THREAD War: Mike & Mike - Mike Solli (J) vs. USS America (A)

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Aye. I think the main effect is to cause surprise amongst the ship's crew that a Mk. 14 actually exploded. Hory crap! [X(]

[:D]

Only the US sub crew are surprised/astonished. The IJN crew just presume they hit a mine. They still have no explanation for the mysterious "clangs" that sometimes occur along the side of their hulls.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Aye. I think the main effect is to cause surprise amongst the ship's crew that a Mk. 14 actually exploded. Hory crap! [X(]

[:D]

Only the US sub crew are surprised/astonished.

This event is almost as rare. And causes as almost as much damage.

[Aksully]

Didn't recognize the ship class at first but it's a "Sea Serpent" class submersible.....

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Aksully

Didn't recognize the ship class at first but it's a "Sea Serpent" class submersible.....

Looks like they went with the Yeti option package for operations in cold climes ...

[Aksully]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Aksully

Didn't recognize the ship class at first but it's a "Sea Serpent" class submersible.....

Looks like they went with the Yeti option package for operations in cold climes ...

Yup. Nomex (Submariner) Arctic Cold Weather Water Repellent Suit with Hood.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Aksully

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Aksully

Didn't recognize the ship class at first but it's a "Sea Serpent" class submersible.....

Looks like they went with the Yeti option package for operations in cold climes ...

Yup. Nomex (Submariner) Arctic Cold Weather Water Repellent Suit with Hood.

It is a Japanese human torpedo - the real reason Bigfoot became extinct.

[Aksully]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: Aksully

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy



Looks like they went with the Yeti option package for operations in cold climes ...

Yup. Nomex (Submariner) Arctic Cold Weather Water Repellent Suit with Hood.

It is a Japanese human torpedo - the real reason Bigfoot became extinct.

Yeah everything explodes on contact EXCEPT for the Mk IV..........

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Aksully

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: Aksully



Yup. Nomex (Submariner) Arctic Cold Weather Water Repellent Suit with Hood.

It is a Japanese human torpedo - the real reason Bigfoot became extinct.

Yeah everything explodes on contact EXCEPT for the Mk IV..........

And depth charges.

[USSAmerica]

DEC 24-25, 1941

A few things of note this turn and one that could have been much more significant.

Off Mersing, a flight of Hudsons scored a single bomb hit each on 2 xAP's. Each was left on fire, but no troops were reported lost, so they were likely empty. Maybe I'll get lucky and they will burn up.

Last turn I spotted a small, 2 ship TF between Boela and Babo. It had at least 1 xAK and was headed SE. I suspected Mike might be trying to sneak a small force into the area to grab either Dobo or Merauke on the cheap. He had a devil of a time with trying and failing to take Merauke in his game with Ted, so it was the more likely target. I cobbled together the only force I had within reach, 3 PG's from Darwin, and sent them to try to intercept. Their max speed was only 3 hexes, so they might not be fast enough to catch the enemy, even if they crossed paths. Well, I did catch them, about 6 hexes NW of Merauke. A single xAK was escorted by a DD. I initially thought I was in trouble with the DD there against my PG's, until I realized I still had him outgunned by a significant margin. PG's Asheville, Tulsa, and Soerabaja essentially ignored DD Kamikaze and scored 7 shell hits on the xAK, leaving it burning heavily with troops reported in the water. I suspect the xAK will sink before Mike can put the surviving troops ashore anywhere, but there is nothing on the sunk ships list yet after the turn. I think this was the first time I've successfully engaged and defeated the enemy with PG's. [8D]

One ship in total did end up on the sunk ships list after last turn. Poor little AMc Gale was patrolling the harbor of Suva when a few raiding Zeros and Vals dove on her and turned her into toothpicks with 3 bomb hits. 14 Zeros and 9 Vals attacked. I initially thought it was maybe a pair of CVL's on a commerce raiding mission until I realized the Vals came from Akagi. LOL Gale was the only ship anywhere nearby so it received the full attention of the 5-6 CV strong KB. I need to eventually get a replacement AMc to Suva, but Mike was not happy to have the KB unmasked for such a small prize. The timing just worked out perfectly for me, as a few small TF's are on their way to Suva, including the QE with the bulk of the 8th Marine Rgt on board, but all were far enough away still for me to safely reroute them. I have a large group of transport TF's leaving SF tomorrow, bound for SOPAC, as well as one leaving Pearl to join them in about 2 turns, but none were yet in harm's way. I plan to escort this large convoy with all 3 of my CV TF's but I still won't approach the region until I know the KB has moved on. I boosted the PBY coverage of the region, about 1 turn before planned, so the planes were already standing by to stage to the SW from Pearl. I'll keep a close eye on Mike's toys until they leave my surveillance range or really try to make a nuisance of themselves by sweeping toward Pago Pago and then up toward Palmyra. In his place I think that's what I would do, knowing he can handle anything I throw at him short of Pearl Harbor. I don't know if Mike will go that route, however. I'll prepare for both possibilities and only move troops and ships into the area once it's safe. I've been a little more deliberate about getting troops loaded up at SF than many players might be, so there are way less targets for a "KB SOPAC sweep" than Mike might expect to find. Hmm, I wonder if there are any AO's hanging back somewhere that my subs could go looking for? [:D]

[Aksully]

I'd say this Round of the fight goes to you Mike. It's not about tonnage lost so much as you upset his strategy to sneak in for a quick take AND got valuable intel of his KB. Plus his troops whatever the number in the water bobbing around, a couple of AP's damaged, and maybe get some operational losses to his aircraft. All for the AMc Gale. We raise a glass to the valiant crew!

Just curious...did you have anything on Dobo or Merauke?

[USSAmerica]

DEC 26-27, 1941

Burma
My supply convoys were finishing up the unloading process at Rangoon this turn when Ms. Betty and her sister Nell came to visit. My squadron of British Buffalo fighters did some good work but there were too many bombers. I lost a handful of xAK's and a couple of xAKL's. The rest will make best possible speed back to Colombo without trying to grab any fuel. Mike has turned his attention to this area so I won't try to force any more supply convoys into Rangoon, especially when he has ground forces in contact at Moulmein and approaching nearby. I'll have to be happy with what's already at Rangoon and the 500 supply/day from the Burma Road getting into China before the rail line is cut.


Sub war
SS Plunger is patrolling near Kwajalein Island and was being hunted by two DD's. Now, she's only being hunted by one DD as I hit DD Oite with a Mk 14 torpedo that actually exploded and sank her. That's one back for the damage Mike's subs have done to about 4 of my DD's hunting them around Pearl Harbor.

One of Mike's subs caught up with 2 of 3 xAK's that I had unloading an AA unit at Midway and put them both under. Both were almost completely unloaded, thankfully. I had to split them from the 3rd transport and the "escorting" AM so they could dock and unload. Of course he found the two un-escorted ships.

Since it was as a result of a sub action, I'll mention here that I sank the first of (hopefully) many of Mike's TK's this turn. Dutch sub O20 dropped mines at newly captured Miri and Mike promptly found one of them with a small TK. It may have only been one of the 1800 capacity tankers, but sinking it this early means a LOT of round trips that it won't be hauling fuel or oil for the rest of the war. To me, this is just as effective as sinking one of his big tankers in late '43 or '44. I'll put this one solidly in the victory column.

SOPAC
A small Japanese force landed at Tulagi this turn. That's the farthest Mike has moved with troops so far, after taking Shortlands several turns ago. Nobody really cares about that right now though, because they all want to know what's up with the KB off Suva. [:D] Well, Mike didn't sweep them to the east and northeast as I might have done. Instead, they are heading for a cruise off the East Coast of Australia. The KB moved due west and is just off Noumea. They caught and sank a small TF of xAKL's hauling resources from Noumea. Again, having a low value TF in the area where the KB moved tipped me off to their presence and heading. All shipping on the East coast of Oz is bugging out. From Brisbane and Sydney, they are moving south as far away from land and any "normal" shipping lanes as possible. The couple of ships at Townsville or north of there will head up and around the north end of Oz to Darwin. Shipping at Melbourne is on standby to evacuate next turn if the KB moves west and then south along the coast.


China
In general, Mike is pushing my guys around and beating them up where ever he wants. I'm slowly consolidating my forces to form a MLR that is mostly in wooded hexes from Changsha to the West and North. I'll force Mike to besiege Sian to eventually win it from me. Another small opportunity has presented itself where some of Mike's tanks got too far ahead of themselves at Nanyang. He deliberately attacked with the 13th Tank Rgt and 9th Armored Car Co against 3 Chinese Corps defending. The result was a 1 to 42 attack that destroyed 1 vehicle and disabled 47 of his starting 126. I'll risk my own deliberate attack next turn to try to destroy some of those disabled vehicles and force them to retreat. It's a chance for just a bit of a sting but if I succeed and again maybe cause just a little bit more caution and hesitation in Mike's steam roller advance it will be well worth it.

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: Aksully

I'd say this Round of the fight goes to you Mike. It's not about tonnage lost so much as you upset his strategy to sneak in for a quick take AND got valuable intel of his KB. Plus his troops whatever the number in the water bobbing around, a couple of AP's damaged, and maybe get some operational losses to his aircraft. All for the AMc Gale. We raise a glass to the valiant crew!

Just curious...did you have anything on Dobo or Merauke?

Well, sort of. I had just the turn before moved the AVP from Sorong to Merauke and staged in the Dutch Patrol group. No ground forces in any of these areas.

Oh, this reminds me! Mike dropped off the survivors of my PG intercept at a dot base up the coast from Merauke, Timoeka. Mouse intel says there are 300 men there. I've kicked around the idea of shipping either the Gull or Sparrow Bn from Darwin to root them out, but I don't think it's worth it. Mike will take those dot bases at his leisure, and I've already disrupted his plans with the intercept and those troops now being stranded at Timoeka until relief can be brought in.

[Aksully]

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica

DEC 26-27, 1941

Burma
My supply convoys were finishing up the unloading process at Rangoon this turn when Ms. Betty and her sister Nell came to visit. My squadron of British Buffalo fighters did some good work but there were too many bombers. I lost a handful of xAK's and a couple of xAKL's. The rest will make best possible speed back to Colombo without trying to grab any fuel. Mike has turned his attention to this area so I won't try to force any more supply convoys into Rangoon, especially when he has ground forces in contact at Moulmein and approaching nearby. I'll have to be happy with what's already at Rangoon and the 500 supply/day from the Burma Road getting into China before the rail line is cut.


Sub war
SS Plunger is patrolling near Kwajalein Island and was being hunted by two DD's. Now, she's only being hunted by one DD as I hit DD Oite with a Mk 14 torpedo that actually exploded and sank her. That's one back for the damage Mike's subs have done to about 4 of my DD's hunting them around Pearl Harbor.

One of Mike's subs caught up with 2 of 3 xAK's that I had unloading an AA unit at Midway and put them both under. Both were almost completely unloaded, thankfully. I had to split them from the 3rd transport and the "escorting" AM so they could dock and unload. Of course he found the two un-escorted ships.

Since it was as a result of a sub action, I'll mention here that I sank the first of (hopefully) many of Mike's TK's this turn. Dutch sub O20 dropped mines at newly captured Miri and Mike promptly found one of them with a small TK. It may have only been one of the 1800 capacity tankers, but sinking it this early means a LOT of round trips that it won't be hauling fuel or oil for the rest of the war. To me, this is just as effective as sinking one of his big tankers in late '43 or '44. I'll put this one solidly in the victory column.

SOPAC
A small Japanese force landed at Tulagi this turn. That's the farthest Mike has moved with troops so far, after taking Shortlands several turns ago. Nobody really cares about that right now though, because they all want to know what's up with the KB off Suva. [:D] Well, Mike didn't sweep them to the east and northeast as I might have done. Instead, they are heading for a cruise off the East Coast of Australia. The KB moved due west and is just off Noumea. They caught and sank a small TF of xAKL's hauling resources from Noumea. Again, having a low value TF in the area where the KB moved tipped me off to their presence and heading. All shipping on the East coast of Oz is bugging out. From Brisbane and Sydney, they are moving south as far away from land and any "normal" shipping lanes as possible. The couple of ships at Townsville or north of there will head up and around the north end of Oz to Darwin. Shipping at Melbourne is on standby to evacuate next turn if the KB moves west and then south along the coast.


China
In general, Mike is pushing my guys around and beating them up where ever he wants. I'm slowly consolidating my forces to form a MLR that is mostly in wooded hexes from Changsha to the West and North. I'll force Mike to besiege Sian to eventually win it from me. Another small opportunity has presented itself where some of Mike's tanks got too far ahead of themselves at Nanyang. He deliberately attacked with the 13th Tank Rgt and 9th Armored Car Co against 3 Chinese Corps defending. The result was a 1 to 42 attack that destroyed 1 vehicle and disabled 47 of his starting 126. I'll risk my own deliberate attack next turn to try to destroy some of those disabled vehicles and force them to retreat. It's a chance for just a bit of a sting but if I succeed and again maybe cause just a little bit more caution and hesitation in Mike's steam roller advance it will be well worth it.

You have to be pretty happy with your combat results AND knowing KB's whereabouts Mike. Glad that some dock hand actually loaded a non-dud MkIV!! Get his name and promote him to Ensign!!! And on one of your next turns if you can take a screenshot of China it would interesting to see how you are setting up your MLR there! Thx.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica

ORIGINAL: Aksully

I'd say this Round of the fight goes to you Mike. It's not about tonnage lost so much as you upset his strategy to sneak in for a quick take AND got valuable intel of his KB. Plus his troops whatever the number in the water bobbing around, a couple of AP's damaged, and maybe get some operational losses to his aircraft. All for the AMc Gale. We raise a glass to the valiant crew!

Just curious...did you have anything on Dobo or Merauke?

Well, sort of. I had just the turn before moved the AVP from Sorong to Merauke and staged in the Dutch Patrol group. No ground forces in any of these areas.

Oh, this reminds me! Mike dropped off the survivors of my PG intercept at a dot base up the coast from Merauke, Timoeka. Mouse intel says there are 300 men there. I've kicked around the idea of shipping either the Gull or Sparrow Bn from Darwin to root them out, but I don't think it's worth it. Mike will take those dot bases at his leisure, and I've already disrupted his plans with the intercept and those troops now being stranded at Timoeka until relief can be brought in.

Turn the local headhunters loose on those 300 shipwrecked men. They're kind of like a militia that doesn't need supplies.

[USSAmerica]

Zorch, that's a fantastic idea! [:D]

Mike, I'll get a screenshot of China posted soon. My MLR is still only a rough goal in my mind so there's not much to show yet. [;)]

Turn is off to Mike. I am so slow at my orders. There's just so much cool stuff to look at on the map every turn and I have a hard time resisting! I need to get more streamlined with it so I can turn them around faster for Mike.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica

Zorch, that's a fantastic idea! [:D]

Headhunters/cannibals create supply when they attack. And lower enemy morale.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica

Zorch, that's a fantastic idea! [:D]

Headhunters/cannibals create supply when they attack. And lower enemy morale.

But they have to spread out their attacks over a period of time - they don't have refrigerators.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica



Mike, I'll get a screenshot of China posted soon. My MLR is still only a rough goal in my mind so there's not much to show yet. [;)]

Alfred made a pretty good case for NOT forming a "main line of resistance". Instead he advocated concentrating Chinese units at key hexes and keeping a mobile reserve to respond to IJA attacks or hit weak parts of their lines.

In this link, zuluhour reposts Alfred's advice in post 1304 of the thread:

tm.asp?m=4378420&mpage=44#

[USSAmerica]

Hmmm, I'll have to take a look at that thread, thanks BB. I'm open to all ideas in China. [:D]

[USSAmerica]

I've had a chance to read through Alfred's suggestions for China in the link BB posted above. It certainly makes a lot of sense. Now, I need to compare the suggestions with what I've already done in just 3 weeks of game time to see if I've already missed the boat on some of them.