Beware the Dorniers! Scen 17 Tier 3 (Lowpe vs AI (Spoilers))

[Andy Mac]

Interesting I cannot really remember what I did in this particular variant !!!

[Lowpe]

Who should command Southern Army?

The battle of Singapore is being treated as past conquests of Chungking, except that there are 180 enemy fighters and 90 bombers at Singapore, complicating the battle.

Johore Bahru, at combined level 6 base, will function as a support base for the rotation of troops. 9 Divisions will storm across the river into Singapore, with the Tiger of Malaya in local charge.

[Lowpe]

One of my best led shallow water ASW task forces. I like to assign a TF commander, hand pick the Captains, and get the ASW weapon total over 12.

I don't see the problem in mixing ship types for this kind of work.

[Lowpe]

My new thinking is to use 2 ship ASW task forces, allowing for a greater number of ASW task forces to be out patrolling. In addition, I am debating the use of an Rboat to each area. The manual suggests this is counterproductive in friendly waters, but my experience in unsure.

I have set patrol points to focus on shallow water, with a reaction range of 2, and coastal routing selected.

Hopefully, I have enough planes to achieve day time naval search, ASW search, and when I can get it night time naval search from land based air units. Floatplanes stay on their AV support ship and do not operate from land facilities.

The last tactic in this defense, is the use of small oilers and tankers to act as bait, drawing the subs into shallow water with a high concentration of patrolling ASW TFs and aerially search. The black line hex is absolutely perfect, surrounded by 3 runways at 1 hex range.[:)] It might perhaps be a tactic too strong for use against the AI.

[Lowpe]

Reported sub losses to date:

[Lowpe]

The 3rd Week of February

Orphan Ann announces the fall of Balikpapen, and only lightly damaged too!

[Andy Mac]

Note to self add more nasty stuff to Balikpapan

[RangerJoe]

I like to use the Sub Chasers between Formosa and China. A 1 hex only patrol, react range of 1, Coastal only, set on High Threat tolerance. I have killed USN subs there or they became damaged enough to head to a local part - where they got bombed.

Don't forget to bomb Wenchow's port to destroy Chinese fuel.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

I have killed USN subs there or they became damaged enough to head to a local part - where they got bombed.

Don't forget to bomb Wenchow's port to destroy Chinese fuel.

Not doing either so far (bombing ports for damaged ships or for fuel). My goal is not to crush the AI, but rather prolong it and pursue some less than optimal choices to have fun.

[Lowpe]

I swapped out the horrible Captains in a couple of faster AMCs' and I am using them to patrol inner lines...never used them like this before. Probably not a tactic for long, as they are very vulnerable to submarines.

Heron has nine lives it seems.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Iwo-jima at 111,81, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
AMC Akagi Maru, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
AVP Heron, Shell hits 5, on fire

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Chiba, N. crosses the 'T'
Range closes to 17,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards
AMC Akagi Maru engages AVP Heron at 11,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
AMC Akagi Maru engages AVP Heron at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
AMC Akagi Maru engages AVP Heron at 7,000 yards
Range increases to 11,000 yards
AMC Akagi Maru engages AVP Heron at 11,000 yards
Range increases to 13,000 yards
AMC Akagi Maru engages AVP Heron at 13,000 yards
Range increases to 18,000 yards
AMC Akagi Maru engages AVP Heron at 18,000 yards
Range increases to 22,000 yards
Task forces break off...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Iwo-jima at 111,81, Range 21,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
AMC Kiyosumi Maru

Allied Ships
AVP Heron, on fire

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 21,000 yards
Allied TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 21,000 yards...
Allied Support TF evades combat


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Iwo-jima at 111,81, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hasu
TB Hato

Allied Ships
AVP Heron, on fire

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 25,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Allied TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 18,000 yards...
Allied Support TF evades combat


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Chichi-jima at 114,81, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
AMC Akagi Maru, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
AVP Heron, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 20,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
Japanese open fire on surprised Allied ships at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards
Range closes to 14,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards
Range increases to 10,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
AMC Akagi Maru engages AVP Heron at 12,000 yards
Range increases to 15,000 yards
Range increases to 18,000 yards
AMC Akagi Maru engages AVP Heron at 18,000 yards
Task forces break off...

[Lowpe]

Third week of February

Brunei: Still trying to take it. 5 Naval Guard units versus those stubborn Royal Navy base forces that simply refuse to retreat.

Balikpapen: Landed a tank regiment on the beaches southwest of Balikpapen by mistake. Dorniers peppered the fleets, 10 were shot down, but an empty xak worth 8 vp was sunk by three bomb hits. I guess they have run out of torpedoes. I wonder how Andy gave them torpedoes in the first place. Perhaps in a support ship?

Rabaul invasion set for tomorrow. Heavy air attacks on the fleets today, but Carrier Division 5 beats them off.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Andy Mac

Note to self add more nasty stuff to Balikpapan

Oh boy. More Good News!!

[:D][:D][:D]

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Third week of February

Brunei: Still trying to take it. 5 Naval Guard units versus those stubborn Royal Navy base forces that simply refuse to retreat.

Balikpapen: Landed a tank regiment on the beaches southwest of Balikpapen by mistake. Dorniers peppered the fleets, 10 were shot down, but an empty xak worth 8 vp was sunk by three bomb hits. I guess they have run out of torpedoes. I wonder how Andy gave them torpedoes in the first place. Perhaps in a support ship?

Rabaul invasion set for tomorrow. Heavy air attacks on the fleets today, but Carrier Division 5 beats them off.

Remember, loadouts depend upon the DL of the target. Low value targets would get bombs over Torps ...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Third week of February

Brunei: Still trying to take it. 5 Naval Guard units versus those stubborn Royal Navy base forces that simply refuse to retreat.

Balikpapen: Landed a tank regiment on the beaches southwest of Balikpapen by mistake. Dorniers peppered the fleets, 10 were shot down, but an empty xak worth 8 vp was sunk by three bomb hits. I guess they have run out of torpedoes. I wonder how Andy gave them torpedoes in the first place. Perhaps in a support ship?

Rabaul invasion set for tomorrow. Heavy air attacks on the fleets today, but Carrier Division 5 beats them off.

Remember, loadouts depend upon the DL of the target. Low value targets would get bombs over Torps ...

They have been consistently dropping bombs for a while (even at a bb -- could be range though). 53 reported shot down, only 2 flak and 2 op losses. Rest air to air.

[PaxMondo]

53 down is really good for end of Feb. That's gotta be a big dent in the their numbers.

[Lowpe]

4th week of February

Johore Bahru falls, and now it is down to Fortress Singapore. 115K troops, 37 units, 784 guns, 505 vehicles, 176 fighters, 88 bombers. [X(]

Brunei falls. Troop transport will arrive and those 5 Naval Guard units will now start performing a mad dash and grabbing bases before the invasion bonus runs out.

Samarinda falls next to Balikpapen.

Rabaul has 450 AV of IJA troopers there, but forts are 4...it will be a slow grind.

Manila should fall in the next attack. The Allies keep trying to sneak ships to Philippines north of the Marshalls. Sank two nice ships, an AE and a big AO. The AI has done a good job with their warships, but less so with merchant/support shipping.

Dorniers have been replaced pretty much by Beaufighters and their low strafing attacks as a primary threat to IJN shipping, and of course the ever present submarine threat.

[Lowpe]

Viper Force!

[Lowpe]

Fourth week of February

Manila Falls! But, boy is it trashed.[:)]

[Jorge_Stanbury]

ouch!
I think shipyard needs to be repaired, at least to allow DDs (so to around 3K).. I don't know if more is advisable; as you have HK nearby

[RangerJoe]

It loos like it would be easy to break the AI as Allies!