One last banzai (NJP vs Wagmr) Game Over

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: GetAssista


Without carrier cover in sight it is really easy to guess correctly [:D] Wonder if Mike would identify some ships as CVs though, this can throw him out of track

Now where would be the fun in that [:)] Besides Allied 500 pounders from their main airbases Singapore etc at that range (not torps) aren't likely to do much except scratch some paint on the big boys.

Surface forces are more of a threat but at the end of the day only a couple of Dutch DDs turned up to be sank.

On a sadder note his CVs appear to have gotten clean away. [:(]

[Bif1961]

So was this just a Johnston Island foray or a bigger plan to take the Line Islands to force him the longer way around to bring reinforcements to Pago-Pago, Suva, NZ and OZ axis?

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

So was this just a Johnston Island foray or a bigger plan to take the Line Islands to force him the longer way around to bring reinforcements to Pago-Pago, Suva, NZ and OZ axis?

Yep correct, I wanted the Line Islands to keep him guessing, force additional logistical hardship and importantly remove his search coverage. You can get them very cheaply now in Dec 41 but the logistics of keeping them in supply will be a nightmare.

I only really plan on holding them for 3 to 4 months. When he moves to take them back he will have to expose some nice assets to subs or whatever I can scrape together at the time.[:)]

[AlessandroD]

Interesting idea but I would be worried because you are within B-17 range, very likely your base will be out of business in few days.

[Bif1961]

You wouldn't need Jonhston to force him to take the long way around. You could do that with taking Palmyra and Christmas Islands, which would leave you out of B-17 range from Hawaii. You would just need to take baker and Canton behind them and fall back on them once he decided to make a real effort to take them. They would make good forward sub bases and allow you to invest PH with subs for a much longer time.

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: AlessandroD

Interesting idea but I would be worried because you are within B-17 range, very likely your base will be out of business in few days.

He doesn't have a huge amount of them to begin with and I suspect Allied players don't like risking them against a heavily fortified airbase filled with elite Zeros. Most of the time they are off using their range to bomb ports or undefended amphib taskforces or recently captured oil centres.

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

You wouldn't need Jonhston to force him to take the long way around. You could do that with taking Palmyra and Christmas Islands, which would leave you out of B-17 range from Hawaii. You would just need to take baker and Canton behind them and fall back on them once he decided to make a real effort to take them. They would make good forward sub bases and allow you to invest PH with subs for a much longer time.

Yes good point but I want Johnston in case I do something against the Hawaii Islands.

I haven't made up my mind yet but it is a long way from Japan!

[njp72]

Been slowed down over the last 2 turns as Mike sortied quite a few surface taskforces against my forces around the DEI.

The results have been relatively inconclusive with the butchers bill being: Allied 1x CA, 2 x CLs, 1x DD vs IJN 2 xDDs, approx 2-3 low valued PBs, 2 xAks and some mine sweepers.

Both sides were lucky and unlucky. Allies couldn't seem to get past one particular SAG which stopped them hitting more valuable amphib taskforces. But they also got lucky by avoiding some powerful SAGs in the same hex.

Need to consolidate a turn or two before recommencing the push. But if anything I will now accelerate rather than slow down

[njp72]

This surface group performed brilliantly in holding off multiple Allied TFs

[njp72]

Round 2

[njp72]

Detached a couple of DDs from KB to hunt down stragglers from Pearl.

They found a hell of a lot of more shipping then I bargained for.

They fought brilliantly but were eventually dispatched by sheer weight of numbers after they ran out of ammo.

[njp72]

Battles around Pearl continued

[njp72]

Arguably I have been too cautious with KB allowing too much of the Pacific fleet escape.

Two main reasons for this:

1. Mike has a stack of DDs hunting the KB which is causing me to act quite defensively. There is no surface groups in support of KB which makes the situation worse due to the historical start.

2. I'm a long way from home and support if I get myself into trouble which is easy enough to do, I will be in the hurt locker. [:)]


One of the few successes thus far

[Bif1961]

Well now you know 4 BBs had little or no damage and probably good you didn't go for a 2nd day strike at PH. Though all 8 BBs were listed with either heavy damage or heavy fires or both. I guess FoW allowed your pilots to over report.

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

Well now you know 4 BBs had little or no damage and probably good you didn't go for a 2nd day strike at PH. Though all 8 BBs were listed with either heavy damage or heavy fires or both. I guess FoW allowed your pilots to over report.

Yes I feel aside from the 1 to 2 sunk at Pearl his BBs have managed to escape due to the lack of engine/flotation damage.

[njp72]

China- working well, no real surprises.

Again very hard to stop this approach from an Allied perspective.

Objective Sian

[njp72]

DEI also going relatively to plan.

There was only one day of frantic surface action and then Mike started to pull back his surface assets. He has also been quite careful with his air as well. Effectively organised/ aggressive resistance has ceased here after 13 days of operations.

Hoping to have secured a major port before Christmas which now appears highly likely. The Dutch have now bolted to that damn mountain enclave which generally takes a tactical nuke to get them out. Still there is no rush, they can sit there and starve. [:D] I just need the ports to refuel/rearm the armada.

Losses light on both sides (except for his merchantman and oilers) who have been largely obliterated.

[njp72]

DEI continued

[njp72]

Pacific

Johnston and Midway have been seized as I wish to keep my options open around Hawaii.

Never really done this move before and now I know why! The logistics because of the distances involved are a killer. Much easier to move against India and Oz.

Still there is some attractive options at isolating Hawaii. The islands are easy to seize at the moment and I will ensure when he comes back they are mini fortresses. Nobody likes attacking fortified islands/ atolls especially when they are surrounded by angry subs.

KB is raiding fleeing shipping from Pearl which has only been marginally effective. There is plenty out there but I am being careful with my prized asset. Only takes one torp and I am a hell of a long way from any half decent base. Also been very careful with my oilers who just trail behind KB.

[njp72]

The fun part has been hunting down his defenceless merchantmen fleeing out of Java heading down to Perth (logical base to flee to).

Have to be a bit careful as I am sure the two CVs from Pearl ended up around here somewhere. Sooner or later I suspect he will commit them to gain some retribution. Hopefully when he does a sub might get lucky.

Part of me feels a little bit of guilt on this early carnage but then I remember the 44 and 45 apocalypse which spurs me on. [:)]