Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[JanSako]

I mean I know his strategy cause he posted it in his AAR.
Mine us to inflict as much damage to USN as possible as far out as possible to delay the inevitable. Makes the Allied opponent cautious if he knows you will strike back at any opportunity...

Then you also get time to build up all those interconnected bases etc .
Not sure Japan can do it by early '43. At least not in LST's mod I play.

[Lowpe]

Other than Auto Vic, not sure what his strategy past that....and don't tell me!

He did do a good job against the British Fleet.

[Warofthe2ndWorld]

Other than Auto Vic, not sure what his strategy past that....and don't tell me!

He did do a good job against the British Fleet.

What'd he do against the Royal Navy?

[Lowpe]

I made a mistake, and lost 1 CV, Hermes and 2 BBs eventually...all in one day. I never would have thought he would have the entire KB supporting the invasion of Diego Garcia. Lost TF Z on the opening day, as all the KB showed up off Singers.

[Lowpe]

July 2nd, 1943

Two raids were planned by the USN today....TF Houston to steam full speed to the eastern side of Luzon and raid Atimonan port where a large IJN convoy was spotted, most likely the untouched large convoy from the Deathstar strike at Cagayan last week....subs are vectored in --- but Trigger fires and misses as the convoy steams to the North East well at sea retreating from Atimonan...

Sub attack near Tuguegarao at 83,76

Japanese Ships
xAP Teibi Maru
AV Kamikawa Maru
xAP Umezaki Maru
xAP Huzi Maru
xAP Miike Maru
DD Matsukaze

Allied Ships
SS Trigger

SS Trigger launches 4 torpedoes at xAP Teibi Maru
Trigger diving deep ....
DD Matsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Matsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Matsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Matsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Matsukaze fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

TF Houston, led by Commander Waters, only moves 45 miles, for better positioning...here orders were to steam flank speed to Atimonan, and obviously intel reached Waters during the night to use caution in filling out his orders...fighters from Cagayan were to provide long range CAP...and Waters is proved correct: the target a juicy convoy is sighted by Trigger steam northeast away from Atimonan, and PBYs report a powerful enemy surface fleet approaching!

SeaBees take San Jose and the runway is intact! Now to quickly take Iloila next door and its even larger runway.

A20BismarckSea.jpg (239.52 KiB) Viewed 557 times

[Lowpe]

The second raid starts at Jolo...target port Miri and the important oil fields there. It is a long run, and deemed highly dangerous, so heavy cruisers Pensacola and Chester disband in port, while a Bristol class destroyer, the Kalk will lead three other
Bristol Destroyers in the long, long run and take up position in Miri patrolling the port....which is a port with very limited sea access. Commander Fred Moosbrugger is in charge, fresh off two good fights and one disappointing engagements.

RAAF Beaufighters and P38s will provide long range CAP...but the port hasn't received the drop tanks for the P38s yet...this could be bad.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Paratroopers, the 1st Fiji Commando Btln, assembled by fast transport at Jolo will be dropped by Coronados' on Kudat, on the eastern tip of North Borneo! The 147th Regiment of Yanks is at Cotabato and will reinforce them hopefully taking the runway at Jesselton next to Kudat.

Task Force Kalk leaves at midnight...and all the destroyer men know one thing: They Are Expendable.

A20BismarckSea.jpg (148.61 KiB) Viewed 555 times

[Lowpe]

Activity at Jolo is intense...the drop tanks at the port are misplaced... the port thinks they are on a coastal convoy that hasn't arrived yet, and the P38s unable to fly at Dawn, a scant few Beaufighters rumble down the strips while radio silence is maintained by TF Kalk...and the Coronados' rumble across the water taking the 1st Fiji Commando's to their target: Kudat.

Bad news, during the night, a small coastal cargo ship, APc-29 is torpedoed and sunk...they had the drop tanks aboard! Oh, no...

Dawn arrives, and TF Kalk finally makes an appearance at Miri Harbor....a lone Beaufighter might be overhead. The P38s are grounded for lack of drop tanks. This could be bad...


Day Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 64,87, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
SC Ch 28, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
SC Ch 29, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
SC Ch 30, Shell hits 6, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Caldwell
DD Frazier
DD Gillespie
DD Kalk

Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 23,000 yards...
Range closes to 17,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 17,000 yards
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 11,000 yards
DD Kalk engages SC Ch 30 at 11,000 yards

[Lowpe]

Then quiet....the returning Beaufighter pilots report ships in harbor and no enemy bombers spotted...as does the PBYs flying over...but TF Kalk is silent all day...a report by Drum north of Miri come in. Did the IJN fleets flee in the night, like Atimonan?

Sub attack near Miri at 64,87

Japanese Ships
xAK Toyotu Maru
xAK Anzan Maru #2
xAK Tomitu Maru
xAK Dakar Maru
PB Daiya Maru

Allied Ships
SS Drum, hits 2

SS Drum launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Toyotu Maru
Drum bottoming out ....
PB Daiya Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Daiya Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Daiya Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
PB Daiya Maru attacking submerged sub ....
PB Daiya Maru fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

[Lowpe]

And then, late, late in the afternoon....the PBY pilots report heavy smoke from Miri harbor...multiple ships burning...enemy fighters expected to be present but not in concentration....

The 1st Fiji Commando's take Kudat, capture the port...and assume defensive positions awaiting reinforcements....

A20BismarckSea.jpg (641.19 KiB) Viewed 550 times

[Lowpe]

Moosbrugger breaks radio silence as the sunsets....but the view is spoiled by all the oily smoke obscuring the harbor....the ships were all carrying fuel.

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Yusen N and S class ships...big girls.

[Lowpe]

Day Time Surface Combat, near Miri at 64,87, Range 14,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Aso Maru #7, Shell hits 15, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Toko Maru #4, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
AK Sakito Maru, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Amagisan Maru, Shell hits 31, and is sunk
xAK Kosin Maru, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Koryu Maru, Shell hits 22, and is sunk
xAK Toba Maru, Shell hits 19, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Hauraki Maru, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

Allied Ships
DD Caldwell, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Frazier
DD Gillespie
DD Kalk

Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends loading operations and begins to get underway
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 19,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 19,000 yards
Range closes to 14,000 yards...

[Lowpe]

The full speed run played havoc on the ships systems...and really was only tactically available because Balabac was still in the USN's hands. Not enough fuel to make that run from Jolo and returning to Jolo...but to Balbac just barely enough. And the P38s still don't have their drop tanks at Jolo today!

A20BismarckSea.jpg (102.75 KiB) Viewed 546 times

[RangerJoe]

So far, I think that the destroyers did a good job and thus deserve a break in port to consume some adult beverages!

[T Rav]

Very good Yarn. BZ.

[Lowpe]

Very good Yarn. BZ.

Thank you. Could use some editing.

[Lowpe]

So far, I think that the destroyers did a good job and thus deserve a break in port to consume some adult beverages!

IF we can get them back...closest AD/AR is Morotai (level 3 runway with 3 AA battalions). The nice thing about flank runs -- it is seldom major damage.

Should be unloading 600 engineers on Talaud...which became a level 2 air force today. It will build quickly to 8 and become the forward repair facility once defenses are place.

[Lowpe]

Burma

Just trying to tie up forces here...

A20BismarckSea.jpg (438.08 KiB) Viewed 494 times

[Lowpe]

Japanese bomber/flying boat presence? Where are they?

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[RangerJoe]

So far, I think that the destroyers did a good job and thus deserve a break in port to consume some adult beverages!

IF we can get them back...closest AD/AR is Morotai (level 3 runway with 3 AA battalions). The nice thing about flank runs -- it is seldom major damage.

Should be unloading 600 engineers on Talaud...which became a level 2 air force today. It will build quickly to 8 and become the forward repair facility once defenses are place.

That is what I meant so far. But if they are too low on ammo for air defense, could you send a couple more destroyers to join them and possibly share some fuel?

Also, they should still have a night movement before any air attacks. They could sneak into Kudat to sip a little fuel on a waypoint refueling stop if there is some fuel there and they need it.

Keep Fred Moosebrugger alive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Moosbrugger

[Lowpe]

I enjoyed the article on England and on Fred!

I like to look up the troops/ships/commanders/weapons all the time, but currently the pace of the game precludes that.

No fuel at Kudat...just took it.

Our entire headlong advance is being done on a shoestring budget.

Put a squadron of assault bombers on low naval strike out of Cagayan today...not expecting much but an attack would keep Japan on their toes.