Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[RangerJoe]

Thank you.

To me, when I look people up it brings it more real and not just abstract. The sad part of LT England was that he switched duties with another officer to work that day because his wife and young daughter that he had not yet seen were coming on a ship that week, I think that they were supposed to arrive on Tuesday.

[BBfanboy]

Thank you.

To me, when I look people up it brings it more real and not just abstract. The sad part of LT England was that he switched duties with another officer to work that day because his wife and young daughter that he had not yet seen were coming on a ship that week, I think that they were supposed to arrive on Tuesday.

War is capricious that way. My wife's uncle was on AM Clayoquot that was about to leave port to escort a ferry on the short run from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland. 10 minutes before sailing a new crewman from manning depot arrived and the Captain gave leave to my wife's uncle if he could get his stuff and go ashore before they sailed. He did, and a few hours later a U-boat sank Clayoquot. The guy that replaced him was killed.

My dad had a similar lucky escape. During the hunt for U-744 his KV Fennel was making a depth charge run on the sub when it fired a homing torpedo. My dad was in charge of the after rack depth charge crew. They had just dropped a pattern or DCs when there was a tremendous explosion that lifted the ship's stern about six feet, damaging the single screw and causing a significant leak around the shaft gland. Either the depth charges set off the torpedo just before impact or the torpedo actually hit a depth charge. Later, Fennel rescued some of the sub's crew after it was sunk, and the Germans insisted they had sunk an escort with their homing torpedo. So if the torpedo had not gone off prematurely, I would not be posting here!

[Lowpe]

Cool story!

[RangerJoe]

I was reading about Henry "Hammering Hank" Talmadge Elrod MOH who attacked a flock of 22 Nells shooting down two Nells, sank the IJN destroyer Kisargi, and then organized a beach defense unit on Wake. His wife was a US Marine officer and stayed one after the war. But her uncle missed the cutoff to enter the US Navy because his grades weren't quite good enough, he was second below the cutoff. But he also went to medical school after attending the US Naval Academy. He served two years sea as a midshipman, he was honorably discharged, but when the US Congress (in its infinite wisdom ) passed a law allowing one more officer that year and recommended to the US Navy in the law itself that it be him. He retired as an Admiral and wrote a report about the 7th of December 1941 because he was living in Oahu at the time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_T._Elrod

In the game, his stats do not give him justice.

The uncle:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_H._Jackson

[Lowpe]

July 3, 1943

Kind of surprised here...pilots aren't great. 500# SAP...good for 10-15 points of damage.

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[Lowpe]

Good losses for the IJ in the air...but he did eventually sink a barge or two (empty) a SC and (drat it) an AR! I sank another Iboat, damaged two surface ships and depleted his air a bit. But most importantly all our troop convoys got thru safely.

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[Lowpe]

Partly cloudy weather in amongst the islands, and moonlight is 0.

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[RangerJoe]

Losing an AR hurts for the Allies since they can't make more like the Japanese can.

Only 2 hits out of 54 bombs? That is not very good. I wouldn't give those pilots any beer after that! I had better luck with Dutch bombers, one of which sank an IJN CA with a single 300 kg bomb. Of course, they had some training and then lots of practice!

[Lowpe]

July 4th, 1943

IJN pulls back from showing a raid...good thing I ignored them anyhow...more troops arrive in Jolo and Mindanao, one convoy stops one hex short of Panay and I lose a 5 vp AK.

Submarines at Miri sink two xks...

Force I-177 to the surface and sink at Cagayan.

Invade Siquijor, an island north of Cagayan with a P1, AF 1. Used barges only.

Chungking gets forts knocked down to 1:

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 127085 troops, 1585 guns, 2691 vehicles, Assault Value = 4279

Defending force 155114 troops, 44 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 4018

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 4174

Allied adjusted defense: 5823

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
13740 casualties reported
Squads: 39 destroyed, 888 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 200 disabled
Engineers: 9 destroyed, 74 disabled
Guns lost 63 (5 destroyed, 58 disabled)
Vehicles lost 287 (46 destroyed, 241 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
6356 casualties reported
Squads: 84 destroyed, 484 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 123 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
18th Tank Regiment
17th Division
9th Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
39th Division
15th Tank Regiment
37th Division
32nd Division
23rd Tank Regiment
19th Tank Regiment
2nd Tank Division
116th Division
15th Division
36th Division
1st Tank Division
3rd Tank Regiment
3rd Tank Division
Guards Tank Division
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
North China Area Army
6th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
4th Mortar Battalion
1st Mortar Battalion
2nd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
4th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
1st Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
12th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
7th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment
3rd Hvy.Artillery Regiment
5th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
1st Army
51st Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
13th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
11th Field Artillery Regiment

[Lowpe]

Losing an AR hurts for the Allies since they can't make more like the Japanese can.

Only 2 hits out of 54 bombs? That is not very good. I wouldn't give those pilots any beer after that! I had better luck with Dutch bombers, one of which sank an IJN CA with a single 300 kg bomb. Of course, they had some training and then lots of practice!

I think their average lowN is 34....so not soo bad.

[Lowpe]

Losing an AR hurts for the Allies since they can't make more like the Japanese can.

I should be using my Naval Squad forward in an emergency repair mode rather than the AR....wasn't thinking it thru.

[Lowpe]

What use is there for the FM-1 Wildcat...low ship cap? Rear base protection? Training....rear area CVE escort that might be in range of Nells/Emily?

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[RangerJoe]

I would use the FM-1 on the smaller CVEs for CAP. Low CAP against torpedo aircraft, rear area CAP, as well as training. I think that they also carry bombs so they could be used against smaller shipping.

[Lowpe]

Two reports from last night....

Left: first report based on daytime sightings....

Right: Night report...notice the crafty SAG heading up into Taraken area.

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[Lowpe]

I would use the FM-1 on the smaller CVEs for CAP. Low CAP against torpedo aircraft, rear area CAP, as well as training. I think that they also carry bombs so they could be used against smaller shipping.

Nah, there no good against shipping...no range, and Assault Bombers and Torpedo Bombers and Dive Bombers do it better. Short range bomber escort especially against bypassed bases maybe. Someplace where you don't have to worry about plane stacking...

[Cheesesteak]

What use is there for the FM-1 Wildcat...low ship cap? Rear base protection? Training....rear area CVE escort that might be in range of Nells/Emily?

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Immersion. To frustrate you an inferior plane is being built in quantity!

[Lowpe]

What use is there for the FM-1 Wildcat...low ship cap? Rear base protection? Training....rear area CVE escort that might be in range of Nells/Emily?

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Immersion. To frustrate you an inferior plane is being built in quantity!

Well, they were made in converted Oldsmobile plants in New Jersey.

RL expectations:

The FM-2 was the most numerous and best performing Wildcat with 1,350 horsepower, bigger vertical tail surfaces and more fuel capacity, earning the name the “Wilder Wildcat.”

The FM-2 had four wing guns versus six in the Grumman F4F-4. Eastern knew that removing those two guns allowed the plane to carry more ammunition to the fight. The Grumman Wildcat carried 1,440 rounds for six guns, while the Eastern FM series carried 1,720 rounds for its four guns, allowing more firing time and endurance. The FM-2 covered the Philippine campaign with distinction. Jeep carriers supplied close air support and combat air patrol over all of the invasion beaches, as well as directly against the surface fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Battle of Samar. The top scoring FM-2 squadron, VC-27, was credited with shooting down 62.5 Japanese aircraft in 4 months during the Philippine campaign, demonstrating the lethality of the FM-2.

The FM-2, having been built in huge numbers, was expected to guard sectors of the Japanese coast and cover the amphibious landings.

[RangerJoe]

They were used on the CVEs because larger Hellcats and Corsairs could not be used on them. This is not depicted in the game, however. They actually were a little more maneuverable with 2 guns in each wing instead of 3 guns per wing.

[CaptBeefheart]

I just caught up since sometime last week. I think you have the FM-1 uses figured out. Low CAP, training, rear-area CAP, etc. I tend to only put Hellcats on the TK-based CVEs (Sangamon class I believe) and Wildcats on the rest of the CVEs for more or less historical accuracy since I tend to play against the IJ computer. CVEs did carry Corsairs in the Korean War, but that's a few years later.

Regarding the Liberty USATs, you seem on the right path. I usually build up Manus or Hollandia as a clearing house port with plenty of Nav Support as the destination for CONUS troops. That port would move forward as you sanitize the the area and build bigger ports to the north.

Also, depending on how many cheap xAPs you have, it could make sense to use Liberty USATs on riskier routes to the front in lieu of more expensive fast xAPs or APs.

Cheers,
CB

[Lowpe]

Not sure about this turn....trying something different, but risky.

How much of a flank speed run can a CV fleet make and still conduct operations in the afternoon? Testing today.