Banzais Don't Make Victories - Anachro (A) vs John 3rd (J) BTS 5.7

[Anachro]

On my fast 38-knot CM's trip to Wake, it runs its 3-4 Japanese subs trying to take shots at it 4-6 hexes east of Wake. Hmm, John seems to have some sort of sub cordon around Wake. I wonder why... I guess this is one way to make Japanese subs use up their torpedoes.

Sub attack near Wake Island at 138,98

Japanese Ships
SS I-191

Allied Ships
CM Ariadne

SS I-191 launches 4 torpedoes
I-191 diving deep ....
Sub escapes detection

Sub attack near Wake Island at 137,98

Japanese Ships
SS I-31

Allied Ships
CM Ariadne

SS I-31 launches 4 torpedoes at CM Ariadne
Sub escapes detection

Sub attack near Wake Island at 137,98

Japanese Ships
SS I-30

Allied Ships
CM Ariadne

SS I-30 launches 4 torpedoes at CM Ariadne
I-30 diving deep ....
Sub escapes detection

[BBfanboy]

Now he will know that Wake has new minefields. Just another problem for him to address, but the more problems there are, the more likely something gets forgotten! [:)]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Lowpe
Their water pump broke! [&o]

My response: That's funny-AF! [;)]

So what? The sea is all around them and they can haul water in buckets .... oh, wait ... the fresh water condenser is broke too? Now they are really screwed and the Japanese will have to bring their own condenser.

Mr Literal trying to spoil my humor. For shame.[;)][:D]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy




My response: That's funny-AF! [;)]

So what? The sea is all around them and they can haul water in buckets .... oh, wait ... the fresh water condenser is broke too? Now they are really screwed and the Japanese will have to bring their own condenser.

Mr Literal trying to spoil my humor. For shame.[;)][:D]

I took your reference to mean the trick the US pulled to find out the Japanese were going for Midway, but the message they floated was not about a water pump - it was about the fresh water condenser. Just trying to keep history accurate ...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy



I took your reference to mean the trick the US pulled to find out the Japanese were going for Midway, but the message they floated was not about a water pump - it was about the fresh water condenser. Just trying to keep history accurate ...

I bet it is movie history accurate, and we all know that is what counts. [;)]

[Anachro]

Mar. 12th, 1944

Seeing a few xAKs providing supply triggers an immediate response from John. Not being very subtle about it. There is heavy radio activity at Saipan... I'll hang my reinforcements back for now and let supply unload from one xAK while 2 more sit in port. I hope the subs and maybe a mine gets John's ships. I now have SCTFs and 400 planes, mostly fighters, in CVE/CV air cover south of Midway.

[Q-Ball]

Think you have enough subs west of Wake Island?

[GetAssista]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Think you have enough subs west of Wake Island?

[:D]
I suggest to draw a big arrow with those subs pointing west, so that John understands he's been found out

[Anachro]

Haha, I'd like to spring a surprise, sure, but I also won't mind if John calls off the operation. On top of Wake, he has shown interest in Midway (forgot to mention but he had a sub snooping around and using its floatplane to recon; 3 DEs sank it last turn), he is also recon'ing Manus over in the SoPac, which we have build up to a 6 port / 6 AF for now. Manus has ~150 AV and forts so I am not super worried at the moment.

[Lowpe]

If I had to guess, Japan is playing you hoping to get you to draw forces here, rather than the Port Blair axis of attack.

Misdirection.

I do know that Japan is seriously beefed up...but he is facing a crisis in Burma.

You should not let slip the initiative.

[Anachro]

@Lowpe Two turns have passed and oh my the action will probably heat up. I agree with you, but I will not let up in Burma. All my pressure is there and, I got a little bruise these past two turns as a result which I'll explain. Nonetheless, trying to misdirect from Burma with action on the other side of the map is pointless as my units in India would not get there in time anyways. They will continue to hit Burma.

Mar. 14-15, 1944

I had decided to send my fast carriers to India to help with the invasions and they were on their last leg to Ceylon when they ran into John's CVs that had fled from Sabang all the way at the egde of the map far to the west of the Australian town of Carnarvon. Despite no air cover, my units knocked down ~40 Japanese A/C. BB Iowa took a torpedo, but should be fine and is on the way to Capetown. BB Massachusetts took more torpedoes and I thought she'd be a goner, but John didn't spot her last turn. So far...I haven't lost a ship yet there. We'll see. I'm kicking myself for this a bit because when I saw John's carriers move west from Sabang I was seriously considering this happening and thought about sending my BBs to Capetown first and then over; speed won over prudence and I paid the price. I hope BB Massachusetts remains undamaged, but nonetheless the damage to her and Iowa will keep them out for awhile.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Cocos Islands at 16,122

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 114 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 37 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N2 Jill x 13
D4Y3 Judy x 23
N1K2-A George x 66

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2 Jill: 5 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 2 destroyed by flak
D4Y3 Judy: 4 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 7 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB New Jersey
BB Alabama, Bomb hits 1
BB Massachusetts, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
BB Iowa

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Cocos Islands at 16,122

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 115 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N2 Jill x 12
D4Y3 Judy x 30
N1K2-A George x 66

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2 Jill: 7 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 2 destroyed by flak
D4Y3 Judy: 8 damaged
D4Y3 Judy: 5 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
BB Iowa, Torpedo hits 1
BC Strasbourg
BB New Jersey
BB Alabama

[Anachro]

It seems our little trips to Wake Island might have sparked John to launch the invasion a little early...things are out in force now. We have awoken the beast, as they say. His comments were "beware the Ides of March!" which I hope to mean he thinks he surprised me with their appearance. Carriers are out in force with ~160 fighters and ~150 bombers, another potential carrier unit too. In my defense situated to the east I have ~650 a/c in CVEs and a CV, mostly fighters, as well as a number of SCTFs.

I have opted to remain back and let my forces get fully gathered while John brings his transports over. Rather the action take place when they are closer to Wake.

[Anachro]

In regards to pressure on Burma, we will of course continue. Next round of invasions is leaving this turn from port; follow-on troops are expect immediately after. With the location of John's forces near Wake and the appearance of his other carriers deep off the west coast of Australia, he has abrogated all control of the waters around Burma. I hope to make him pay for that.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Anachro

It seems our little trips to Wake Island might have sparked John to launch the invasion a little early...things are out in force now. We have awoken the beast, as they say. His comments were "beware the Ides of March!" which I hope to mean he thinks he surprised me with their appearance. Carriers are out in force with ~160 fighters and ~150 bombers, another potential carrier unit too. In my defense situated to the east I have ~650 a/c in CVEs and a CV, mostly fighters, as well as a number of SCTFs.

I have opted to remain back and let my forces get fully gathered while John brings his transports over. Rather the action take place when they are closer to Wake.

As IRL, the Japanese have made a plan with too many moving parts and differing objectives. It looks to me like that second TF with all the CVs is there to trap any CV response from you. Your CVs should be able to keep their distance but CVEs are not as fast...

He may have triggered this invasion early because he was almost there and then realized he needs to get those CVs back to Burma. He does like playing offensive action more than defence.
Go Subs! (yours, not John's sandwiches) [:D]

[Anachro]

The CVEs and CV are mostly fighters. Out of ~650 AC, I'd say at least 500 are fighters. The main goal here being to provide cover for my SCTFs. If I could blunt any bomber package from him on the first day of engagement so my SCTFs could run wild, that'd be great. I haven't fully decided to engage yet however; Burma is the far more important theater. I don't care much about Wake; in some ways, my taking it earlier to trigger this response makes it almost worth it.

I should not that the enemy CV force on the right, the one with ~300 A/C, appears to have jumped at flank speed to the east of Wake Island on the 14th, hoping to catch my transports (he didn't). I'd imagine it used up a decent amount of fuel or endurance doing that.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Anachro

The CVEs and CV are mostly fighters. Out of ~650 AC, I'd say at least 500 are fighters. The main goal here being to provide cover for my SCTFs. If I could blunt any bomber package from him on the first day of engagement so my SCTFs could run wild, that'd be great. I haven't fully decided to engage yet however; Burma is the far more important theater. I don't care much about Wake; in some ways, my taking it earlier to trigger this response makes it almost worth it.

I should not that the enemy CV force on the right, the one with ~300 A/C, appears to have jumped at flank speed to the east of Wake Island on the 14th, hoping to catch my transports (he didn't). I'd imagine it used up a decent amount of fuel or endurance doing that.

John does love flanks speed too! You got 16% of his AO fleet. Any more loss of AOs will give him pause, unless he has more of them out there. He can also refuel from long range ships like the AMCs and LSDs in an emergency.

Not sure of the LCU additions in this mod - I don't think there are many because John doesn't like the ground game as much as the naval and air side. Would be interesting to see what happens if you manage to sink enough of his transports to make a stalemate invasion. He has BBs for initial bombardment but would have to go to Eniwetok to reload. Any chance of bombing the port there?

[Lowpe]

My god, how many cvs does Japan get![X(]

You can trade a CVE if you manage to destroy 300 planes....if you have mustered 500 decent piloted fighters there I would be sorely tempted to attempt to absorb a least one strike.

If you arrange to have your carriers spotted, then the vast majority of Japanese air strikes will make a beeline for them, and leave everything cruiser sized and smaller alone, or with fragmented small attacks.

So, I would try to position your carrier force within strike range of Wake, while sending in waves of 3-4 ship fletchers, mahans etc perhaps led by a Brooklyn. Look to drain ammo and really savage a 1st day alpha air strike. Or, if you can attract a first day alpha strike and savage it with your fighters, Japan will think you have no teeth and will surge their sags forward trying for a surface engagement.

Lots of chess moves here. Think two or three days ahead and try to pre-position some subs where you think his CVs will go...and that will cover you CVs.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

John does love flanks speed too! You got 16% of his AO fleet. Any more loss of AOs will give him pause, unless he has more of them out there. He can also refuel from long range ships like the AMCs and LSDs in an emergency.

I never used oilers that way as Japan, but I did use Lima and Adens that way and not in an emergency, but all the time.

[Anachro]

Mar. 19th, 1944

John takes Wake in a one day landing shock attack and I back off as, despite ample recon, I lose sight of his TFs for two days; rather than fight what I can't see, I bring my forces back to Pearl as I'll need them for future landings. In the mean time, John's carriers return off Austrlia and finish off BB Massachusetts before she can get to safety. John also seems to have designs on Manus, so we are reinforcing that with an additional regiment and supply. The good news is our landings at Pegu in Burma are a success and we expect breakthroughs there. John has lots of troops in Burma, but I've drawn a lot further north to deal with my forces pushing in by land, he has 50k trapped south at Moulmein and ~30k at Rangoon. We'll see what happens.

[Anachro]

Notice the Japanese division moving out of Ramree Island; once it leave's I'll take it to bring in supply for my nearby forces.