Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Lowpe]

Japan might attack once or twice more before these troops magically arrive at Chungking...and then all my losses inflicted in the prior attacks are replaced. I am constantly trying to get my shattered Chinese big divisions destroyed.

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[RangerJoe]

The odd things an aspiring AFB enjoys...task force composition.

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Yes but be wary of loading fuel with troops on board . . .

[Warofthe2ndWorld]

Wait, what does A/JFB stand for?

[RangerJoe]

Wait, what does A/JFB stand for?

AFB => Allied Fan Boy (or Boi)

JFB => Japanese Fan Boy (or Boi)

[BBfanboy]

The odd things an aspiring AFB enjoys...task force composition.

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xAPs like that are the reason I don't bother converting Liberty ships to xAPs.

[BBfanboy]

Wait, what does A/JFB stand for?

Lowpe usually plays as the IJ side, so he is finding the goodies available to the Allies a treat!

[Lowpe]

I don't know what I was thinking earlier, when I said I should hunt down the IJN SAGs....nothing is more important than moving troops forward aggressively.

I find it difficult to figure out what the IJN will do-- their intel is quite poor. Best I can do is protect my shipping lines. I am close to my ports and supply and airbases and mines...rather than hunt him out. Plus, I need to be in Vietnam in about a month.

My recon is poor forward, as I don't have enough bases, but it is improving. I noticed 21k troops at Manado today...I am quite content for Japan to build strongpoints that I bypass especially if I am in Vietnam in a month in force!. Aggressive timetable...

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[Lowpe]

The odd things an aspiring AFB enjoys...task force composition.

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xAPs like that are the reason I don't bother converting Liberty ships to xAPs.

there are only a handful of cargo ships like Seabass....4 phase speed and pairs nicely with the four speed troop transports. Save those fast AKs for the front lines.

[RangerJoe]

The odd things an aspiring AFB enjoys...task force composition.

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xAPs like that are the reason I don't bother converting Liberty ships to xAPs.

there are only a handful of cargo ships like Seabass....4 phase speed and pairs nicely with the four speed troop transports. Save those fast AKs for the front lines.

The British and their Allies have some xAKs that carry more and are speed 17. Unless you already lost them . . .

[BBfanboy]

I scanned my xAKs for 17 knotters. There are at least 4 Dutch ones too.

[Lowpe]

Euro L
C3-S Cargo
C3- E
Empire L

Those are the 17 knotters....there are a bunch of 16 knots c2T cargo

Victory cargo ships arrive in 44 i think they are 17 knots

For Dababes....not stock.

[Lowpe]

June 27, 1943

Sync bugs galore...on the next turn. Argh.

Lost an APA in the lower Marshalls to an Iboat...ate four torpedoes.

IJN retreated...back rather than push in. I suspect another raid on Jolo (perhaps even a fast transport invasion) and also something in Davao Bay....

Solid naval bombardment of Manadao...

Night Naval bombardment of Manado at 75,99

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 6 damaged
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 3 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 21 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 2 destroyed on ground
Ki-15-II Babs: 5 damaged
J1N1-C Irving: 6 damaged
A6M5c Zero: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Tatuno Maru, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Chicago
DMS Dorsey

Japanese ground losses:
559 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Airbase hits 21
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 43

[Lowpe]

Good intel...I noticed a large SAG leaving south through the Malacca Straits...

Sub attack near Soerabaja at 56,104

Japanese Ships
CL Kinu
BB Musashi
CA Aoba
CL Sendai
CL Agano
CS Nisshin
DD Natsushio
DD Takakaze
DD Arikaze
DD Yugure

Allied Ships
SS Tautog, hits 2

SS Tautog launches 4 torpedoes at CL Kinu
Tautog bottoming out ....
DD Takakaze fails to find sub, continues to search...

[Lowpe]

June 28, 1943

This is the goal....intel on the South China Sea.

Canadians flown into Jolo to reinforce the paratroopers there...now I can transfer troops to Balbac for another PBY base. We will eventually get more subs working the South China Sea too. And then more and more and more....

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[Lowpe]

Got this from Japan:

Yep, thousands of clicks required to thwart your cunning plans.

Bold move to plunge so deep, so early. I wouldn't expect anything less from you

I am not sure it is bold, bold would have been doing it all in April of 43.

I spend most of my time just moving troops and materials forward. I always forget a handful of things....but I am learning a lot on how to better stymie the Allies in 1943.

July of 43 will see some good P40 models, and more Jugs, which have yet to make a combat appearance.

I lost an 8vp transport to Iboat, but also absolutely sank an 8vp Iboat -- the first ASW hits with hedgehogs which I seem to recall as being very potent. The poor sub was forced to surface...but these kind of losses are to be expected. Forward.

I believe I will encircle 9 IJA units around Tuang Gyi in Burma....

[RangerJoe]

Here is an interesting article about the USS England, its victims, its war record, ASW tactics, plus a little more:

"H-030-1: USS England Sinks Six Japanese Submarines, May 1944"

https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/l ... 030-1.html

Edited for an incorrect link.

[Lowpe]

June 29th, 1943

IJN is down at Soemba? Most likely needs fuel.

Should I prioritize building Jolo or Cotabato? Probably Cotabato to cram the Mindanao full of planes-- Jolo can already fly divebombers and torpedoes are present at both.

A size 2 runway is basically a fleet carrier; size 3 fleet carrier + 2 escort carriers, size four 2 fleet carriers. I personally don't like flying naval strike until I can get to size 4 with an HQa.

Bombed Cagayan today, three tank battalions will attack today, tomorrow four tank battalions and some artillery in support. I doubt there are any AT guns of note. Infantry is still marching.

There is definitely a trick to using IJA Garrison troops...x3 terrain, forts 3+, 100+mm art in support, AA and Aviation Engineers in support as soaks. Not here!

Morning Air attack on 2nd South Seas Gsn , at 79,89 (Cagayan)

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 33 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 5
P-400 Airacobra x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Beaufort VIII bombing from 7000 feet
Ground Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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[Lowpe]

There might be an opportunity to raid Manila harbor in two days...I doubt there are CD guns protecting the harbor this early.

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[Lowpe]

I took both Male and Addu with aviation engineering units, lols .

Minor fight at Diego Garcia...25th Indian has 87 prep and is one day away from Colombo. Will load as much as we can on transports and take it....care must be used as it is an atoll. I think I wiped out two IJA regiments here in 1942.

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[Lowpe]

Just trying to pin Japan in place here....Japan really needs to shorten their lines and send some divisions back to Bangkok and then to Indochina, Thailand, Hainan, coastal China. Burma is just one large trap.

In all but one game as Japan, the US Army sends their best fighters Lightnings and Jugs to Burma....I have got one squadron of Lightnings here and have simply used Hurricanes and P40 and Airacobras. Lancers were effective too.

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