Another noob AAR vs JAP AI

[Axe1999]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

xAPs are primarily for people. Any supply on them will unload last. The dedicated supply ships can be any xAK, xAKL or even AK if they are not needed for tanks and artillery. Just remember to have the supply ships in an amphib TF before they start loading. They will unload much faster over the beach that way.

The general sequence of unloading is: Combat troops, then light equipment, support troops, heavy equipment, motorized support, supply.

Tulagi has a partly built port but Lunga is the big prize - it has potential for a large airfield.

Plan was to get inside fighter escort range of Rabaul by early '43 from Bougainville but as things stand that may break AI a bit, right now Im bombing unescorted with B-17s from PM and suppressing airfield there pretty hard, giving me practically free hand in Solomon Sea to do whatever I want.

[Taxcutter]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

In fact most players quarantine the APs that can upgrade to APAs by sending them off-map to haul stuff between EC USA and Cape Town. Same for AKs that can become AKAs (the 16 knot ones).

Taxcutter says:
I do this the very first turn of the war as the Allies. Not only ships that can become APA and AKA, but also AE and AKE and some tenders. Gag the safeties and run like hell for Frisco or Cape Town and convert/upgrade them where the IJN can't get at them. These ships are super-handy later in the war. Also get anything that can be converted to an AV (of any class) will improve your air search later on.

Admiral King was right in 1944. Distance is almost more of an enemy than the IJN and you can never have too much air search once you decide it is time to settle affairs with KB.

[Axe1999]

1st May 1942, very good day for the Allies.

CA Chester and CA Houston based raiding task force sinks multiple transports off the Guadalcanal carrying reinforcements for the garrison there, totaling 5000 casualties.

Also, while my CENTPAC carriers were out raiding strong Japanese surface presence tried to sneak quick bombardment of Pearl Harbor, and in a last ditch effort was intercepted by Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Colorado in a night fight. I was expecting total blunder considering my crews nighgt experience, but they manage to sink BB Fuso and CA Takao for relatively moderate damage to themselves and a loss of a single DD.

[Axe1999]

And another one has fallen. BB Ise has been sunk by Allied carrier aircraft while on the way to bombard Port Moresby, after what must have been 50 bomb hits and few torpedoes (I logged in hotseat just to check if she really sank, I was really curious if she could survive that, with bombs hitting deck armor).

Next problem is KB sortie in Coral sea with what seems like all 6 of their fleet carriers, if isolated in smaller groups, combined force of Lexington, Yorktown and Hornet may have a chance...

[Axe1999]

On a side note, what do you guys use CVEs early war? Maybe to train carrier pilots? Ferry aircraft?

[Axe1999]

Lots of action these days, so lost of updates.

I expected 2-3 CV raid on Sydney but KB came in force with all 6. My carriers were set few hexes off of Sydney under LRCAP and its own CAP, without any strike orders. That resulted in over 250 IJN carrier planes massacred for the price of 60 planes on my own. Pilot loss still hits very hard but I hope it hurts them more. Both of our strike groups in SWPAC will definitely be out of action for a long time. My consolation is that I sank KB replenishment TF, with its 6 oilers that were retreating through Torres strait.

With Rabaul airfield operational again (I toned down bombing being afraid of breaking AI if I neutralize Rabaul too early) raids on Milne Bay and Port Moresby are starting again.

[Bif1961]

Some of the early war CVEs come replacement F4Fs and SBD squadrons already on them so, they are already ferrying aircraft. I use the Long Island to be a bridge to allow short legged F4Fs and SBDs to get to islands that they don't have the range for as I out eh Long Island between the bases and allow it to be a landing and launch site between distant bases. I might have to steam a day in either direction to allow the aircfart to be within range to make the hop. So if u have an F4F without drop tank option use the CVE Long Island south of PH and land on it the sail towards one of your central pac bases like Canton and when you get within range launch the F4Fs squadron. Even for planes with longer range like the SBD, which could go from Hilo to Palmyra to Canton, you can cut out one step by landing the SBD squadron on Long Island and then sail a day if needed towards Canton and launch them there. This works best early war before your naval squadrons upgrade to 27 aircraft from 18, the Long Island can handle the entire 18 plane squadron but not a 27 plane squadron. Using it later for convoy escort giving so CAP capability is always helpful.

[Axe1999]

SITREP - Mid June '42

NoPac:
Japanes have occupied Attu and Kiska, meanwhile Adak got a small garrison and Seabees Bn, AS and AR and its becoming a forward submarine base.

Central Pacific:
Yamato centered TF came in to bombard Pearl and it was intercepted by Saratoga, crippled by her and ultimately sank by USS Tennessee, so one less BB to worry about. Few minor CV raids on Midway. Christmas Island is slowly starting to build up as a jumping off point of liberation of Canton and Baker, and ultimately invasion of Gilberts.

Burma/China/India:
Rangoon fell June 17th, Im expecting a break on Slim line till monsoon ends. My line is anchored at Akyab with 200k supply, lvl 4 forts and 1000AV and Imphal with lvl 4 forts and 800 AV.

DEI:
Palembang still holds, but barely. Thats pretty much only resistance left in DEI.

SWPAC:
Rabaul is getting hit by B-17s intermittently, giving me some respite in Solomon sea to raid Japanese supply lines to Guadalcanal and Tulagi.

Big carrier battle ensued when I sent Enterprise and Lexington to raid Lunga, but came across Hiryu, Soryu and Shokaku. Battle resulted with all three of Japanese fleet carriers hugging the bottom of the ocean for the price of 2 almost slaughtered SBD squadrons. Hefty price, but one Im willing to pay for that kind of damage. To add salt to their wound, My B-17s based on Espiritu Santo are slowly reducing evacuated JAP CV planes evacuated to Guadalcanal to dust.

Invasion of Guadalcanal and some surrounding bases is in the cards for July 15th 1942.

[Axe1999]

Ships sunk:

[Axe1999]

Aug 7th Sitrep

Invasion of Southern Solomons set of from Espirito Santu on July 20th, marking beginning of the first phase of Operation Wachtower.

Lunga was secured after a week of fighting, while Tulagi proved to be quite a tough nut. I certainly didnt expect armor regiment there, so it took me more than two weeks of constant bombardment from land, sea and air to finally dislodge defenders there. A lot of lessons learned from my first invasion, for an example having reserve units prepped for reinforcement. Losses on Allied side were not that bad on land, on sea USS Wasp ate a torpedo from CV Junyo, and is sitting at 35 flt. I got my revenge though, and Dauntlesses and Avengers from Lexington sank Junyo in next two days of consecutive strikes. That is fourth Japanese CV sank and life will be much more easier for now, considering I havent lost any yet, despite few close calls.

Some other dot bases were taken over by Allies, including Russel Island, Auki and Thousand Ships Bay.

Goal of the second phase of the operation is secure Guadalcanal completely, and creep closer to Bougainville and Rabaul by capturing Vela Lavella, Munda, and Chouiseul Bay, planned for December.
Future plans in the area consist of capturing Rossel Island, Woodwark, Deboyne, and capturing/isolating Rabaul/Bougainville.

Other than SWPAC, Tarawa and Makin offensive is planned for fall of '43, but that requires previous capture of Baker and Canton Island.
With KB crippled, much needed rest for my carrier force is coming, all of them are in dire need of refitting, rebuilding its air groups, and training new pilots.

Crazy air battles rage over New Guinea and Akyab, with Japanese facing almost 100 losses daily.

[Axe1999]

SWPAC

[Axe1999]

Intel screen

[Axe1999]

Ships sunk

[Axe1999]

So I need some advice as to what to pursue in 1942 after Southern Solomons campaign.

Two avenues I see are advance up the Solomons to the Bougainville simultaneously with push up the coast of New Guinea to threaten Rabaul, or dedicate my assets for limited offensive in Marshalls-Gilberts (probably Tarawa/Makin or Roi Namur/Kwajalein). The latter would require either taking back Baker and Canton or building up one of the dot bases in Gilberts before, and a lot of stuff there are atolls, not sure how well would I fare before getting APAs/LCIs.

As things stand now Im pretty sure IJN has Akagi, Kaga and Zuikaku operational regarding fleet carriers.

Another option is take a break till APAs appear and meanwhile focus on reducing Rabaul/SWPAC with my 4EBs.

[BBfanboy]

Taking real estate just to make the map look less cluttered is not good reason. If the Gilberts/Marshalls are currently quiet and not causing interdiction of your lines of communication, ignore them. I suspect from your sketchy info that Rabaul is more of a PITA, so isolating it is strategically useful. Your overall aim should be getting within strategic bombing range of Japan by mid 1944.

As for how to isolate Rabaul, you will have to assess that yourself. If the bases on the north side of NG are strongly held, island hopping up the Solomons might be the best plan.

Don't obsess on the APA/AKA/LST requirement. If you use lots of xAPs and xAKs, preferably small ones, you can offload all the troops and equipment in one turn and have only supply left on board. APDs and AMCs that carry troops are also useful. The main thing is to bring enough fighting ships to gain control of air, sea and subsurface, including mine removal and placement of your own. If the enemy can't interdict your landing you can let your ships unload for days.

[Axe1999]

Well Marshall-Gilberts certainly arent actively attacking my convoys but they are making me go a longer route to SWPAC, so its neutralization would shorten sailing time quite a bit.

Regarding Rabaul, I think every HB I can scrounge is currently in PM/Lugainville/Noumea so that combined with naval bombardements should shut it down relatively easily.

On another note, whats the best way to help AI a bit without going to very hard? IJN lost 700-800 ships already and Im seeing way less xAKs around and bases out of supply so Im afraid they are slowly running short.

[BBfanboy]

You have been using your carriers to hit the Japanese transports and cargo ships. Leave those to your subs and have your carriers only go after warships like bombardment TFs and raiders. Same for your Cruiser TFs.

For your LBA and Patrol aircraft, continue Nav Search and if you identify TFs with troops aboard, attack them but if they just look like cargo TFs, don't set any naval attacks.

While you are letting the AI play catch-up, review all your ships for missed/pending upgrades and send them to the appropriate size port/shipyard. If your carriers have been at sea a long time you can probably upgrade their aircraft and even resize some squadrons if you wish. E.G., because naval attacks usually go after individual ships in packs of 4 maximum (lower numbers indicate fractions of the four), I try to expand my TB squadrons to a multiple of 4, 20 Avengers or 16 Albacores/Swordfish.

[Axe1999]

Didnt actually know about chunks of 4, looks like I havent been paying too much attention on combat replays.

Anyways, thanks a lot for the tips, nice to see people following

[RangerJoe]

I actually like to get the TBs set up so they have exactly two attacks with torpedoes. Although the Yamato did not like the bombs from the carrier planes this last game. [:D]

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Deboyne Islands at 101,138

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 16
SBD-3 Dauntless x 8

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami, Bomb hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Yamato, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk

[Axe1999]

In my game Im pretty sure Yamato ate 20-30 bomb hits, all armor hits. Had to sortie three Standards to finish it off.

Btw how can you edit size of your carrier wing? I only have option to allow for resize in '43 to 18 (exactly 2 torpedo strikes)