Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[RangerJoe]

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.

Refuel the task forces first!

[JanSako]

Pretty sure you can do the max distance run (Full night + Full day) & planes will still fly. I don't know whether expending any OPS points to refuel DD's at the end affects air ops...

[RangerJoe]

Refueling the DDs could take use operational points from the carriers.

[Lowpe]

Pretty sure you can do the max distance run (Full night + Full day) & planes will still fly. I don't know whether expending any OPS points to refuel DD's at the end affects air ops...

As Japan, I have done it a half dozen or more times and the only time we had planes fly was against an enemy CV in the afternoon. That is a full flank speed move. So, by moving less than full, I suspect we can still launch one attack or more attacks.

[Lowpe]

July 5th, 1943

Our SAGs in the Sulu sea let us down...well the SAG at Panay.

Another turn with synch bugs...sigh. No pictures for a while.

Watched the replay...don't have the turn yet.

teaser....we find some enemy carriers north of Miri...and they strike a convoy in the Sulu Sea carrying an infantry regiment to Kudat!

Two earlier air attacks wear out the LRCAP...

Morning Air attack on TF, near Balabac at 71,86

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 34 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 8
A6M5c Zero x 23
B5N2 Kate x 15
B6N1 Jill x 12
D4Y1 Judy x 9

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 8 damaged
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed by flak
B6N1 Jill: 4 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 1 destroyed by flak
D4Y1 Judy: 6 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CA Chester
CA Pensacola, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Caldwell
KV Nigella, Bomb hits 1

[Lowpe]

This SAG, guarding the infantry regiment above, did her job.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Balabac at 71,86, Range 23,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Atago, Shell hits 1
CL Kuma, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Michishio, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Akatsuki
DD Fubuki

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 10, on fire
DD Chevalier
DD Frankford, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Morris, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Gridley
DD Fanning

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards

[Lowpe]

I think I messed up here, and the SAG was pulled off for some strange reason....not many troops destroyed however.

Night Time Surface Combat, near San Jose at 78,84, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Tama
DD Arashi

Allied Ships
AM Bombay, Shell hits 5, and is sunk
xAP Wahine, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Anhui, Shell hits 11, and is sunk
xAP Baron Cawdor, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 16 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 18 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 35 (27 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Reduced sighting due to 3% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 3% moonlight: 11,000 yards

[Lowpe]

Subs finally hit some tankers...Incuding Wahoo.

Sub attack near Miri at 64,87

Japanese Ships
TK Kanzaki Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
TK Nishi Maru
PB Kantori Maru

Allied Ships
SS Drum, hits 4

Sub attack near Miri at 64,81

Japanese Ships
TK Kiyo Maru, Torpedo hits 1
TK Shoyo Maru
DD Hatakaze

Allied Ships
SS Wahoo

[Lowpe]

Our CV flank speed run, two hexes less than full movement, creates two strikes....plus two Hellcat sweeps. I must be doing something wrong in my air attacks...as the enemy fighters just blow past our close escort fighters and start dropping bombers. Normally, I want to have 2x the escorts than the fighters present, but here it is 1-1 against tired fighters that have been swept twice. This is the fourth time it has happened this game....either that or Wildcats simply are horrible escorts. The bombers would not have done much against big girls, so it is a great learning exercise.

Raid detected at 39 NM, estimated altitude 39,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 1
A6M5c Zero x 2
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 28
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 48
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 43

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 26

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 6 destroyed
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-IV Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F6F-3 Hellcat: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x F6F-3 Hellcat sweeping at 38000 feet *

Morning Air attack on TF, near Balikpapan at 64,97

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 1
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 12
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 22
Ki-43-IV Oscar x 24

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 66
SBD-3 Dauntless x 32

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 17 destroyed, 7 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai
BB Hiei
BB Kongo

Aircraft Attacking:
5 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
4 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb

[Lowpe]

Our Mitchells are at least flying...need bigger runways.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Jolo at 73,88

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 5 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 6

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Oite
DD Minekaze, Shell hits 8
DD Hayate

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Morning Air attack on TF, near Puerto Princesa at 73,83

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 3 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 4

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Satsuki
DD Inazuma

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-25D1 Mitchell bombing and strafing from low level
Naval Attack: 6 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

[Lowpe]

Got a new Airacobra....short range CAP I think.

The other Airacobras did much better than I expected in aerial duels. Used them a lot in ground support too, which they did well building experience and defense skills. Cannon seems worthless in most recent model against fighters.

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[Lowpe]

Trying to get a handle on the new model USAAF fighters...

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[Lowpe]

PDU off handicaps early P38 high altitude sweep scam....haven't really used them that much. One squadron of P38s in Burma have done decently...

I am thinking of setting up some long range high altitude bombing runs...perhaps coordinated with other efforts...probably will be disappointing.

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[Lowpe]

The rest of the fighters...Mustangs in a couple of months. JFBs really fear Jugs and Corsairs, and to a lesser degree Hellcats. I really want to explore other fighter uses...P38s can usually be countered by A6M5c pretty easily. Will see what I can dream up...

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[Lowpe]

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PDU off really helps the Allies....only a few squadrons of George and Jack, but Frank will be a mainstay since Japan already has Oscar IV....so we will be encountering them shortly.

Not too worried about the cannon Frank in the middle, but the extra altitude in the R model really helps her.

[Lowpe]

Going to stop using F4Fs in an escort role....they simply don't work.

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[Lowpe]

Lots going on!

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The two IJN Desrons in Sulu Sea (4 ships each) haven't fought yet other than some AAA and or depth charges.

The Atago TF (last spotted NW Sulu Sea is out of Ammo).

The two AKs are probably a spent CL and DD that raided Panay.

Runways for Allies: Cagayan 4, Davao 3, Jolo 3, Cotabato 2. A couple of size 1s.

Looks like a counter invasion force arriving at Kudat...

[Lowpe]

Ergh, just noticed I took a squadron of dive bombers off Naval attack last turn at Davao...I wonder why? Put them on Search instead.

Well, this turn no Wildcats in escort roles...remember that Lowpe!

[Lowpe]

July 6th, 1943

Chester and Chevalier were on a run to slow Japanese landings at Jesselton...but run right into a nice IJN SAG...but our other cruisers and attack transports escape back to Jolo....

A squadron of Australian FBs can't penetrate the 50 plus fighter CAP at Legaspi...

Sank another Iboat...

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orning Air attack on TF, near Legaspi at 82,82

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 3,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 27
Ki-43-IIIa Oscar x 28

Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Ic x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5b Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufighter Ic: 4 destroyed

CAP engaged:
201 Ku S-1 with A6M5b Zero (27 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
27 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 2000 , scrambling fighters to 7000.
Raid is overhead
265th Sentai with Ki-43-IIIa Oscar (28 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(3 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
28 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 2000 , scrambling fighters to 9000.
Raid is overhead

[Warofthe2ndWorld]

I think you need to target his warships to keep him from raiding into your merchant shipping.