Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Burma

We are fort building, even with the drain on supply, to hopefully improve the supply.[;)]

In the words of the great philosopher Austin Powers, "allow myself, to introduce... myself."

[Lowpe]

Sept 12, 1942


Another punishing bombardment of Tabby. Nauru Island also shelled. A few Zeroes damaged on the ground but not destroyed there.

[Lowpe]

What would have worked well here was having a squadron of floatplanes trained to 70 ASW, and having the Zeppelins here. Lessons learned, which was one of the major reasons for doing this op.

Making steady progress...got to love American bulldozers.

Makin garrisoned.

Will have recon of Kwaj tomorrow.

Beru will now have the AKE, so only a one hex trip to bombard Tabby.

Has anybody used an AG to provide mines for an ACM or other small ship? I never tried that but it seems like it should work. Nevermind, seems like tenders don't help with mine loading. I knew that, seriously.[;)]

[Lowpe]

Hmm...

[Lowpe]

Is the USN Keokuk a worthless ship once she unloads her current load of 50 mines?

The Mk 16 mine doesn't not upgrade to another mine.

[CaptBeefheart]

Yes, Pearl Harbor doesn't work for ship withdrawals. I don't have the rule handy but that one I know. Enemy presence doesn't have an effect.

I hope the Enterprise's flotation damage isn't all major. Otherwise you might want to get an ARD close to it to knock it down to at least 50 before sending it to Sydney or Pearl. Of course, you'd need a big 55,000-ton ARD, which you may not have yet.

Cheers,
CB

[Lowpe]

This patch note tells me Pearl is fine as a withdraw point. Not sure that an Iboat with a float plane is enough air superiority though![:D]

Check out that ships not badly damaged maybe withdrawn from Task Forces in certain on map regions!

48. Gameplay Change: Allow ship withdrawals at any on map level-9 port and some
smaller ports with no enemy nearby. Ships can always be withdrawn from any offmap port or from any TF that is currently off map. Ships that are not badly damaged
can be withdrawn from some on-map ports or from TFs in certain on-map regions.
For on map, ship may not be on fire, total damage may not exceed 99 and no
individual damage type (system, floatation, engine) may exceed 50. Ships may not
be withdrawn from any on-map location where the enemy has air superiority. The
intent is to prevent withdrawal as a method of saving a ship that stands a good chance
of being lost or further damaged. On map withdrawal ports are set based on the
historical exit locations for ships leaving the Pacific:

1. Any level 9 port.

2. National home ports of the United States, Canada, India, Australia, and New
Zealand (with no port level requirement)

3. Any level 7 or larger port on the US or Canadian West Coast.

4. Any level 7 or larger Indian port East of Ceylon (including Ceylon itself)

5. Any level 7 or larger port in South Eastern Australia, plus Perth.

6. Any level 7 or larger port in New Zealand.

[Encircled]

Thing is, if the KB is coming, then the Enterprise has had it if it stays where it is

Guess its a judgement call about how long you leave it at Kuria, and I get the submarine danger (which will only get worse as well)

How many hexes can it manage on cruise speed?

[jdsrae]

From hazy memory the “no enemy nearby” means within something like 10 hexes, and a sub counts.
I’ll try to find a reference to back that up!

Is your Pearl Harbour only a level 8 port?

[T Rav]

"They are elsewhere, digging in, creating range cards, etc..."

OK Lowpe, I have to ask... are you old Army or Marine? I've not heard the phrase "range cards" for decades! That was old Army T Rav...

[Lowpe]

Sept 13, 1942

Finally got a SC up to the Gilberts...most are working their way forward...good results.

[Lowpe]

Daytime skirmish goes to Japan, hopefully our one damaged destroyer can escape and live but we hit one of theirs too.

Been playing Cat and Mouse with this squadron for a week now, and unfortunately the encounter occurs too far from the the coast and too close to Japanese bases.

At least my SBDs didn't fly, although they did have two squadrons flying Escort -- if they coordinate.

[Lowpe]

Big bombardment at Tabby, daytime for better results.

[Lowpe]

China

Got the Indian Mountain Guns in against the IJA Tank Army of the Apocalypse...I wonder how they stood up.

[Lowpe]

Indian Mtn Gun unit held up fine...lowish on supplies now though.

[Lowpe]

An unusual Allied attack here, without lots of aerial bombing first...but since IJA tanks were destroyed/disabled/disrupted in their previous attack I decided time and our 3x his forces it was more important to start attacking...also to hopefully pull troops away from his Lashio advance.

Only bombed with one squadron of B26s this morning prior to the attack.

Went well, I think...I can keep the pressure up and keep rotating troops.

[Lowpe]

Air losses worked out better than I thought...Japan must be flying fatigued planes and pilot at high percentages for those LRCAP traps...

The Avenger losses were probably flying to high a percentage on ASW...to protect Big E.

[Lowpe]

In a lot of ways, this fight is WITP AE at its best....bait and lure, equal forces, too much fun!

I generally try to always have my bait task forces doing something rather than just waiting to die. Here they are carrying engineers forward.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: jdsrae

Is your Pearl Harbour only a level 8 port?

My bad, Pearl caps out at 8! Good call...just assumed it got to 9. 20 PP a day mistake for two days...Henry Allen is withdrawn this day. She will return later in the war.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

Thing is, if the KB is coming, then the Enterprise has had it if it stays where it is

Guess its a judgement call about how long you leave it at Kuria, and I get the submarine danger (which will only get worse as well)

How many hexes can it manage on cruise speed?

Big E will make Arorae today, she can make 3 hexes a day...still spotted but with a lot of other ships, DL is 5/8 on her TF, and 2/8 on the Deathstar(such that it is) in the same hex.

Multiple ARs at Canton, but might send her to Baker instead. She is knocking down her minor float and engine damage.

I am pretty sure I have used ARs to great effect even at size 0 dot bases in the past, so lots of options...but three days in no move mode could kill her.