Westerley Wind, Fine NJP72 (J) vs Lowpe (A) DBB Sce 30

[njp72]

Addu- no probs.

IJN will now regroup and rearm.

[njp72]

China- the massing of firepower to end the stalemate.

No finesse or maneuver here. Just plenty of HE and Smoke and off we go.[:D]

The two other TK Divs will arrive at this stack shortly. Major push starts in 2 to 3 turns backed by a 120 level bombers.

[njp72]

Final assault on the Maldives

Looking good as the veteran 38th Inf Div secures a beach head at Diego Garcia.

[njp72]

Blasting and shredding the Chinese defenders one day at a time.

Plenty of guns and tanks needed to break the stalemate.

[njp72]

Flanking and harassing the demoralized Commonwealth defenders in Burma. Not many left now.

[njp72]

Observing, studying and learning from the first real Allied Offensive of the war.

Only IJN subs actively stalking his CVs with a minor hit secured against the Lex.

No IJN surface units will engage. Too much Allied firepower here.

[njp72]

Scoreboard

Keen to secure 15K Allied troop losses over the next 6 months.

[castor troy]

15k for Allied troops would be nearly 3 times as many as would be lost from the historical conquests within the SRA so that wouldn't be bad at all for 42. If you continue this in 43 he will have severe shortages of ground troops in 44 which is quite an Allied constraint.

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: castor troy
If you continue this in 43 he will have severe shortages of ground troops in 44 which is quite an Allied constraint.

I agree, though doesn't it matter what kinds of troops have been eliminated, and whether that will cause constraints?

I am not 100% sure, but seems like eliminating any US formations isn't going to cause any constraints....US has very deep pools. Is that correct?

That means the losses that matter are all Commonwealth....British/Indian/Aus squads, 25 lbers, heavier tanks, combat engineers....these are the only things that are shortages of, though those things are critical to building/keeping division-level formations

Is that right?

[njp72]

Thanks guys, yes the Commonwealth troops have been the main target (aside from the Chinese).

Off to a good start with achieving the set goals regarding Allied ground casualties with Diego vanquished this turn.

The Maldives has been a very successful operation which has netted about 15K of Allied troops at minimum loss.

The Central Pacific is where I am needed. Will mass forces and then will roll him back across those islands.

[njp72]

Mixed turn.

Lost Baker and a couple of naval guard units but dinged another US CV- the second in 7 days and I think this one hurt Hornet a bit more than the glancing blow to Lex.

When I rock up in a month I should be able to mass more CV airpower than the Allies now.

This is actually playing out to plan whereby US CV combat power are being attrited (damaged but not sank) with out risking any major assets from the IJN.

Just need to hit one more and the remainder of 42 looks good for the Emperor. [:D]

[njp72]

This will no doubt elicit a groan from Lowpe.

The 3rd US CV in 10 days takes multiple torps and this time the torps seem to have hurt. Finally heavy damage seen on the combat report.

Over the last 2 weeks I have worked out his pattern with CV movements- he always moves them forward a couple of hexes towards the potential threat and not to the side or rear. It also helps that the entire IJN sub fleet is saturating the area as well.

I would like to actually sink one of these ships eventually.

I wonder how much time this will buy me in the Central Pacific- thoughts?

[jdsrae]

Good shooting!
If all three need yard time that will have to slow him down a bit.

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: jdsrae

Good shooting!
If all three need yard time that will have to slow him down a bit.

Thanks [:)]

Yep all three will definitely need yard time. I think I could see 2 of them last turn (Lex and Hornet???) splinter off the main group and start heading East back to the US Coast.

I think Enterprise is in a bit more trouble.

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: njp72

ORIGINAL: jdsrae

Good shooting!
If all three need yard time that will have to slow him down a bit.

Thanks [:)]

Yep all three will definitely need yard time. I think I could see 2 of them last turn (Lex and Hornet???) splinter off the main group and start heading East back to the US Coast.

I think Enterprise is in a bit more trouble.

Usually two torp hits aren't enough to get a USN CV, that would be super lucky in the end. Guess I've never lost or sunk one to just two torps. Enterprise and Hornet can be repaired quite quickly in a big yard but Lexington and Saratoga would take forever to repair.

If the carriers are split off their main group that's your chance to sink them as they usually won't have the really needed number of escorts. Well done with your subs. I've posted in Lowpe's AAR yesterday that I wouldn't want to have my carriers being torped for these little atolls at the end of nowhere and that was before a third carrier was torpedoed. In every game Lowpe seems to be obsessed by these operations 10,000 miles away from Japan or the SRA.

[njp72]

Thanks Castor.

Yep I was surprised he was risking some pretty nice assets for not much. Everything and everywhere else he has just about been spot on. His defence of China has been masterful with the positioning of his reserves and the defence in depth.

The million $ question is to how to exploit this opportunity????[&:]

[njp72]

China- the grind continues.

Each couple of turns a specific hex is targeted and a cascade of air and arty fire is unleashed to wear down the defenders.

Close to breaking on multiple occasions in the South and North only to see the Chinese rally with fresh reserves being committed. I get the sense that once again fresh troops are getting scarce for Lowpe as the Chinese commence shortening their lines again up North. Quite a few Indian formations (arty and armour) are fighting and supporting the critical hexes with Chinese troops.

A ferocious battle- great fun.

*The 3 tank divisions have gone into reserve as I study his defensive dispositions for another turn or two. I want to keep him guessing as to where they may pop up next.

[njp72]

China is the critical focus at the moment and everything is generally interconnected with it including Burma.

Desperate defence by British/ Indian forces continue to deny Lashio to the IJA. Chinese troops have also been commited by Lowpe.

I am trying to flank him.

[njp72]

Central Pacific- Lowpe is very active here. Seizing smaller atolls and building them up to isolate Tarawa and Tabiteuea.

No further success with my subs who have also take a bettering. Lost about 3 with quite a few others roughed up.

By early October I will get serious and retake a few of these positions.

In the interim, a strong surface fleet will run inference on the periphery under strong air cover to slow Lowpe down and make life difficult.

No need for a surface engagement yet.

[njp72]

Only 2 to 3 months behind schedule, but finally far northern China has been cut away from the centre.

A rapid advance in the north is now on the cards. Will Lowpe retreat and salvage what he can or die in place?