumac from 7 hexes away preceded by sweeps, even 81 A6M2s will not be enough to stop a good number of bombers from getting through. In clear weather, this has the potential to wrech my SCTF or my transport grp. The AMC should be enough to attract the attention of Halsey, who can be overly aggressive. If he does move his CVs by Noumea and cover his CVs with his LBA, he will fly into a CAP trap with his naval air. In this way, I risk little with the potential for an opportunity to inflict substantial losses on his naval air arm.
We shall see if this indeed US CVs or if I have been spooked by phantom radio traffic. If I have been spooked, I have lost nothing (unless an allied sub gets lucky, and they have been doing that a lot).
ORIGINAL: Aurorus
I have decided that the heavy radio traffic is the 4 U.S. CVs. He spotted my CVs 3 days ago in the Solomons, heading SE. He did not spot them yesterday. Today they turned up near Espiritu Santo.
With so many subs in the vicinity your opponent probably has a pretty good guess on your CV location every turn. You cannot afford not to fly NavSearch, can you?
With this in mind, what are DLs on your subs? And why do you keep some of them near NC? To catch bombardments? With Allied CVs in the area best use for your subs IMO is to spread out between Oz and NC.
Yet another thanks for the very informative AAR, by the way! I'm always reading it
ORIGINAL: Aurorus
I have decided that the heavy radio traffic is the 4 U.S. CVs. He spotted my CVs 3 days ago in the Solomons, heading SE. He did not spot them yesterday. Today they turned up near Espiritu Santo.
With so many subs in the vicinity your opponent probably has a pretty good guess on your CV location every turn. You cannot afford not to fly NavSearch, can you?
With this in mind, what are DLs on your subs? And why do you keep some of them near NC? To catch bombardments? With Allied CVs in the area best use for your subs IMO is to spread out between Oz and NC.
Yet another thanks for the very informative AAR, by the way! I'm always reading it
I have 2 CS with the CVs along with Tone and Chikuma for a total of 30 Jakes. I am flying 10% of my Vals on naval search, which provides an additional 10-12 search planes, and 10% on ASW. My Val pilots are not fully trained in ASW yet: mostly around 50-55 skill, but in my experience DBs make the best ASW platforms. Even at 50-55 skill, they are scoring hits on subs often. I had 2 reported hits yesterday. While the 250 Kg bomb will not sink a sub normally, it will send them back to port for repairs. I fly the Petes from the CAs at night on NavS at 1K altitude to try to spot submarines at night out to 3 hexes.
Those subs that you see next to Noumea were rerouted there about 6-7 days before to finish off an Aussie CA. They are short-range subs and very low on fuel. They are hovering just be Koumac because of fuel issus and because I have been expecting Warspite to appear while the CVs were away. I have 4 longer range subs en route to the area, but a good number of the longer range fleet subs are at port repairing system damage from their deployment in CentPac and around Christmas Island. It will be 2 weeks yet before I have an adequate number of subs in the area. I have 4 subs covering the region around Suva where I have spotted AOs several times. Alas, I have been all around few AO TFs, but have failed to engage. I generally use a good number of my longer range fleet subs to hunt AOs and transport TFs from the West Coast. I also like to put at least 1 glen-equipped sub on patrol in the strike zone of Nettie bases. So my subs are stretched pretty thin at the moment.
I sent a midget sub carrier, which is patrolling in conjunction with a glen-equipped sub, into the Pago Pago yesterday, where the glen spotted AOs. The midget sub carrier did not launch his midget, but he did engage on his own. Unfortunately, they were not AOs. They were YOs. At least he did not waste his midget sub.
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Sub attack near Pago Pago at 148,161
I passed the day today looking at the WiTP map and planning upcoming operations for my 2 games. I will focus, for the moment, on what I have devised so far for the Australia campaign in this game.
The great advantage that Japan has in 1942, in addition to better experienced ground forces and a CV-advantage, is the range of the Japanese planes. In my opinion, any Japanese grand strategy should try to exploit this advantage by threatening multiple strategic locations with air strikes and stretching allied fighter cover. By establishing and holding positions that threaten strategic areas at range, the Japanese player also limits the allied player's ability to concentrate forces for advances in 1943 and possibly into 1944.
I will not invade Western Australia to commence the Australian campaign. I will focus my landings in the Northeast to begin, I think: the Townsville area. I do want to cut off the flow of fuel and reinforcements to Australia so far as possible. In doing so, I also want to spread allied fighter over the entire continent and limit Apbarog's ability to concentrate his air assets at the front. A few locations seem important. The first is Port Hedland in NW Oz. This makes for a good sub base. It is 18 hexes from Perth, which is extended range for B-17s and Liberators. However, 18 hexes is in normal range for my 4-Es. What 4-Es you ask? Emilies, of course. I am gearing up Emily production to 15 per month and will use my Emilies as heavy bombers. I will want to station a naval air HQ: probably the 25th or 27th at Port Hedland along with an AS. In addition, I will invade Carnavon as a feint to hopefully divert ground forces west. Should Apbarog try to advance on these positions by land, the long, open country will make a perfect kill zone for my Netties and Emilies.
Operations in NW Oz will commence after the mop up of the DEI is complete. I have 8 SNLFs in the process cleaning up Duth pockets on Celebes and Borneo. Once these operations are compete, SNLFs will be dispatched to Pt. Hedland, Broome, and Carnavon. These landings will be done on the cheap, without cover, and I will try to make all 3 landings simultaneously to prevent a response.
The second location that seems perfectly situated to cut off reinforcements to Oz and stretch allied air cover is Lord Howe Island off the coase of SE Oz. Notice the ranges as they apply to the pertinent aircraft in the game.
I am reviewing my forces now to see what can be spared for Lord Howe Island. This will a larger, more difficult operation that NW Oz. It will have to be a covered landing, with an adequate ground force, because it will take time to develop the airfield, and the position will be exposed for some time as the landings in NE Australia commence. I do not want to risk elements of a division here, because the troops on Howe may be cut off at some point in the future without any opportunity for evacuation. Therefore, I want to use SNLF. I will want 3 SNLFs, AA guns, Aviation support, and a port unit (to offload the AA guns). Once the airfield is established, I will want to reinforce the position with a naval air HQ: probably the 25th or 27th, whichever is not at Port Hedland. This will be a major operation at extended range for my CVs and cover units. AOs will be needed. Therefore, I would like to land on Lord Howe Island before the amphibious bonus expires.
It is March 2nd, and by chance, I have 4 SNLFs, aviation support, and 3 AA gun units sailing from Tokyo for Rabaul. Alas they are only 1 day out of Tokyo on 14-knot AKs. They will have to be offloaded at Rabaul or Truk, placed on APs and AKs in proper amphibious TFs. I am not sure if I can make the landing by the end of the month. It will be close.
I passed the day today looking at the WiTP map and planning upcoming operations for my 2 games. I will focus, for the moment, on what I have devised so far for the Australia campaign in this game.
The great advantage that Japan has in 1942, in addition to better experienced ground forces and a CV-advantage, is the range of the Japanese planes. In my opinion, any Japanese grand strategy should try to exploit this advantage by threatening multiple strategic locations with air strikes and stretching allied fighter cover. By establishing and holding positions that threaten strategic areas at range, the Japanese player also limits the allied player's ability to concentrate forces for advances in 1943 and possibly into 1944.
I will not invade Western Australia to commence the Australian campaign. I will focus my landings in the Northeast to begin, I think: the Townsville area. I do want to cut off the flow of fuel and reinforcements to Australia so far as possible. In doing so, I also want to spread allied fighter over the entire continent and limit Apbarog's ability to concentrate his air assets at the front. A few locations seem important. The first is Port Hedland in NW Oz. This makes for a good sub base. It is 18 hexes from Perth, which is extended range for B-17s and Liberators. However, 18 hexes is in normal range for my 4-Es. What 4-Es you ask? Emilies, of course. I am gearing up Emily production to 15 per month and will use my Emilies as heavy bombers. I will want to station a naval air HQ: probably the 25th or 27th at Port Hedland along with an AS. In addition, I will invade Carnavon as a feint to hopefully divert ground forces west. Should Apbarog try to advance on these positions by land, the long, open country will make a perfect kill zone for my Netties and Emilies.
Operations in NW Oz will commence after the mop up of the DEI is complete. I have 8 SNLFs in the process cleaning up Duth pockets on Celebes and Borneo. Once these operations are compete, SNLFs will be dispatched to Pt. Hedland, Broome, and Carnavon. These landings will be done on the cheap, without cover, and I will try to make all 3 landings simultaneously to prevent a response.
I’ve never heard of using Emilies to bomb before. How many squadrons do you have? Even in the mods where Japan actually gets 4E bombers I don’t think I’ve ever heard of them built due to durability issues. Don’t you have a rule preventing strategic bombing until ‘43 as well? Is the idea to just hit his forces trying to transit by land?
I’ve never heard of using Emilies to bomb before. How many squadrons do you have? Even in the mods where Japan actually gets 4E bombers I don’t think I’ve ever heard of them built due to durability issues. Don’t you have a rule preventing strategic bombing until ‘43 as well? Is the idea to just hit his forces trying to transit by land?
Japan can field approximately 50 Emilies, which makes for a small but capable 4-E bomber force with superior range to the allied 4-Es.
Lord Howe Island and Port Hedland will put me in range of most of the major ports in Australia. Emilies can also carry torpedos, so they can threaten ships disbanded at port and at anchor. Also, when the tide turns in 1943, if I fail to take all of Australia, I want to try to force the allies to contend with my bases at the far-flung corners of the empire, rather than move directly through Centpac or the DEI and cut off these bases. The threat of strat bombing beginning in late 1943 should serve this purpose.
My CVs moved off to the NW and are covering the 4th division through the Solomon Sea to New Caledonia. Apbarog decided to try to attack the transports and cover group at Koumac with DBs from Noumea while the CVs were away. He sent in a fighter sweep of P-40s with 2 groups of DBs escorted by P-39s. The fighter sweep arrived after the bombers and swooped down on A6M2s already diving after and engaged with bombers and escorts. The P-40s performed reaonably well given this advantage, but the DBs and escort fighters were decimated by the Zeros. Here are the air-losses for the day. 4 DBs made it through to attack a CA and an AK. No hits were scored.
I lost 4 pilots total on the day, so that is 7 Zero pilots lost altogether on New Caledonia for the loss of approximately 85 allied aircraft. There are advantages to remaining in a defensive posture, and I am making a concerted effort in this game to preserve my Zero pilots.
Fortunatey, Billy Bishop was not among the U.S. DB pilots, it seems, and Saburo Sakai recorded 3 kills on the day. He is now my best Zero pilot. He is approaching 90 exp with 80 defense and 85 air. The IJN now has 7 aces. The IJA has none so far.
The Japanese player can learn a great deal from making a habit of checking his sigint every day. For example, today I find numerous gems in my sigint. I see that Apbarog is using subs to resupply the garrison on Luzon, and I also noticed heavy radio traffic at Pago Pago, where I have a midget-sub carrier on patrol. When I scrolled the map to Pago Pago, I discovered that glens had spotted 4 allied TFs in the hex. I probably would not have checked Pago Pago this turn since nothing appeared on the combat replay.
