Wedge Donovan Wins the War: Apbarog(A) vs Aurorus(J) DBB-B

[zuluhour]

What does Burma look like? Are you flying in supply from India to China? Have you transferred any US assets to India?

[apbarog]

I've sent a few US engineering units, and a few air units. I don't think I've sent any ground combat units from the US.

Burma remains mostly quiet. Enemy concentrations west, middle, and east, no line formed. Aurorus did approach Paoshan in China from Burma, with about 9 units now, including the Imperial Guard Division, but hasn't moved into the base yet. Paoshan is a mountain hex and would be a challenge to take. He does sweep and bomb it almost daily though.

I've been flying supply from Ledo to China every day that isn't bad weather. Trying to avoid the terrible ops losses that the transports seem to take.

[apbarog]

Aurorus should be sending a turn on Tuesday or Wednesday. I may provide the details about my plans north of the Marshalls tomorrow.

[apbarog]

20 Jun 42 - The Plan

[CaptBeefheart]

Looks like you've thought of everything with that invasion. I do hope your troops are spread among a lot of xAPs and xAKs, though, as they don't unload very fast.

Good luck!

Cheers,
CC

[apbarog]

Almost every AP (not xAP) and AK I have is here with troops loaded.

Concerns:
Coastal guns. This is a DBB-B game. There are a lot more coastal guns than in a stock game. I think that all 4 of my major targets have them. Will one battleship bombardment and another battleship in each invasion TF be enough? I don't know the answer to that. Coastal guns could take a toll on my nice APs, which could seriously hurt my chances of landing enough undisrupted troops in one night.

KB. It will undoubtedly come running. I will consider a fight with my carriers if I can take some of the bases and have fighter and bomber support there. Otherwise, it's a long run home. All of those support ships look good if I take some bases and have a place to put them. They look like targets if I don't.

Shock attacks. Every base will have one. Did I bring enough, and will the bombardments/bombings be enough to take a base? Again, I don't know the answer to that. I don't mind risking 4 regiments. Even if everything else goes right, I may not take a base. Depends on what's there, and that is all unknown.

My carriers. My highest priority is not to lose carriers. I'd accept losses only if I have taken some bases and can inflict equal or more losses to KB. It's also important not to lose the nice APs.

It's a big gamble. Wouldn't it be nice to own the northern Marshalls in June '42 though? We'd be halfway to Saipan/Tinian/Guam. The enemy would certainly focus here, which would open up real opportunities at Koumac and Nadi, and elsewhere in the South Pacific.

This operation is a reboot of my first approach to the Marshalls, months ago. Now my troops are much better prepped, 2 armor units have been added, more carriers to support, almost all Allied ships have been upgraded, and my carriers have some TBFs now. Did the enemy use the time to reinforce the area? I just don't know yet. Will find out soon. Fun times in the game though, regardless of the outcome.

[HMASAustralia]

I think that as long as no carriers or APs and AKs all results are good. Even if you fail to take the islands you rattle his front teeth and get him reacting to you in June 1942, which would have to be a big blow to his confidence.
And if the islands are lightly defended, you grab all 4 of the main bases making LBA support for the likely counter landing difficult. Even so the Japanese battleship fleet could turn those atolls into craters LBA support or not. Even if the islands do fall to a counter landing that is a mighty large spanner thrown into any further Japanese offensive operations in the South Pacific.

TLDR: Its a good plan.

[HansBolter]

Did you ever get the one squadron of F4F3p operational? I split that squadron in three and use them as carrier borne recon until the airframes run out. Too bad you only get 12 airframes of this plane cause they are worth thier weight in gold.

This adds a recon dimension to the 42 carrier capabilities whose value can't be overstated.

[BBfanboy]

One embedded BB will help considerably to protect the APs for one day. If there has been enemy fire at the ships the BB will use up all its ammo in the day and another ship should be swapped in. CAs are acceptable substitutes if you don't have more BBs.

Taking a base and replenishing from AEs/AKEs is good but replenishment of a BB can take more than a day because the BB runs out of ops points for loading ammo. But CAs should reload and be back on station in a day.

As for the islands, Japan doesn't have all that many IRs but it has lots of SNLF and Naval Guard units. I would expect one at each island.

[apbarog]

I do think I have a F4F3p squadron somewhere, but not on carriers. I will use them on carriers, probably, sometime in the future. They aren't well-trained at the moment. I would hesitate to use all 3 parts on carriers simultaneously, if going into a big battle away from friendly bases, as you can only have 5 units on a carrier, and small parts count.

In this case, I'm landing regardless of what is there.

[Lowpe]

Taongi is always nice to take...

I don't see too many American subs present?

Would be sweet to get a Brooklyn class light cruiser deep into Japanese lines north of Taongi and use some long legged nav search and subs to hopefully ambush a convoy.

I think Naval Guards and CD units are your biggest worry, that and or a staging area at the bigger ports. It would not surprise me if the area was empty except for static units except for a staging base. Also there might be a lot of shipping in port disbanded and weakly defended.

Try to figure out what Japan will do when they spot you...merchant shipping in the area will flee, probably with less than optimal ASW assets. Planes will stage to the area...what runways will Japan use? Warships will head to the area...you might have a chance to catch some nice surface ships.

Have fun.[:)]

[apbarog]

There are some subs around, but most are barrier CAP to the south, waiting to interdict the enemy fleet when it comes north.

My armada will probably be spotted today, but if it is not, I'll hit Kwajalein's port the following day as I approach. If we are spotted, it's a good bet that everything will run away. I do plan on using my torpedo bombers to help soften up the troops. I've trained them to at least an adequate level of ground attack.

I don't think a cruiser raid would find anything. The only contacts my subs have had in the area have been a single xAK here and there, supplying bases most likely.

[edit: barrier CAP is the wrong term, I know, but it's how I think of it]

[zuluhour]

+++1

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

There are some subs around, but most are barrier CAP to the south, waiting to interdict the enemy fleet when it comes north.

My armada will probably be spotted today, but if it is not, I'll hit Kwajalein's port the following day as I approach. If we are spotted, it's a good bet that everything will run away. I do plan on using my torpedo bombers to help soften up the troops. I've trained them to at least an adequate level of ground attack.

I don't think a cruiser raid would find anything. The only contacts my subs have had in the area have been a single xAK here and there, supplying bases most likely.

[edit: barrier CAP is the wrong term, I know, but it's how I think of it]

I think "patrol line" describes it well enough.

[apbarog]

Nothing to report, other than no turn from Aurorus Wednesday or Thursday. I'm guessing that his travel plans changed. He's usually good at communicating delays. When he hasn't, it's always been because of inability to do so, like power failure.

Hoping for a turn on Friday.

[apbarog]

Still nothing from Aurorus. I hope that all is well with him.

[adarbrauner]

-

[apbarog]

Aurorus expected to be back from his travels and send a turn on Wednesday. I don't think a turn has ever been more than a day delayed without an explanation before. I am concerned. I'm hoping that the explanation is something like a laptop failure. He is in Argentina, and I believe not in a big city. Maybe it would take some time to replace.

There is little I can do. My only contact information with Aurorus is email. I'm still hoping that this is a temporary delay.

[OPilot]

apbarog

I also have a game going with Aurorus. It has been over a week since I have heard from him and I am concerned. He said he would be traveling and send a turn when he returned but that should have been about 4 days ago.

Please let me know if you hear from him.

opilot

[apbarog]

Hello OPilot. This is concerning. All we can do is hope that he is ok. I will let you know when I hear something, and will post here also.