Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[RangerJoe]

A serious question or two, if you had a fighter unit on 10% Low Naval or Naval Attack with 90% Escort, do you think that would work? Maybe even have some fighters on Escort at the same base or TF with 100% escort but with a higher altitude while setting the ranges so those fighters on Escort will only have the attacking fighters to escort?

So put the fighter on Naval attack, rest 90%? I don't understand the 90% escort setting....

I have escorted strafing fighters and it seems to increase detection levels....once enemy fighters show up the strafing fighters tend to drop their bombs and dogfight.

Not rest, put 10% on Naval Attack with 90% on escort so the 90% will engage the enemy before the ones on Naval Attack are engaged. The fighters on Naval Attack are at an initial disadvantage until they drop their bombs.

[Lowpe]

A serious question or two, if you had a fighter unit on 10% Low Naval or Naval Attack with 90% Escort, do you think that would work? Maybe even have some fighters on Escort at the same base or TF with 100% escort but with a higher altitude while setting the ranges so those fighters on Escort will only have the attacking fighters to escort?

So put the fighter on Naval attack, rest 90%? I don't understand the 90% escort setting....

I have escorted strafing fighters and it seems to increase detection levels....once enemy fighters show up the strafing fighters tend to drop their bombs and dogfight.

Not rest, put 10% on Naval Attack with 90% on escort so the 90% will engage the enemy before the ones on Naval Attack are engaged. The fighters on Naval Attack are at an initial disadvantage until they drop their bombs.

Don't see how that would work, as the primary mission would be 10% Naval and the secondary mission (in the afternoon) would be escort 90%.

[Lowpe]

Watched the replay. the IJN SAGs skirted south of Formosa...so no naval clashes.

Solo ship task forces still causing grief in the China Sea....perhaps four of five no engagments, but a solo DD mauled a few merchants and their escort, and a solo E sank a DE and then a sub promptly sunk the lone merchant. Minor losses but irritating. None of our multiple carrier borne bombers launch against such minor threats.

My bad for not progressing across the sea in one large multiple ship task force group.

I think the best answer to solo ship task forces is solo task forces of our own, or fighters on strafing naval attacks. Did get a couple of night naval attacks to no success...but most of our ships progressed to reinforcing our Chinese landings nicely. Took Aparri on the northern tip of Luzon. I think I will simply pull back and focus on reinforcing the coast and forming up a large group for the cross china sea...hopefully I can bait more IJN shipping in here. I have plans....

More when I get the turn.

[Lowpe]

Jan 10, 1944

Will take another base (the dot base to the north) in China today. 41st Division unloading at Foochow, 5th Indian Division unloading at Swatow for Hong Kong. Lost most of their AAA support unit thanks to a solo destroyer operating out of Hong Kong.

Solo IJN Task forces fail to engage:
Task Force 638 encounters enemy Task Force at 78 , 67
Task Force 862 has merged with TF 677 at 79 , 103
Task Force 817 encounters enemy Task Force at 79 , 65
Task Force 817 encounters enemy Task Force at 79 , 65

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[Lowpe]

Other action:

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[Lowpe]

Sumatra falling.

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[Lowpe]

One of the tactics I always wanted to pull off as Japan was the KB Alpha Kamikaze strike....

[BBfanboy]

Those LCI(G) are the ones armed with guns. I forget whether the rocket armed ones are designated LCI(R) or some other letter.

[Lowpe]

Here to you go....

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[Lowpe]

But there is a LCI(R)

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[Lowpe]

A comparison:

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[BBfanboy]

Thanks for the correction! Looks like there's LCI(rockets) and LCI(ROCKETS)!

[Lowpe]

Jan 12, 1944

IJN retreats past our PT boat screen without engagement....

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[Lowpe]

Nice attack

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[Lowpe]

Going with Spitfire sweeps around 20k to counter the stacked air defenses....

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[Lowpe]

An afternoon attack too...

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[Lowpe]

Well, we did launch an air attack on a lone destroyer...but the divebombers stayed home, and 20 torpedoes all missed....

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Hong Kong at 75,67

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Allied aircraft
FM-1 Wildcat x 5
TBF-1 Avenger x 20

Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Hagikaze

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.

[Lowpe]

Not sure if this an evacuation of Ponape or resupply...

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ponape at 119,113

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25G Mitchell x 13

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAP Kongo Maru
xAP Tenzan Maru, Shell hits 2
xAK Hawaii Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Koan Maru, on fire
xAP Kobayashi Maru, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage

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

[Lowpe]

Jan 12, 1944

Ouch....the destroyers didn't bombard...saving ammo for enemy surface action or air threat...

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[Lowpe]

Bingo

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