Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Lowpe]

April 23, 1942

Another miss...at some point our subs have to hit, don't they?

[Lowpe]

Their subs do!

[Lowpe]

Crossed orders causes two ships lost...sigh.[&:]

[Lowpe]

Allied High Command sent 7 PT boats up on a suicidal charge into Rockhampton, they didn't have enough fuel to return...but their goal was to deplete the ammo in the numerous IJN cruisers and perhaps battleships in the area in an attempt to prevent a naval bombardment on the grunts at Rockhampton....

They all died in two fights...the weather was clear and engagement ranges were long...

but then the Desrons were planned to enter Rockhampton, along with subs...

[Lowpe]

We are jumping back and forth between Ceylon and Australia...but our small desron attempting a shot a the ammo depleted IJN cruiser, runs into the returning IJN desron led by Tanaka....more carnage!

[Lowpe]

How bout that![:)]

[Lowpe]

Major oops![:(]

[Lowpe]

I could play movement games and get into Bowen as the IJA unit moves south, they have no vehicles, so delay my movement this turn and enter next....but that isn't the play I think. At some point Japan will start aerial bombing I think.

Time for all the troops to leave Rockhampton I think and get away from the bombardments. I have got a good shot at controlling the road north up to Rockhampton and isolating the troops at Bundaberg. And at present I don't want more desperate measures...better a force in being near Rockhampton threatening...than a shattered retreating force.

Japan is using LRCAP with range...so a more aggressive sweeping will start to catch them away from Rockhampton. The Dutch Mitchells ran into a solo Zero over Bowen.

[Lowpe]

1 point of fire [X(][:(]. As Japan that ship would have to be at sea for the fire to be put out...dare I dock her, supposedly immune to sub attack, and put up a stiff CAP...with orders to disband at the end of the turn...but then what about another destroyer raid.

Japan seems to really like to go for the kills...so I suspect port raids and perhaps a destroyer raid might occur.

Meanwhile, I can start unleashing the Allied air force...Although I am waiting for 2 more HQas to arrive, I can fully stack every airfield. Do I bomb the port, the runways, attack the ships, etc., etc. Choices.

I think I should wait for the HQa to arrive at Madras before I attack with bombers during the day...perhaps that will lull the Japanese into putting the CA into the shipyards?

With one cruiser sunk, another torpedoed, I think I can venture some bombardment task forces towards Colombo too...

[JohnDillworth]

Disband and cap-trap. She can only make 1 knot. She will be a magnet of for every airplane within 500 miles. Try to make virtue of necessity and take as many planes & pilots down with her as you can.

[BBfanboy]

+1. At the very least the minor float damage needs to be pumped out before attempting to move her. That will likely improve her speed as well - you might even get her up to 3 knots! [:D]

[mind_messing]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Pure nailbiting time! It looks bleak here, Japan will most likely shock attack today!

Ground combat at Rockhampton (95,152)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 29686 troops, 258 guns, 165 vehicles, Assault Value = 922

Defending force 23198 troops, 438 guns, 611 vehicles, Assault Value = 600

Japanese adjusted assault: 355

Allied adjusted defense: 234

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2072 casualties reported
Squads: 17 destroyed, 123 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 44 disabled
Vehicles lost 25 (2 destroyed, 23 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
324 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 59 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 27 (3 destroyed, 24 disabled)
Vehicles lost 120 (50 destroyed, 70 disabled)

I want to think that the IJ have ran out of steam here.

I don't see a riff-raff of IJA units dislodging the US 41st backed by that many tanks. In terms of your vehicle losses, were those 50 destroyed mostly motorized support or was that a tank unit that got the short end of the stick?

[CaptBeefheart]

If memory serves, you get three infantry battalions each in Alaska and Hawaii. Your ideal atoll garrison would be one of those, a Marine defense battalion, a Stuart battalion and a USAAF or USN base force, plus coastal AAA and arty battalions. A separate inf regiment could work as well, but that would tend to crowd the place.

That said, I don't think garrisoning atolls in CenPac with an eye to defense fits your play style. If you maintain the initiative, it won't matter. By the time he has decent prep points for an invasion you'll be threatening somewhere else.

Cheers,
CB

[apbarog]

There are some Canadian infantry units that are nicely sized for defending islands. They are poor quality to start out with, but they do upgrade. I used one to free up a US infantry division on Pearl Harbor, after the threat of any invasion there had passed.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: CaptBeefheart

If memory serves, you get three infantry battalions each in Alaska and Hawaii. Your ideal atoll garrison would be one of those, a Marine defense battalion, a Stuart battalion and a USAAF or USN base force, plus coastal AAA and arty battalions. A separate inf regiment could work as well, but that would tend to crowd the place.

That said, I don't think garrisoning atolls in CenPac with an eye to defense fits your play style. If you maintain the initiative, it won't matter. By the time he has decent prep points for an invasion you'll be threatening somewhere else.

Cheers,
CB

I need some units to fill out Wake, with troop withdraw...plus when I take Canton, I want to immediately fill it with prepped troops for defense and get the invasion troops off.

So think offensive defense...I know the chance of IJN having a counter invasion force prepped might be high here in 1942.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: apbarog

There are some Canadian infantry units that are nicely sized for defending islands. They are poor quality to start out with, but they do upgrade. I used one to free up a US infantry division on Pearl Harbor, after the threat of any invasion there had passed.

I actually bought out two Canadian units, I think they were destroyed in Hong Kong, refilled them ever so slowly and now they are in Tahiti area. They are decent for rear area, but replacement rates very low for front line. Might make a decent unit for Wake as filler.

Good idea about using them in high fort rear areas...

[Lowpe]

Our stricken battleship is disbanded in port and hopefully we can put the fires out...the harbor is patrolled by a SAG, and planes are flying CAP.

Sweeping Colombo with a squadron, preparing for a big aerial offensive tomorrow if the HQa arrives at Madras, maybe even if it doesn't.

Going to hold ground at Rockhampton and see what happens today, did a fair bit of wonky movement to get timing right on advances, not too quick, just right. Going for hexside control and also Bowen.

I think IJA recon is weak...try and use that to our advantage.

Several sweeps to catch bleeding CAP...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Many years ago when I spoke with John E (DBB developer) about the apparent lack of heavy artillery for the Allies, he told me the best units to use in that roll are the American CD units. I would ship 2 to 4 of them to Australia and use them for your push up the eastern coast. They will also be good at firing back of Nathan's bombardment TFs.

I have a 155mm Art unit unloading at Sale, another day and they will head north.

I have a bunch of the 6" Aus CD units running around, but I haven't really been bombarding with them much.

It seems the 4.5", 25#, and 18" are tough to bombard with as they take too much counterbattery fire.

I will scour the OOB for some of the US CD units, but they are far away I fear. Good idea![&o]

[Lowpe]

April 24, 1942

Destroyer skirmish near Rockhampton...

[Lowpe]

Round 2, these Farragut destroyers are pretty weak fighting warships & lack radar -- decent ASW now though. At least they have 5" guns.