Mushrooms over Maizuru: Chickenboy (J) vs. AcePylut (A)

[rustysi]

I lost Tab badly in a previous match. I dumped an entire Marine Division on the island.

Good. See, lessons learned.[:D]

I too tend to learn the hard way.[8|]

[AcePylut]

I didn't talk about this earlier in the match because it's boring stuff.

By the 2nd week of the war, I had 3 subs en-route to Marcus. They took up positions 2, 4, and 6 hexes east of Marcus. The sole job of these subs was to "scout for search planes". Should any of my SS show detection, then I'd know CB has search planes at Marcus. These subs (and the ones that replaced them when fuel got low) have not shown 1 level of detection (I check every day), there hasn’t been one “SS-JapKiller sighted by Mavis” report, and not one asw fleet sent to engage them.

After 2 weeks of no-detection, I decided to send a CL/2DD tf to patrol between Guam and Saipan (you can see the patrol route in my image above) for raiding purposes. My CL’s search craft were set to range 2 and my fleet was set to react at range 2 (to avoid pursuing anything into more dangerous waters where I couldn’t extract myself form LBA with a full speed run). It’s been patrolling here for about 2 weeks, undetected. My Seagulls sighting this IJ fleet is the first indication to him that I actually have a fleet here. The IJ fleet is also the first thing I’ve spotted.

If he does have a “Home Fleet”, it’s not going to make it past Iwo to Saipan in one day… and by day 2, I’ll be outta there. If he has a fleet at Guam just waiting for something like this – then good move by him! I’m betting 1 CL and 2 DD that he doesn’t have a fleet in situ at Guam or Saipan, though… because I think if he’d expected something like this, he’d have search planes up and my ships would have spotted the planes (and been spotted by them) a while ago.

Now… I have to hope I can make a midnight intercept of a fleet on the open seas that’s 40+km away. My ships are twice as fast as him, so I’ll first waypoint myself into the hex he’s in now. Then I’ll set a way point 2 hexes SW. Then I’ll set a waypoint 3 hexes east. I’ll set my home base to some island up in the Aleuts so my fleet retires to the NE and away from anything that might be stationed at the Marianas. If he pulls a "hard drive west, or east" then I'll most likely miss the intercept. Oh well.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: AcePylut
It's Jan 22nd, '42.

I lost Tab badly in a previous match. I dumped an entire Marine Division on the island.

I usually just send one guy in a rowboat to take a dump on an island and see what's there. [X(]

Just tell a sailor who has been at sea for three months that he has a day's leave coming but he has to take it right now! If he hesitates tell him you hear the local native girls love sailors... If he doesn't return, there are Japanese (or native girls) on the island.

[rustysi]

The IJ fleet is also the first thing I’ve spotted.

Yeah, not too much goes through this locale this early in the game. Maybe in a month or so IIRC.

Its definitely a good op on your part. I doubt there's much he can do (or myself) as bases won't be quite ready to secure the SLOC this early in the game. Later on I've usually got Iwo and Pagan etc. set for my aircraft hops to the SE. Its then I've search and or air assets active along the line. As well as LCU's at the various bases in the AO.

[rustysi]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: AcePylut
It's Jan 22nd, '42.

I lost Tab badly in a previous match. I dumped an entire Marine Division on the island.

I usually just send one guy in a rowboat to take a dump on an island and see what's there. [X(]

Just tell a sailor who has been at sea for three months that he has a day's leave coming but he has to take it right now! If he hesitates tell him you hear the local native girls love sailors... If he doesn't return, there are Japanese (or native girls) on the island.

[:D][8|]

[AcePylut]

Time to roll the bones - orders sent to my ships...

Spread across the DEI are 4 SCTF units that will converge, along with the CV's Enterprise and Lexington, in the DEI, and attempt to launch planes at the Evil Japanese. If I sink some ships, great. If I arrive to late, oh well, I will retire. If I lose all my ships, well dang.

[AcePylut]

And here's my Marianas intercept plot... I set my search craft to night search.

[BBfanboy]

.

[dave sindel]

ORIGINAL: AcePylut

And here's my Marianas intercept plot... I set my search craft to night search.

Good luck and good hunting on both this op and the DEI op

[AcePylut]

Just got the turn back and ran the combat replay..

In the passage between Iwo and Saipan... my 1 CL 2 DD tf came up empty and couldn't run down a transport tf half it's speed... so that was a big giant nothingburger.

[AcePylut]

Halfway between San Fran and Pearl, the I-26 parked a torp into the xAK Mt. Mickinley and sank it. Why I bother with escorts is beyond me, because they don't seem to do a dang thing.

(Ok I'm just whining and venting, no need to respond on that regard)

[AcePylut]

In the DEI -

More IJ troops poured into Balikpapan.

In the first invasion action, the xAK Yamabiko Maru took a 120mm hit from CD.
2 more rounds of amphib invasion went in un molested
In the fourth round, xAK Hokutai Maru took (2) 75mm and (1) 120mm CD hit.
5th, 6th round of amphib was unmolested.
7th round, the xAK Arizona Maru took a 75mm and a 120mm CD.
8th round, the xAK Shinryu Maru took a 75 and 120.
9th round, xAK Hokutai Maru took (3) 75mm, xAK Tyoko Maru took a 120.

and that was the nighttime invasion action.

The morning saw my carriers and sctf's in position to launch its planes at a large variety of tf's......

[AcePylut]

My carriers had clear weather, enemy in sight, orders sent to the pilots to seek and destroy any and every enemy ship.

In the morning phase, the first attack saw 36 Dauntlesses, 18 Vindicators, and 12 Swordfish engage the transports at Balikpapan covered by 8 Zeros (see Circle #1). The enemy downed 7 dive bombers, but the rest broke through and savaged the enemy transports. These are all 1000lb bomb hits...

xAK Kazuura Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Kinka Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Takaoka Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Shinryu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Zyuyo Maru, Bomb hits 6, and is sunk
xAK Nanman Maru, Torpedo hits 1
xAK Myoko Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage36
xAP Ural Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Yomogi, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Yasukawa Maru, Torpedo hits 1
xAK Atlas Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire

This was my first, best attack of the day.

Round #2 saw 12 Devastators engage 3 DD's at Circle #2. No hits were scored.

Round #3 saw 18 Dauntless and 15 Devastators engage 4 DD at Circle #3. No hits were scored.

Round #4 saw 18 Dauntless engage 4 DD at Circle #2. No hits.

That wrapped up the morning events.

In the afternoon...

48 Dauntless engaged the amphibs at Balikpapan (Circle #1). 8 Zeros were on Cap, and downed 8 of my planes. After breaking through CAP, they made their bomb runs and did this ....
AK Kinka Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Ryuun Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Atlas Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
AK Tosan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAK Misaki Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Keiyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires

Round 2 of the PM phase saw 11 SBD's launch against 3 DD at Circle #2. No hits.

Round 3 saw 11 TBD engage 1 DD at Circle #3. No hits.

Round 4 saw 12 TBD engage 3 SCs at Circle #4. 2 hits, 2 ships sunk.



And that wrapped up the days events. No enemy planes flew against my ships.

Spread between my tf are 10 CA, 5-6 CL, and about 15 or so DD. I'm mulling if I want to send in some ships to engage in surface action, or if I should call it a good day and pull back.

[BBfanboy]

Looks like complete surprise, so running the SCTF into Balikpapan at top speed with orders to RTB after should net some DDs, if your guys can shoot straight and dodge torps!

[AcePylut]

I thought about that but decided against it. I got some good smacks in with my planes, no need to risk a CA or 3 to sink a couple of DDs and assorted other small fry. That would change this success into a draw at best.

Not to mention, he's got at least 4 airbases of level 3 all within range of Balikpapan. I would expect that he's going to have all his netties on strike in hopes of getting a CV.

[Anachro]

He'll ave nells/netties, but it's an open question as to whether or not he'll have air HQs with torps. They might have to do level bombing: much less accurate, destructive.

[AcePylut]

He has torps at Manado. I found this out the hard way when his strike of 25+ bettys sank 2 DD's a few turns ago [:)]

[Canoerebel]

Ace, nice ambush of that merchant TF. Were any troops aboard?

P.S. I think I'd strongly consider detaching two or three small DDs to take a crack at the ships.

[Encircled]

I'd pull back to be honest.

Maybe a couple of DDs at full speed to run to Soerabaja with a waypoint set at Balikpapan?

Oh, and get the rest of your fleet out of there at full speed

Great ambush though!

[AcePylut]

I wussed out and didn't send in any ships. There are at least 4-5 DD's there, which means I'd have to send in 4-5 DD's and a couple CL's at a minimum. I'm pretty sure he's going to have Miss Betty on strike, escorted by drop-tanked Zero's.

Surprise is lost. If I were CB, I'd pull all ships to Balikpapan and heavily LRCAP it and set my bettys to strike. I'd hope that "he" (me) would send in some ships that would get damaged enough to not escape the betty attack.

As it is - I've lose 2 total DD's in this Op and sank a few of his transports.

There isn't much more reward I can get out of it and it's not worth it to risk the ships. I don't want to turn a tactical success into a tactical draw. Either way, this is a Operation level success and Strategic level success.

Now, I need to book my carriers around Oz, over to Tahiti, up to PH, repair any damage, then head up to the Aleuts. Hopefully this all happens before the IJ comes a-calling. We'll see.