Quisling! An AFB does Japan (No PanzerKat)

[John B.]

I don't know about the Okha. But, you make a good point about cut off troops. I have several bases that don't need garrisons but have troops languishing there. They might as well come home to help with defense.

[John B.]

Here's an interesting occurrence. You'll see that there were two fighter sweeps launched over Bataan. My fighters came from the KB. Looks like pretty good weather. And, since it just shows the same thing, the sweeps over Bataan from Manila also ran into good weather. And, no fighter opposition.

[John B.]

Ooops, here is the picture.

[John B.]

And here is the KB within seven hexes of Bataan. Do you think that the 200+ strike aircraft flew one single sortie against the two large allied TFs in Bataan? In either the AM or the PM turn? [8|] With those allied TFs having been detected for more than a week?

Honestly, these failures to be able to get in sneak attacks that happen time after time in this game to the Japanese carriers means it ain't the micro weather in the hex. If they want to make sure that Japan just can't launch surprise attacks with their carriers they can tell us so I can spend my turns clicking through endless allied bombing raids and not trying to plan out ways to help the Japanese. [8|]

Not much else in other news. Scott moved through Manila so now he can put troops in the north. My bombardments have ceased to have as much effect only killing 5 squads and losing one so I'll probably stop them pretty soon to save on ammo. I'm not sure what good all my flak does since it does not shoot anything down. I've made it out of Pegu and am heading down to Moulmein.

[John B.]

Oh look, light clouds over Bataan! And these planes came from the KB hex.

[John B.]

Oh look, the KB is now closer to Bataan, and the allied TF next to Bataan. Next I'll post the results of the devestating airstrikes from the KB that really put the Kibosh on a number of allied ships.

[John B.]

Oh look, nothing to post. I wonder why the KB did not launch yet again. It must be the micro climates that don't affect the sweeps coming from the carriers to the target hexes. Or the high aggression good air commander TF commanders, or the fact there are no spotted allied CVs that would inhibit these launches, or the well trained aircrew with good commanders. It can't be the game itself has something in it.

I have played this game for a number of years and I enjoy many aspects of it. But, it sure detracts from the fun if it has it rigged against Japanese carrier operations. 44-45 is just going to be me clicking through allied air raids and squirreling away the CVs since it makes no sense to send them out to waste fuel and risk their early demise if the game hinders Japanese launches.

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: John B.

Oh look, nothing to post. I wonder why the KB did not launch yet again. It must be the micro climates that don't affect the sweeps coming from the carriers to the target hexes. Or the high aggression good air commander TF commanders, or the fact there are no spotted allied CVs that would inhibit these launches, or the well trained aircrew with good commanders. It can't be the game itself has something in it.

I have played this game for a number of years and I enjoy many aspects of it. But, it sure detracts from the fun if it has it rigged against Japanese carrier operations. 44-45 is just going to be me clicking through allied air raids and squirreling away the CVs since it makes no sense to send them out to waste fuel and risk their early demise if the game hinders Japanese launches.

Detection, detection, detection! What were the ships in question that you wanted to attack? What detection levels had you on them?

The game engine (generally) does a good job of attacking worthwhile targets while not going after minor riff-raff under heavy fighter cover.

Even your air group commanders who pick fights with themselves in the mirror aren't going to launch a deckload of planes at some measly Allied subchasers.

But carrier combat is hard to get right, but detection levels are at the core of it.

[John B.]

Mind messing, thanks for the advice. I do really appreciate it even though I do think there is some internal mechanic that is a bit skewed since it has happened so many times in this game. I hear you regarding the fact that CV commanders are not going to bomb PT boats but this TF was more than that and had been detected by the search planes at Clark Field, search planes from Saigon for more than week as they unloaded at Bataan and search planes from the KB itself both the day before and this turn. But oh well, I'm tired of being a whiny little female dog about this. the planes didn't launch so I'll move on.

And, in more interesting news, there is a large allied TF off of Cam Ran Bay and Quinohn. Is it an invasion TF? If so, what is the target. I have divisions along the coast that I have left in strat mode for just this purpose and they are moving towards the two ports. The question will be can the brigades in each port last until reinforcements arrive? Or, is this just a feint? We'll see.

[Bif1961]

I understand your frustrations with understanding the game mechanics number crunchers. I had 3 BB TFs sent to bombard Rabual, all 3 had absolute set as their threat posture, direct navigational orders and set to flank speed and only 8 hexes away and full ammo and op-points. The first 24 hour period two TFs moved 2 hexes and the 3rd moved 1. The weather was poor and he only got a 3/10 DL on the one that moved 1 hex, so he may have figured they were just moving between two bases of mine. The next 24 hour period 2 of 3 bombarded but the 3rd did not.All commanders were the best surface commanders in the US fleet and the one that didn't bombard again was led by Ching Lee. Ching Lee's TF finally bombarded on the 3rd night. There were no enemy carriers and only 3 PBs in port and no mines or CD units.Given the above why were all 3 BB TFs bombarding Rabual a whiff the 1st night and why was Ching Lee's a whiff on the 2nd night. So it takes 3 days at flank speed to cover 8 hexes?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

I understand your frustrations with understanding the game mechanics number crunchers. I had 3 BB TFs sent to bombard Rabual, all 3 had absolute set as their threat posture, direct navigational orders and set to flank speed and only 8 hexes away and full ammo and op-points. The first 24 hour period two TFs moved 2 hexes and the 3rd moved 1. The weather was poor and he only got a 3/10 DL on the one that moved 1 hex, so he may have figured they were just moving between two bases of mine. The next 24 hour period 2 of 3 bombarded but the 3rd did not.All commanders were the best surface commanders in the US fleet and the one that didn't bombard again was led by Ching Lee. Ching Lee's TF finally bombarded on the 3rd night. There were no enemy carriers and only 3 PBs in port and no mines or CD units.Given the above why were all 3 BB TFs bombarding Rabual a whiff the 1st night and why was Ching Lee's a whiff on the 2nd night. So it takes 3 days at flank speed to cover 8 hexes?

Ops points expended refueling DDs?

[Bif1961]

Nope full fuel for all ships before the bombardment TFs were given their orders and ops points were up as well.

[John B.]

We're now halfway through July. Scott did not invade indochina which is just fine with me. I just wonder where are the forces from Singapore are going. The Japanese bombardment at Manila continues to take a toll.

[John B.]

Oops the previous screen was me catching some LCT's at Bataan. Looks like a number of them were sunk but none showed up in the VP chart. I hope to see them soon.

[John B.]

Here is the Manila bombardment.

[John B.]

But, Scotts bombardment is getting better. Given that I'm in a city with level 9 fortifications he must have a WHOLE lot of guns shooting at me. Scott did catch planes on the ground on Hainan with the B-29s and I lost about 14 planes there. Oh well. I can't have CAP over everyone.

He now has an airborne division at Clark Field and I think his tanks are heading that way. I'll have two brigades 47 mm AT guns and Level 5 forts so let's hope it holds on as well.

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: John B.
But, Scotts bombardment is getting better. Given that I'm in a city with level 9 fortifications he must have a WHOLE lot of guns shooting at me.

I can never reach that kind of efficiency with Japanese 24-30cm arty in initial Chungking bombardments They plaster me from behind the forts
And Allies generally do not even have that kind of guns at all

[John B.]

I think Scott moved his tanks out of Manila. My big guns have large anti-vehicle numbers and he was losing 10 tanks per turn.

[John B.]

Well the bad news is that there seems to have been some kind of bug. I saw the LCTs sink and Scott saw the same on his turn. But, the victory report did not show that any of them had sunk at all. [:(] Oh well, onward.

This turn Scott move the American furball up to within 8 hexes of Hong Kong probably to lure my boys into launching an anti ship strike and shredding them with CAP. Fortunately I was set at a 7 hex range and there was no combat. I have my fighters set to zero range so let's see if Scott heads north. Probably not, but if he does he may lose lots of strike aircraft.

[John B.]

Scott may have every artillery tube in Asia sitting in Manila right now. Ouch, 38 squads, and that's with me having level 9 forts in a light city hex. I killed 11 of him but that was really a pounding. I hope that it's just a fluke die roll. In better news, I shot down 3 A-20s at Manila.