Rising Sun or Shooting Star? Grotius-san (J.) vs. Cap_&_Gown (A.)

[Grotius]

And a look at the Philippines. With "historic first turn" on, it's a lot harder to get a jump start here as Japan! But the plan is to move southwest from my two bases as indicated. The troops at Aparri have already started moving; the troops at Vigan need a bit more supply.

[Grotius]

Here's an excerpt from the combat report, detailing heroics of both my ASW and submarine forces:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/10/41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack at 47,46

Japanese Ships
DD Minazuki
DD Murasame
DD Asagumo
DD Minegumo

Allied Ships
SS Shark, hits 1, on fire

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 39,58

Japanese Ships
SS I-124

Allied Ships
AK Dos Hermanos, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

[Grotius]

For all that, though, I have only one confirmed report of a sunk enemy ship -- and Cap hasn't sunk (or even damaged) any of mine. This "sunk ship" screen must represent some sort of record for WITP PBEMs on December 11, but remember that Pearl Harbor isn't represented in this "Rising Sun" scenario.

[Grotius]

11 December 1941: My subs sank another AK today, but other than that things were pretty quiet. My Nells and Betties haven't launched one naval attack. I'm reluctant to send them in to Clark Field or Singapore; I'd rather have army bombers do this in order to preserve my land-based torpedo bombers for enemy ships. But the army bombers need a close airbase, and neither Aparri nor Khota Baru is up and running yet. Maybe I'm being too cautious about airfield-bombing with Nells and Betties?

I've finally got enough supply and troops into Malaya to start a bona fide offensive there. And the supply is finally rolling into northern Luzon too. Other operations are afoot too...

[Grotius]

12 December 1941: The most action-packed day of our war so far. Mostly the fighting centered around my invasion of Kuching.

I sent several TFs of transports and surface ships to invade and bombard Kuching. Cap_and_Gown spotted them yesterday and ordered Repulse and Prince of Wales to intercept. We got a Jutland-style BB-on-BB surface combat battle! He put a torpedo in one of my CLs, but other than that I came out pretty unscathed. I landed shell hits on several of his ships, and I may have scored one torpedo hit, but I suspect his TF also came away pretty well. They were spotted retiring toward Palembang during the day; 27 Nells out of Saigon chased them, but they couldn't find the target.

Meanwhile, my BB TF went on to bombard Kuching, and at the same moment my transports hit the beaches, unloading elements of a mixed regiment. Aviation support troops aren't far behind. Unfortunately, my supply transports are lagging three hexes behind; I've set them on maximum speed to get them to the beach tomorrow. The upshot is that I've put ashore 200-odd assault factors, but I'm short on supply. I'm not sure whether to go ahead and attack this turn or not. Recon shows about 7000 enemy troops at the base, but if that estimate is low, an attack might be premature. On the other hand, it sure would be good to get the base now so that I can base fighters there.

As my transports unloaded, Cap unleashed a series of torpedo-bomber attacks from the size-3 base 3 or 4 hexes southwest of Kuching. I held my breath as wave after wave of Swordfish and TIV's dropped torpedos at my ships. The AA from my BBs and CAs downed two bombers and damged a bunch of others, and I was lucky: no hits at all. I am too far from home for LRCAP, and I have only one CVL that is engaged in other operations, so air cover is a problem. I hadn't expected torpedo-bombers from that size 3 base; I had been counting on my bombardment of Kuching to neutralize any torpedo-bomber threat.

So now I have to decide: do I keep the surface ships on station to provide AA cover and (more importantly) to guard against the return of Force Z; or do I withdraw the surface ships now that the first wave of troops is safely ashore? I'm pretty reluctant to take my surface ships even further away from my air cover and to bombard the base on NW Borneo; and it's a good 7 or 8 hexes away by sea.

A related question is: is there any way to set my surface ships to react to an attack on the invasion hex? E.g., can I make that enemy base my "home" base, put my surface ships 3 or 4 hexes north of it, set them to Max React 6, and cover the base that way?

[Grotius]

Here's an excerpt from the combat report, detailing the night-time portion of the Battle of Kuching.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/12/41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Kuching at 28,56

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna, Shell hits 7
CA Takao
CA Atago
CL Jintsu, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Asashio
DD Oshio
DD Michishio, Shell hits 1
DD Arashio
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales
BC Repulse, Shell hits 5
CL Danae, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
CL Dragon
CL Durban, Shell hits 2
CL Mauritius, Shell hits 1
DD Vampire
DD Vendetta
DD Stronghold
DD Tenedos
DD Electra
DD Express
DD Jupiter

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Kuching at 28,56

Japanese Ships
BB Kongo
BB Haruna, Shell hits 7
CA Takao
CA Atago
CL Jintsu, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Asashio
DD Oshio
DD Michishio, Shell hits 1
DD Arashio
DD Akatsuki
DD Hibiki, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
BB Prince of Wales
BC Repulse, Shell hits 5
CL Danae, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
CL Dragon
CL Durban, Shell hits 2
CL Mauritius, Shell hits 1
DD Vampire
DD Vendetta
DD Stronghold
DD Tenedos
DD Electra
DD Express
DD Jupiter

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Kuching, at 28,56

Japanese Ships
CL Jintsu, on fire
CA Atago
CA Takao
BB Haruna
BB Kongo

Allied ground losses:
265 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Vehicles lost 2

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 5
Port hits 6
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 3

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Kuching at 28,56

Japanese Ships
AP Josho Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Uranami
DD Ayanami
PC Shonan Maru #6
PG Uji
MSW W.6

Allied Ships
SS O16, hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 28,55

Japanese Ships
AP Kaishi Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PC Shonan Maru #7
MSW Ranzan Maru
PG Muro Maru

Allied Ships
SS O19

Japanese ground losses:
38 casualties reported

[Grotius]

And here are excerpts from the daytime portion of the Battle of Kuching:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Kuching at 28,56

Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 6
Brewster 339D x 4
T.IVa x 9

Allied aircraft losses
T.IVa: 2 destroyed, 9 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Haruna
BB Kongo

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x T.IVa launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x T.IVa launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x T.IVa launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Kuching at 28,56

Allied aircraft
Swordfish x 7

Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish: 2 destroyed, 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Suzuya
DD Maikaze

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Kuching at 28,56

Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 5
T.IVa x 2

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
DD Ayanami

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x T.IVa launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 28,55

Allied aircraft
Swordfish x 2

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AP Kaika Maru

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Swordfish launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Kuching, at 28,56 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

8 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CA Takao
BB Haruna, Shell hits 1
BB Kongo, Shell hits 1

Allied ground losses:
83 casualties reported

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Coastal Guns at Kuching, 28,56, firing at TF 33
TF 33 troops unloading over beach at Kuching, 28,56

39 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
PC Shonan Maru #6
AP Teiun Maru, Shell hits 1

Japanese ground losses:
411 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

[Grotius]

Finally, a look at the situation at Kuching. My second- and third-wave transports are approaching the target. PoW/Repulse are seen at the west edge of this shot; they were spotted moving west, presumably toward Palembang.

My dilemma: do I keep the capital ships on station? (And a rules question: if they standoff 3 or 4 hexes from Kuching with Max React set to 6, will they react to an attack on Kuching? I think the answer is: no, since their home base isn't Kuching.)

[Grotius]

13 December 1941: Our forces captured Kuching today, and I was pleased that my bombardment had not made a total mess of the place. I've already moved aircraft in, and transports are quickly unloading supply. The price was about a half-dozen damaged transports, courtesy of more enemy torpedo-bomber attacks today. Fortunately, all of them were able to disband immediately in port at Kuching for repairs, but one or two may sink all the same.

My surface ships are standing off north of the coast of Borneo -- out of range of the torpedo bombers, but close enough to guard against a return of Force Z. Nells and Betties are also on high alert.

In other news, I took Alor Star today, and my troops seem to be riding down the railroad almost unopposed in western Malaya. The enemy has done a good job of avoiding encirclement, but then again I have suffered almost no casualties as I take bases there.

I have finally marshalled the troops to begin the siege of Hong Kong. (In this scenario, I was required to keep one regiment in Canton to avoid partisan penalties, so I had to transport in reinforcements.) Ground assaults begin tomorrow.

And my forces are finally on the move in northern Luzon. This has been my slowest-moving front thus far, but I hope to change that shortly.

[Grotius]

Here's a look at the situation in Malaya:

[Grotius]

14 December 1941: Today Cap_and_Gown struck back at Kuching with a furious bombing raid at 1000 feet! My Zeroes, set to 12,000 feet or so, only damaged a few planes. Moreover, the Zeroes were tired from the long flight from Saigon, and they didn't perform all that well -- and some were resting to shed fatigue to boot. As a result, he got 6 precious Zeroes on the ground. I was surprised damage to the airfield wasn't more severe; it's at about 20 runway damage.

His torpedo bombers also put holes in a couple more of my transports unloading supplies at Kuching. All told, I now have about 7 or 8 transports in bad shape, disbanded in port there. Still, only one has sunk outright.

The news elsewhere is better. In Malaya, I moved into the base southeast of Georgetown (er, Tieping?) and should take it unopposed tomorrow. Georgetown itself is now cut off, and I will take that shortly as well. I started my siege of Hong Kong at long last, now that enough units have arrived there.

Finally, I occupied Lingayen and seized Taragayao in Luzon. I also finally put planes at Aparri and Legaspi. Recon of Naga starts tomorrow; unless my intel fails me, he's already cleared out and moved back from there to Clark Field or Manila.

[Grotius]

15 December 1941: Cap_and_Gown again sent a truckload of bombers to Kuching at 1000 feet. He had a coordinated strike from Singapore and one of the airfields in southeastern Borneo. But this time my Zeroes were better-rested, and they got the better of the air war:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Kuching , at 28,56

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8

Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 12
Blenheim IV x 13
Martin 139 x 38

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed [on the ground]

Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 4 destroyed
Blenheim IV: 1 damaged
Martin 139: 7 destroyed, 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
15 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 18 [but the airfield is still in OK shape]

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Martin 139 bombing at 1000 feet [etc.]

[Grotius]

15 December (continued): Meanwhile, on Malaya, I took Taipeng and isolated both Victoria Point and Georgetown today. My plan is to drive south to Malacca and cut off his troops at Kuantan before I attack it. Here's a look:

[Grotius]

15 December (final report): Lastly, I've picked up the pace a bit in the Philippines. Troops are marching from Legaspi to Naga, which has apparently been abandoned by the enemy. I've almost encircled Laong in the north. I've also finally got Aparri cleaned up and running a full airbase; right now I'm running recon of every enemy base before deciding what to bomb. And Cap_and_Gown has spotted certain Japanese naval units southeast of Mindanao...

Here's a look at Luzon as of 15 December:

[Grotius]

16 December 1941: Today I invaded and captured Davao, with a small surface combat TF covering. Cap and Gown spotted my invasion, but I didn't spot his surface group moving to bust it up. He got the better of the resulting surface battle, I think -- though I was surprised that my little CL DD DD etc TF sank a couple of his DDs and damaged several others.

But what galls me is that the turn before he appeared, I moved my covering CVL away to hunt for targets of opprtunity -- thus leaving my invasion group exposed. Memo to file: the absence of search sightings does NOT mean the absence of enemy ships.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Davao at 41,61

Japanese Ships
CL Nagara, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Yukikaze
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 2
DD Kawakaze
DD Suzukaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Shiokaze, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CA Houston
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 1
CL Boise
DD Alden, Shell hits 8, on fire
DD Barker, Shell hits 3
DD Bulmer, Shell hits 25, and is sunk
DD Edsall, Shell hits 1
DD John D. Edwards
DD Paul Jones, Shell hits 1
DD Parrott
DD Whipple
DD Stewart

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Davao at 41,61

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CL Nagara, Shell hits 32, and is sunk
DD Yukikaze
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 23, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 3, on fire
DD Suzukaze, Shell hits 26, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Shiokaze, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 2
CL Marblehead
CL Boise, Shell hits 1
DD Alden, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
DD Barker, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Edsall
DD John D. Edwards
DD Paul Jones
DD Parrott, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Whipple, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Stewart

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Davao at 41,61

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 29, and is sunk
DD Tokitsukaze, Shell hits 11, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Houston
CL Marblehead
CL Boise
DD Alden, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Barker, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Edsall
DD John D. Edwards
DD Paul Jones, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Parrott, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Whipple, on fire, heavy damage
DD Stewart

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Davao at 41,61

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 29, and is sunk
DD Tokitsukaze, Shell hits 11, on fire

Allied Ships
CA Houston
CL Marblehead
CL Boise
DD Alden, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Barker, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Edsall
DD John D. Edwards
DD Paul Jones, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Parrott, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Whipple, on fire, heavy damage
DD Stewart

[Grotius]

I've been meaning to ask a question about the setup of this scenario. I have several gripes! One is that I get no port greater than size 6, and only one AD. Another is that supply at Canton has dropped abruptly to 5000. But my most important question is this: I get absolutely no aircraft reinforcements at all. I'm supposed to fight to March 1942 with no reinforcements whatsoever? Is this a bug? I mean, in the grand campaign, Japan gets oodles of air reinforcements.

Here's the reinforcement screen:

[Grotius]

18 December 1941: A good day for the Empire. As I predicted he might, Cap and Gown sent his surface forces into Davao again, this time a group of 3 CLs with DD escorts. He was obviously hoping that I'd kept my transports there unloading, but the transports unloaded virtually all their troops and some supply on day one, so they skedaddled. Cap did sink one DD that was limping into port, but he paid a price: my CD guns sprang into action, crippling several of his ships and sinking one, and slowing down the bombardment force so that it was in range of my CVL and my Nells at daybreak.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/18/41

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naval bombardment of Davao, at 41,61 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

96 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
DD Tokitsukaze, Shell hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
CL De Ruyter
DD Banckert
DD Kortenaer, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 1
DD Witte de With, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage [sunk]
DD Van Ghent, Shell hits 7, on fire
CL Tromp, Shell hits 6, on fire
DD Evertsen
DD Van Nes
CL Java

Japanese ground losses:
262 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 1

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 4
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 42,62

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
G3M Nell x 13

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
DD Kortenaer, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage [sunk]

Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet [etc]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 39,63

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 15
E13A1 Jake x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate: 1 damaged
E13A1 Jake: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Van Nes
CL Java
CL De Ruyter, Bomb hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet
6 x B5N Kate bombing at 16000 feet
4 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet
9 x B5N Kate bombing at 16000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 39,63

Japanese aircraft
E13A1 Jake x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 3 damaged

Allied Ships
CL Tromp, on fire

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 39,63

Japanese aircraft
B5N Kate x 13
E13A1 Jake x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
E13A1 Jake: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Banckert
CL Java
CL Tromp, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x E13A1 Jake bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B5N Kate bombing at 16000 feet
9 x B5N Kate bombing at 16000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Grotius]

18 December 1941 (continued): I also had a good day in the air. I finally launched my first raid on Clark Field since December 7, and it was a resounding success. Meanwhile, Cap's daily raid of Kuching cost him a number of air-to-air losses. The airfield there is still open, though still too vulnerable to base Nells or Betties. I'm moving in fresh AA and engineers to shore up its defenses and repair any damage quicker.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Kuching , at 28,56

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 19

Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 6
Brewster 339D x 11
Buffalo I x 12
Blenheim IV x 12
Martin 139 x 12
Hudson I x 21

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 2 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
C5M Babs: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
CW-21B Demon: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
Brewster 339D: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
Buffalo I: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
Blenheim IV: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Martin 139: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
Hudson I: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
15 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 27

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Martin 139 bombing at 6000 feet
[etc.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Davao , at 41,61

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-17C Fortress x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-17C Fortress: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
12 casualties reported

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 18

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-17C Fortress bombing at 6000 feet [etc.]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Clark Field , at 43,51

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 60
Ki-30 Ann x 33
Ki-21 Sally x 69
Ki-48 Lily x 21

Allied aircraft
P-26A x 6
P-35A x 3
P-40B Tomahawk x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-30 Ann: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 4 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-26A: 19 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-35A: 11 destroyed, 2 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 13 destroyed, 2 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 4 destroyed, 13 damaged
B-17C Fortress: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied ground losses:
175 casualties reported
Guns lost 9

Airbase hits 35
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 77

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet
21 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet
12 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 12000 feet
15 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 9000 feet
32 x Ki-30 Ann bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Ki-21 Sally bombing at 15000 feet [etc.]

[Grotius]

19 December 1941: Today I got bit by a vanishing-unit bug. Yesterday I airlifted half of the 51st Heavy AA unit from Saigon into Kuching. It functioned properly during Cap's daily raid on Kuching -- which he sent in at 28,000 feet, apparently because he noticed the arrival of my new unit. I shot down a bunch of his unescorted bombers; no losses for me, no airfield hits. All well and good.

But at the end of the turn, my air transport in Saigon airlifted in the remaining ("main") part of the AA unit...and it promptly vanished. I've since learned, from reading a thread in the Support forum, that the workaround is to wait a turn or two before airlifting in the fragment. I've also learned that there's no way to get my unit back short of re-running the turn with that workaround.

One possible solution might just be to re-run the turn with identical orders, except that I stand down my air transport in Saigon. The trouble with that is that the turn wasn't uneventful. Cap's B-17s landed one bomb on my CVL (SYS damage 7, FLT zero, FIRE 12 or so) and one on a CS (SYS less than 10). The damage isn't that serious, but it's enough to force me to send my CVL back to port to repair a bit. Also, I sank an AO with a sub, and his escorts then sank my sub.

So for the third time in 12 days of PBEM, I have a PBEM etiquette question! Do I soldier on, minus one AA unit -- leaving Kuching (which I'm struggling to keep open) once again flak-less? In that case, should we adopt a "house rule" on air raids on Kuching for the next couple of days, to give me time to fly in a new AA unit? I have 8 remaining in my OOB. Alternatively, do we re-run the turn with identical orders except for the airlift? If the latter, what happens if his B-17s inflict no damage on the CVL, or more? Any advice, readers?

[LittleJoe]

ORIGINAL: Grotius

19 December 1941: Today I got bit by a vanishing-unit bug. Yesterday I airlifted half of the 51st Heavy AA unit from Saigon into Kuching. It functioned properly during Cap's daily raid on Kuching -- which he sent in at 28,000 feet, apparently because he noticed the arrival of my new unit. I shot down a bunch of his unescorted bombers; no losses for me, no airfield hits. All well and good.

But at the end of the turn, my air transport in Saigon airlifted in the remaining ("main") part of the AA unit...and it promptly vanished. I've since learned, from reading a thread in the Support forum, that the workaround is to wait a turn or two before airlifting in the fragment. I've also learned that there's no way to get my unit back short of re-running the turn with that workaround.

One possible solution might just be to re-run the turn with identical orders, except that I stand down my air transport in Saigon. The trouble with that is that the turn wasn't uneventful. Cap's B-17s landed one bomb on my CVL (SYS damage 7, FLT zero, FIRE 12 or so) and one on a CS (SYS less than 10). The damage isn't that serious, but it's enough to force me to send my CVL back to port to repair a bit. Also, I sank an AO with a sub, and his escorts then sank my sub.

So for the third time in 12 days of PBEM, I have a PBEM etiquette question! Do I soldier on, minus one AA unit -- leaving Kuching (which I'm struggling to keep open) once again flak-less? In that case, should we adopt a "house rule" on air raids on Kuching for the next couple of days, to give me time to fly in a new AA unit? I have 8 remaining in my OOB. Alternatively, do we re-run the turn with identical orders except for the airlift? If the latter, what happens if his B-17s inflict no damage on the CVL, or more? Any advice, readers?

Japanese flak sucks, it will probably damage some B-17s at best, then you gotta pray that damage you inflicted causes them to crash on the way home.
If he masses his B-17s on any of your bases not much you can do until you get some decent interceptor's, there the one thing the allies can hit you hard with in the early months, just put a couple of Zero datais flyin cap at 15,000 feet and they might shoot down 2-3, probably losing 5 of there own in the process but at least its 2-3 less b17s to worry about and it will disrupt his bombers making there attack run less accurate.


Once thing you could do to shut down the 17's could be a Tokyo express night time bombardment by your BB's and Ca's on the airfield.