Bad weather in Java grounds everything again, so not much to comment there. He is very active though, TFs all over the Java Sea. ASW is particularly heavy, my subs are taking a massive toll. All damaged subs at Soerabaja have left headed for Colombo, each carrying a fragment of the ground units there. 30 SYS damage subs are fine for non urgent sub transport.
Stillwells heavies really did a number on Mandalay airfield, >130 runway hits. After they've rested (heavies seem to want to fly every other day - fatigue <10 is acceptable to me for missions) I think I'll have one more go at the airfield to make double sure, and then it'll be more resources hits. He's still got Zeroes based there, and even one squadron of Zeroes flying that far forward will make a mess of the RAF I suspect.
Rabaul still holds despite being outnumbered hugely - I guess it must be the tanks that are there holding him up. Supply is a problem, though - I'm pondering pulling out some level bombers from Port Moresby to put Dakotas there instead for a while. I was writing the place off but maybe I shouldnt just yet, they seem to be capable of holding just fine so long as they dont run out of bullets. [:)]
EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Night bombing of Palembang from 16 Forts at Soerabaja nails one Betty. Not much, but the fact the evil aircraft are even there means Batavia is cut off.
Elsewhere the RAAF/USAF at Port Moresby really scraped deep (fatigue 20) and launches two devastating strikes against the shipping at Lae. Perfect. I flew the Dakotas in too, so there are 16 Dakotas and 16 Fortresses at PM now supplying Rabaul.
The KB is nowhere to be seen despite intensive naval search efforts in the Coral Sea. Fast transport TFs are dispatched from Aus to PM/Gili Gili to trickle some supply in. More warily a 15 ship fast transport TF centred on Repulse leave Noumea headed for Rabaul. Lots of Sims class DDs there give it 3000 AA but its not like thats going to bother the KB. 5000 supplies are loaded aboard. As they near Rabaul naval search will intensify, any hint of trouble and they are aborting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 16
Beaufort V-IX x 10
B-25C Mitchell x 14
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
PG Shinko Maru #3, heavy damage
AP Seiwa Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Tatuwa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PG Kozan Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Aiyo Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
APD APD-46, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Ural Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Mizuho Maru, heavy damage
AP Nanrei Maru
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
2 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 16
Beaufort V-IX x 12
B-25C Mitchell x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
MSW Himejima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Senkai Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PG Kozan Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Mizuho Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
APD APD-46, on fire, heavy damage
AP Tatuwa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Aiyo Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Zukai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Ural Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
2 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
(Oooooo that was a good day of raids! [:D])
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 18869 troops, 75 guns, 3 vehicles
Defending force 3334 troops, 23 guns, 29 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
196 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 18869 troops, 75 guns, 3 vehicles
Defending force 3334 troops, 23 guns, 29 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
196 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
(Presumably its the Aussie vehicles that are letting them get away with this)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elsewhere the RAAF/USAF at Port Moresby really scraped deep (fatigue 20) and launches two devastating strikes against the shipping at Lae. Perfect. I flew the Dakotas in too, so there are 16 Dakotas and 16 Fortresses at PM now supplying Rabaul.
The KB is nowhere to be seen despite intensive naval search efforts in the Coral Sea. Fast transport TFs are dispatched from Aus to PM/Gili Gili to trickle some supply in. More warily a 15 ship fast transport TF centred on Repulse leave Noumea headed for Rabaul. Lots of Sims class DDs there give it 3000 AA but its not like thats going to bother the KB. 5000 supplies are loaded aboard. As they near Rabaul naval search will intensify, any hint of trouble and they are aborting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 16
Beaufort V-IX x 10
B-25C Mitchell x 14
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
PG Shinko Maru #3, heavy damage
AP Seiwa Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Tatuwa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PG Kozan Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Aiyo Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
APD APD-46, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Ural Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Mizuho Maru, heavy damage
AP Nanrei Maru
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
2 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Lae at 54,87
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 16
Beaufort V-IX x 12
B-25C Mitchell x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
MSW Himejima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Senkai Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PG Kozan Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Mizuho Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
APD APD-46, on fire, heavy damage
AP Tatuwa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Aiyo Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Zukai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Ural Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
2 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x Beaufort V-IX launching torpedoes at 200 feet
2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Wirraway bombing at 2000 feet
4 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 3000 feet
(Oooooo that was a good day of raids! [:D])
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 18869 troops, 75 guns, 3 vehicles
Defending force 3334 troops, 23 guns, 29 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
196 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Ground combat at Rabaul
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 18869 troops, 75 guns, 3 vehicles
Defending force 3334 troops, 23 guns, 29 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 3)
Japanese ground losses:
196 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
Vehicles lost 2
Allied ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
(Presumably its the Aussie vehicles that are letting them get away with this)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Quietish day again as his ships in the Java Sea back off again. Stragglers from Lae are hit at the maximum range of a Beaufort and some hits are racked up but not nearly as many as yesterday. His troops are now 60 miles out from the base on the southern tip of Sumatra, having walked along the road.
Lexington and Saratoga are almost at Derby. Took them a long time as they went via circuitous route with a big detour out to sea to dodge the bombers. Pondering slipping them through the Coral Sea, not sure though.
Rabaul is down to 1000 supplies. If Repulse's TF doesnt make it/aborts - and it might be too late anyway, estimate about a week to steam there from Noumea - then Rabaul will be in Jap hands very, very soon.
...and the British carriers and navy are concentrated at Colombo again. What to do with them... I'm seriously pondering sending the two CVs to the Pacific, where their Swordfish can do the most good, far away from Betty bases and under US CV air cover. I really love the Swordfish now after their performance in the war thus far. [:)] Any means to get them into the fray I will use.
Lexington and Saratoga are almost at Derby. Took them a long time as they went via circuitous route with a big detour out to sea to dodge the bombers. Pondering slipping them through the Coral Sea, not sure though.
Rabaul is down to 1000 supplies. If Repulse's TF doesnt make it/aborts - and it might be too late anyway, estimate about a week to steam there from Noumea - then Rabaul will be in Jap hands very, very soon.
...and the British carriers and navy are concentrated at Colombo again. What to do with them... I'm seriously pondering sending the two CVs to the Pacific, where their Swordfish can do the most good, far away from Betty bases and under US CV air cover. I really love the Swordfish now after their performance in the war thus far. [:)] Any means to get them into the fray I will use.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
The only major action today was my torpedo bombers trying to hit Palembang and getting mauled. He has 20 Oscars and 20 Zeroes there more or less. Oh, and the Imperial Guard in Burma have reached the base immediately SW of Jorhat - Imphal is it? Looks like he'll soon be meeting the welcome wagon anyway.
Stillwells pilots are going to go for the resources at Mandalay now. I've also rearranged Port Moresby a bit. The Mitchells, Marauders and Wirraways are pulled back to Australia, and the place is reinforced with 24 Warhawks. Its complement is now 16 Beauforts, 24 Warhawks, 16 Dakotas and 16 Fortresses - much less than when it had the medium bombers there but closer to its aviation support limit (still overloaded tho). PM has 50 av support atm, I was stationing 120 a/c there at one point but no more. Gili Gili meanwhile has another 24 Warhawks and 6 Catalinas. In the fullness of time I hope for the airfield there to reach rating 4, and then I'll put Beauforts there as well for a level of defence in depth against seabourne invasion of Port Moresby.
One ENG unit and a regimental combat team are headed for Cairns which I'm going to use as a forward base and fast transport port. If possible I'll hop them over to Port Moresby, I'd love to station 100 bombers there now I have some quality fighters in theatre and the worthless Wirraways have their status altered to crappy dive bombers rather than fighters (which they so clearly are not). [:)]
Elsewhere a bit of rejigging, Canton Island just got reinforced with a US Division, a run of the mill one nothing special. Americal and USMC are at Noumea, thats where the cream of the crop is going.
All my fighters in Batavia are going on a sweep over Palembang next. The AVG, the Warhawks, the RDAF, everybody. Heres hoping we can blow away some of those Oscars, and maybe at least scratch his Zeroes and the pilots flying them.
Stillwells pilots are going to go for the resources at Mandalay now. I've also rearranged Port Moresby a bit. The Mitchells, Marauders and Wirraways are pulled back to Australia, and the place is reinforced with 24 Warhawks. Its complement is now 16 Beauforts, 24 Warhawks, 16 Dakotas and 16 Fortresses - much less than when it had the medium bombers there but closer to its aviation support limit (still overloaded tho). PM has 50 av support atm, I was stationing 120 a/c there at one point but no more. Gili Gili meanwhile has another 24 Warhawks and 6 Catalinas. In the fullness of time I hope for the airfield there to reach rating 4, and then I'll put Beauforts there as well for a level of defence in depth against seabourne invasion of Port Moresby.
One ENG unit and a regimental combat team are headed for Cairns which I'm going to use as a forward base and fast transport port. If possible I'll hop them over to Port Moresby, I'd love to station 100 bombers there now I have some quality fighters in theatre and the worthless Wirraways have their status altered to crappy dive bombers rather than fighters (which they so clearly are not). [:)]
Elsewhere a bit of rejigging, Canton Island just got reinforced with a US Division, a run of the mill one nothing special. Americal and USMC are at Noumea, thats where the cream of the crop is going.
All my fighters in Batavia are going on a sweep over Palembang next. The AVG, the Warhawks, the RDAF, everybody. Heres hoping we can blow away some of those Oscars, and maybe at least scratch his Zeroes and the pilots flying them.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Very tired, its 4am, such is my addiction *shaking hand*.
The <censored> got one over on me this turn. He does a para drop at Ledo. He would have Ledo right now if it werent for my happening to move a base force there at this precise time.
Panic stations! Another ENG unit is on the way - ok, not a combat unit, but some 2nd line troops to delay him. One of the Indian armoured units is sent there from Jorhat, which weakens my welcome committee [:(]. Tension mounts now for sure, confidence in the security of the Indian/Burmese border fades. Blenheims are allocated to bomb as well, even the heavy bombers (who incidentally scored 35 resource hits against Mandalay, nice) are set to bomb the ground units there. I doubt they'll fly, too fatigued, but such is the gravity of the situation, diverting the heavies to ground support instead of base flattening.
My fighter sweep at Palembang sorted out the men from the boys. Just about every Oscar was shot down and just about every Brewster and Demon on my side was shot down too. The Zeroes didnt lose a single a/c, the Warhawks lost about four and the AVG lost one. A salutary lesson in fighter capabilities.
Going to rearrange things slightly at Batavia, though it'll take a while due to damaged aircraft, need for air cover etc - I'm going to move up my Warhawks from Soerabaja and move all the bombers bar Beauforts out. In that way the Dutch fighters - pretty badly attritioned now - will be my second line at Soerabaja, the Warhawks and AVG + Beaufort shipkillers will bear the brunt of the coming storm.
SS Trigger is bombed by a Val near Truk, so the KB is out there, somewhere. Repulse and her fast transport TF is not aborted, but paused. I'll give it another day - every long range a/c in the area is set to 100% naval search.
The <censored> got one over on me this turn. He does a para drop at Ledo. He would have Ledo right now if it werent for my happening to move a base force there at this precise time.
Panic stations! Another ENG unit is on the way - ok, not a combat unit, but some 2nd line troops to delay him. One of the Indian armoured units is sent there from Jorhat, which weakens my welcome committee [:(]. Tension mounts now for sure, confidence in the security of the Indian/Burmese border fades. Blenheims are allocated to bomb as well, even the heavy bombers (who incidentally scored 35 resource hits against Mandalay, nice) are set to bomb the ground units there. I doubt they'll fly, too fatigued, but such is the gravity of the situation, diverting the heavies to ground support instead of base flattening.
My fighter sweep at Palembang sorted out the men from the boys. Just about every Oscar was shot down and just about every Brewster and Demon on my side was shot down too. The Zeroes didnt lose a single a/c, the Warhawks lost about four and the AVG lost one. A salutary lesson in fighter capabilities.
Going to rearrange things slightly at Batavia, though it'll take a while due to damaged aircraft, need for air cover etc - I'm going to move up my Warhawks from Soerabaja and move all the bombers bar Beauforts out. In that way the Dutch fighters - pretty badly attritioned now - will be my second line at Soerabaja, the Warhawks and AVG + Beaufort shipkillers will bear the brunt of the coming storm.
SS Trigger is bombed by a Val near Truk, so the KB is out there, somewhere. Repulse and her fast transport TF is not aborted, but paused. I'll give it another day - every long range a/c in the area is set to 100% naval search.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
The <censored> got one over on me this turn. He does a para drop at Ledo. He would have Ledo right now if it werent for my happening to move a base force there at this precise time.
Panic stations! Another ENG unit is on the way - ok, not a combat unit, but some 2nd line troops to delay him. One of the Indian armoured units is sent there from Jorhat, which weakens my welcome committee . Tension mounts now for sure, confidence in the security of the Indian/Burmese border fades. Blenheims are allocated to bomb as well, even the heavy bombers (who incidentally scored 35 resource hits against Mandalay, nice) are set to bomb the ground units there. I doubt they'll fly, too fatigued, but such is the gravity of the situation, diverting the heavies to ground support instead of base flattening.
Do you have any fighters in range of Ledo? If so, you should set them on LRCAP. If he tries to drop in more troops you could shoot down a few transports. [:)]
It sounds to me, though, like you can handle the situation. Him landing troops that far behind your lines at this point was a bit premature, methinks.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
ORIGINAL: Alikchi
The <censored> got one over on me this turn. He does a para drop at Ledo. He would have Ledo right now if it werent for my happening to move a base force there at this precise time.
Panic stations! Another ENG unit is on the way - ok, not a combat unit, but some 2nd line troops to delay him. One of the Indian armoured units is sent there from Jorhat, which weakens my welcome committee . Tension mounts now for sure, confidence in the security of the Indian/Burmese border fades. Blenheims are allocated to bomb as well, even the heavy bombers (who incidentally scored 35 resource hits against Mandalay, nice) are set to bomb the ground units there. I doubt they'll fly, too fatigued, but such is the gravity of the situation, diverting the heavies to ground support instead of base flattening.
Do you have any fighters in range of Ledo? If so, you should set them on LRCAP. If he tries to drop in more troops you could shoot down a few transports. [:)]
It sounds to me, though, like you can handle the situation. Him landing troops that far behind your lines at this point was a bit premature, methinks.
He was reconning Ledo a lot, I guess he assumed it'd be empty. It was just chance that I happened to put a base force there the very turn he paradropped (now I got fortification at level 8 at Jorhat). I hope 7th Armoured is enough to push him back out if he takes it.
No fighters in range yet, I got some Buffaloes but they were resting and too far away. Next turn I'll manage it, but I guess it'll be a bit late then.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Here is the present situation in Burma.
The armoured unit I deployed to Akyab was a mistake on my part, they've been pulling back for a week and a half now but too late, they'll miss the Jorhat/Ledo party.
7 Chinese divs, all the UK/CW refugees and the Indian carabineers are converging on Myritkina, which is reasonably supplied. The arrow and the "X" are where I'd like them to be, so the Imperial Guard can rot. If he doesn't take Imphal, he'll rot without supplies, if he does, then I'll have kicked his paras out by the time he can lay siege to Jorhat I reckon.
The armoured unit I deployed to Akyab was a mistake on my part, they've been pulling back for a week and a half now but too late, they'll miss the Jorhat/Ledo party.
7 Chinese divs, all the UK/CW refugees and the Indian carabineers are converging on Myritkina, which is reasonably supplied. The arrow and the "X" are where I'd like them to be, so the Imperial Guard can rot. If he doesn't take Imphal, he'll rot without supplies, if he does, then I'll have kicked his paras out by the time he can lay siege to Jorhat I reckon.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Here are the top aces on the Allied side...
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Ship losses so far - some of those killed at Java may not be on the list yet, but I think most of them are now...
Japanese
5 BB
2 CA
6 CL
15 DD
5 APD
9 MSW
1 ML
5 PC
4 PG
20 SS
4 TK
59 AP/AK
Allied
6 BB
8 CA
9 CL
27 DD ([:(])
3 DM ([:(])
2 ML
3 PG
1 AVD
10 MSW
8 SS
4 TK
2 AO
59 AP/AK
...and a whole pile of PT boats
Japanese
5 BB
2 CA
6 CL
15 DD
5 APD
9 MSW
1 ML
5 PC
4 PG
20 SS
4 TK
59 AP/AK
Allied
6 BB
8 CA
9 CL
27 DD ([:(])
3 DM ([:(])
2 ML
3 PG
1 AVD
10 MSW
8 SS
4 TK
2 AO
59 AP/AK
...and a whole pile of PT boats
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Quiet across most of the map. Repulse inches forward cautiously, tomorrow or the day after will be the "in and out at full speed" part of resupplying Rabaul. Catalinas at Rabaul see no ships. Doesnt mean they arent there of course.
Batavia is in mid rearrange, I'm pondering doing another fighter sweep with Warhawks and Tomhawks tomorrow. I believe in taking the fight to the enemy. Thunderstorms predicted today, I dont normally do this (I tend to let em fly no matter the weather) but I've set every a/c in Batavia to rest, as fatigue is quite high still. Allied subs make 3 attacks in the Java Sea but miss every time.
I'm moving an AS and an AD from Darwin to Derby. Darwin keeps getting Betties trying to torpedo them, Derby seems safer. Fuel and supplies are already dropped off there.
And perhaps most importantly of all, Ledo doesnt fall, and it looks like it wont, so all is well, despite rare bad weather in India grounding my medium bombers (and the heavies didnt fly for fatigue reasons). I've moved some expendable Buffaloes to cover the place and hamper aerial resupply. Flak damaged about 15 Topsys today over Ledo so I assume that whats he's up to. The heavy bombers at Calcutta go to bomb the airfield at Taung Gyi, as Mandalay remains well and truly out of commission. My RAF fighters might not match the Zero at present but it won't matter if he has no airbases in range. [:)]
Batavia is in mid rearrange, I'm pondering doing another fighter sweep with Warhawks and Tomhawks tomorrow. I believe in taking the fight to the enemy. Thunderstorms predicted today, I dont normally do this (I tend to let em fly no matter the weather) but I've set every a/c in Batavia to rest, as fatigue is quite high still. Allied subs make 3 attacks in the Java Sea but miss every time.
I'm moving an AS and an AD from Darwin to Derby. Darwin keeps getting Betties trying to torpedo them, Derby seems safer. Fuel and supplies are already dropped off there.
And perhaps most importantly of all, Ledo doesnt fall, and it looks like it wont, so all is well, despite rare bad weather in India grounding my medium bombers (and the heavies didnt fly for fatigue reasons). I've moved some expendable Buffaloes to cover the place and hamper aerial resupply. Flak damaged about 15 Topsys today over Ledo so I assume that whats he's up to. The heavy bombers at Calcutta go to bomb the airfield at Taung Gyi, as Mandalay remains well and truly out of commission. My RAF fighters might not match the Zero at present but it won't matter if he has no airbases in range. [:)]
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Oh, and Saratoga got her first AA upgrade at Pearl Harbour. She went from 5 to 8 sys damage. The other two CVs there upgrade on 4/42, so I guess we're looking at a good two months before my CentPac CVs are able to return to raiding, with everything upgraded and the decks polished to a blinding shine to make the Vals miss.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
The air war is very quiet again today, thunderstorms where all the action is. The only air engagement of significance was Buffaloes vs Topsies over Ledo, they chalked up 2 transports and flak accounted for a hell of a lot more.
Rabaul has a huge number of Jap troops there now, 25k. Against 3000 Aussies! Even with tanks surely the human wave is about to break over them. No sign of the KB in the area, I'm risking good Catalinas at Rabaul which may fall at any moment to look out for them. Going to try and pull as many out as possible - those Dakotas at Rabaul switch to pulling out fragments for future resurrection, and if the KB stays away then I'll run some fast transports in and out.
The ground combat goes my way. The Indian armour arrives at Ledo just as the paras do a shock attack - at the end of the turn they retreat into the jungle, bwahahah. The first time the Jap has been defeated in ground combat!
At Myritkina the Chinese are putting the pressure on, and they havn't all arrived yet! Back to optimism for the Battle of the Burma Road.
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Ground combat at Myitkyina
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12960 troops, 60 guns, 103 vehicles
Defending force 6247 troops, 46 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 2 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
136 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Allied ground losses:
89 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Ledo
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 1222 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 10123 troops, 59 guns, 335 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese ground losses:
197 casualties reported
([:D] Bad timing here, bwahahahah. The tanks turn up as the paratroopers charge!)
Rabaul has a huge number of Jap troops there now, 25k. Against 3000 Aussies! Even with tanks surely the human wave is about to break over them. No sign of the KB in the area, I'm risking good Catalinas at Rabaul which may fall at any moment to look out for them. Going to try and pull as many out as possible - those Dakotas at Rabaul switch to pulling out fragments for future resurrection, and if the KB stays away then I'll run some fast transports in and out.
The ground combat goes my way. The Indian armour arrives at Ledo just as the paras do a shock attack - at the end of the turn they retreat into the jungle, bwahahah. The first time the Jap has been defeated in ground combat!
At Myritkina the Chinese are putting the pressure on, and they havn't all arrived yet! Back to optimism for the Battle of the Burma Road.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Myitkyina
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12960 troops, 60 guns, 103 vehicles
Defending force 6247 troops, 46 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 2 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
136 casualties reported
Guns lost 8
Allied ground losses:
89 casualties reported
Guns lost 5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Ledo
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 1222 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 10123 troops, 59 guns, 335 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese ground losses:
197 casualties reported
([:D] Bad timing here, bwahahahah. The tanks turn up as the paratroopers charge!)
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
The heavies at Calcutta are busy supplying Myritkina so not much to report in the air war as thats the hammer that smites on the Allied side at the moment. But its a wobbly day, the Chinese at Myritkina attack again and got repulse and suffered massive disruption! grrr bloody useless Chinese, I need to learn to take their assault ratings and "division" title with a pinch of salt. The prize of the Burma Road hangs in the balance! but I reckon I can win this one, the Jap will be hurled back!
Elsewhere, the base at the southern tip of Sumatra falls, and Repulse and others have completed their fast transport mission. They will be back, though, as I think its now timely to evacuate Rabaul. He must have scads of ground units at the PI now being unused, and he can get to Rabaul real easy.
"What General Weygand called the Battle of Rabaul is over. The Battle of Port Moresby is about to begin.".
Or so I suspect.
Elsewhere, the base at the southern tip of Sumatra falls, and Repulse and others have completed their fast transport mission. They will be back, though, as I think its now timely to evacuate Rabaul. He must have scads of ground units at the PI now being unused, and he can get to Rabaul real easy.
"What General Weygand called the Battle of Rabaul is over. The Battle of Port Moresby is about to begin.".
Or so I suspect.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Speaking of my Burmese/Chinese supply headaches, some RAAF Dakotas have been pried from the cold dead hand of Curtin and are being loaded up onto a solitary AK at Derby, destined for India. As I declared a long time ago, I plan on a no holds barred transportation effort based at Jorhat/Ledo.
I'll keep just one squadron of Dakotas around in the South Pacific, you never know when you might need lifting capacity (my keeping Rabaul on life support for a while is a good example), but all the rest are going to India.
I'll keep just one squadron of Dakotas around in the South Pacific, you never know when you might need lifting capacity (my keeping Rabaul on life support for a while is a good example), but all the rest are going to India.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
And something else I forgot this turn, cracking through them quick today and I'm MUSHing at the same time (dont ask, I need a 48 hour day to squeeze all these games in [:D]) - he continued to paradrop at Ledo to my surprise. More Topsies suffered to the Buffalos but my armoured unit has to about face and go back there again to drive them away.
I totally forgot about the risk of paras, I need to bear that in mind in future when mulling over garrison requirements.
I totally forgot about the risk of paras, I need to bear that in mind in future when mulling over garrison requirements.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Another very quiet turn, in the main. My Indian armour clears out the rest of the Jap paratroopers, and I have decided will stay at Ledo until Jorhat is besieged. Jorhat has level 9 fortifications now. I've noticed an excess of engineering capacity at Dacca, and I'm sending one of the better armed base forces (ie, lots of flak) from there to Ledo, with the intention of building up the airbase for future supply runs to China. The Chinese at Myritkina are resting, and every bomber and Dakota I have in the area are flying in supply.
Batavia now has 8 Beauforts, 12 Swordfish, and 80 fighters, mostly US ones but the cream of the RDAF is there as well (ie, Hawks). All are well rested and good spirits for the fight ahead. Back to the waiting game in Java.
Submarines are spotted off the Indian coast near Trimcomalee. There is much rejoicing at the RN naval base at Colombo, for this is an enemy which the RN is well equipped to deal with. A hunter-killer group of six Electra class DDs (ASW 8 each [:D]) sally forth to deal with the underwater peril.
Elsewhere silence, all my ships are in dock being fixed or being upgraded, and will be for a month at least.
The KB is nowhere to be found. Maybe they are refitting too?
Batavia now has 8 Beauforts, 12 Swordfish, and 80 fighters, mostly US ones but the cream of the RDAF is there as well (ie, Hawks). All are well rested and good spirits for the fight ahead. Back to the waiting game in Java.
Submarines are spotted off the Indian coast near Trimcomalee. There is much rejoicing at the RN naval base at Colombo, for this is an enemy which the RN is well equipped to deal with. A hunter-killer group of six Electra class DDs (ASW 8 each [:D]) sally forth to deal with the underwater peril.
Elsewhere silence, all my ships are in dock being fixed or being upgraded, and will be for a month at least.
The KB is nowhere to be found. Maybe they are refitting too?
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
aaarrgggg the most frustrating turn ever.
The KB shows up north of Rabaul and a million bombers attack Repulse. Needless to say I'm about to throw the computer across the room at this point, but then I notice that the Kates are dropping bombs - too far away. And that the bombs are just bouncing off the battlecruiser.
So I watch with baited breath, and lo and behold Repulse survives the encounter with only minor damage.
I'm about to run around the room cheering when this happens :-
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Day Air attack on TF at 58,91
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 16
G4M1 Betty x 3
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
BC Repulse, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CL Concord
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
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From Truk. Leaving Repulse on 4 knots speed. WTF?
I must say I take offence at the sheer power of these Betties and Nells because in the actual war they were crap. In this game they define the entire Japanese strategy pretty much. There is no Battle of the Java Sea in this game, because you use Betties to clear the Java Sea, etc. etc.
And from Truk? goddamn. they were some distance south of Rabaul when this happened. Someone make em drop bombs at extreme range or something.
*grumble*
Wiping a tear from my eye, I scuttle Repulse (whaa) and two heavy cruisers. On the plus side, all the escorts pretty much will make it out of there, leaving me with a very strange navy in the South Pacific - about 30 DDs and nothing bigger. [:)] Rabaul will fall either tomorrow, or the day after, but fragments have been evacuated semisuccessfully at the cost of Repulse (I hope Curtin is happy with the Empires sacrifice!) and will be resurrected later.
Elsewhere it looks like he's about to attack Java finally. A massive Nell and Betty raid bomb the airfield - but it is without escort, and a repeat of Palembangs devastation does not happen. The massed fighters make a mess of his raiders and the airfield survives with only minor damage. Morale and fatigue remains excellent, I nudge the CAP up from 40 to 60 percent.
A Japanese TF - likely a bombardment TF - is sighted in the Java Sea and bombed ineffectually by Swordfish at maximum range. Its going to be crunch time for Java tomorrow.
Burma continues to go my way, I'm building up supplies at Myritkina by air - we're up to 4000 there now, from a low of 1500. In the fullness of time the Chinese will return to the attack. Bad weather today means I ground the heavies at Calcutta, for some reason its monsoon season in India or something, atrocious weather for a whole week now.
The KB shows up north of Rabaul and a million bombers attack Repulse. Needless to say I'm about to throw the computer across the room at this point, but then I notice that the Kates are dropping bombs - too far away. And that the bombs are just bouncing off the battlecruiser.
So I watch with baited breath, and lo and behold Repulse survives the encounter with only minor damage.
I'm about to run around the room cheering when this happens :-
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Day Air attack on TF at 58,91
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 16
G4M1 Betty x 3
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
BC Repulse, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CL Concord
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
4 x G3M Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Truk. Leaving Repulse on 4 knots speed. WTF?
I must say I take offence at the sheer power of these Betties and Nells because in the actual war they were crap. In this game they define the entire Japanese strategy pretty much. There is no Battle of the Java Sea in this game, because you use Betties to clear the Java Sea, etc. etc.
And from Truk? goddamn. they were some distance south of Rabaul when this happened. Someone make em drop bombs at extreme range or something.
*grumble*
Wiping a tear from my eye, I scuttle Repulse (whaa) and two heavy cruisers. On the plus side, all the escorts pretty much will make it out of there, leaving me with a very strange navy in the South Pacific - about 30 DDs and nothing bigger. [:)] Rabaul will fall either tomorrow, or the day after, but fragments have been evacuated semisuccessfully at the cost of Repulse (I hope Curtin is happy with the Empires sacrifice!) and will be resurrected later.
Elsewhere it looks like he's about to attack Java finally. A massive Nell and Betty raid bomb the airfield - but it is without escort, and a repeat of Palembangs devastation does not happen. The massed fighters make a mess of his raiders and the airfield survives with only minor damage. Morale and fatigue remains excellent, I nudge the CAP up from 40 to 60 percent.
A Japanese TF - likely a bombardment TF - is sighted in the Java Sea and bombed ineffectually by Swordfish at maximum range. Its going to be crunch time for Java tomorrow.
Burma continues to go my way, I'm building up supplies at Myritkina by air - we're up to 4000 there now, from a low of 1500. In the fullness of time the Chinese will return to the attack. Bad weather today means I ground the heavies at Calcutta, for some reason its monsoon season in India or something, atrocious weather for a whole week now.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Silence. No attack on Java. Its amazing how so little can happen in a turn and yet I have this ominous feeling that there is much brewing behind the scenes...
Operation Revenge is put into action. This consists of relocating Indomitable and Formidable to the Pacific, around the Aussie south coast. The best AA ships on offer - Isaac Sweers, and some hot J class destroyers which are the best the RN has to offer - leave Trimcomalee, headed for Perth.
A strange choice perhaps. My motivations are as follows.
a) Those armoured deck carriers are Val proof. They are not however torpedo proof (nothing is), and in the Indian Ocean they'll be meeting Betties, not Vals. So may as well put them somewhere where i can see 250kg bombs bouncing off rather than 18 inch torpedoes blowing them away.
b) Swordfish rock. Devastators are a waste of time.
c) Their complement is really not that bad when you consider b). They have a fighter squadron, same as the yanks, and a torpedo bomber squadron actually worth the time. The yanks have fighters + dive bombers + waste of space. The yank fighters are much much better - but thats just another reason to team them up, let their strengths complement each other.
d) The captains of Lex and Saratoga want a rematch against the Jap with the captain of Indomitable at their side, like last time. [:D]
By my estimate it will take 2 maybe 3 months from now (ie, May/June 1942) before I can even contemplate going KB hunting. That'll be time enough to fix the dents on Lex and Saratoga, get the Brits to the Pacific, and finish AA upgrading all US ships that will participate.
Question is, can Port Moresby and Noumea hold for that length of time? In a carrier fight I want to meet him on my terms, with my ports nearby and his ports far away - that means when he is attacking me, rather than vice versa. I suspect PM will fall - but then he might try for Noumea, and I think a carrier battle near Noumea would suit me perfect. He'd be miles away from his bases, and I'll have Auckland at my back (and a huge, well supplied base at Noumea).
Almost pointless to think so far ahead really without knowing his intentions, but that is my dream engagement, so here we go!
As for this turn rather than lofty ideals - Myritkina has 4500 supply, double the required. I put a single Chinese div on "accept replacements", to see what happens. He has 7 divs approaching Kweilin, nowhere near enough, thats where the bulk of the Chinese army is at the moment. And really... thats about it. Quiet turn.
Operation Revenge is put into action. This consists of relocating Indomitable and Formidable to the Pacific, around the Aussie south coast. The best AA ships on offer - Isaac Sweers, and some hot J class destroyers which are the best the RN has to offer - leave Trimcomalee, headed for Perth.
A strange choice perhaps. My motivations are as follows.
a) Those armoured deck carriers are Val proof. They are not however torpedo proof (nothing is), and in the Indian Ocean they'll be meeting Betties, not Vals. So may as well put them somewhere where i can see 250kg bombs bouncing off rather than 18 inch torpedoes blowing them away.
b) Swordfish rock. Devastators are a waste of time.
c) Their complement is really not that bad when you consider b). They have a fighter squadron, same as the yanks, and a torpedo bomber squadron actually worth the time. The yanks have fighters + dive bombers + waste of space. The yank fighters are much much better - but thats just another reason to team them up, let their strengths complement each other.
d) The captains of Lex and Saratoga want a rematch against the Jap with the captain of Indomitable at their side, like last time. [:D]
By my estimate it will take 2 maybe 3 months from now (ie, May/June 1942) before I can even contemplate going KB hunting. That'll be time enough to fix the dents on Lex and Saratoga, get the Brits to the Pacific, and finish AA upgrading all US ships that will participate.
Question is, can Port Moresby and Noumea hold for that length of time? In a carrier fight I want to meet him on my terms, with my ports nearby and his ports far away - that means when he is attacking me, rather than vice versa. I suspect PM will fall - but then he might try for Noumea, and I think a carrier battle near Noumea would suit me perfect. He'd be miles away from his bases, and I'll have Auckland at my back (and a huge, well supplied base at Noumea).
Almost pointless to think so far ahead really without knowing his intentions, but that is my dream engagement, so here we go!
As for this turn rather than lofty ideals - Myritkina has 4500 supply, double the required. I put a single Chinese div on "accept replacements", to see what happens. He has 7 divs approaching Kweilin, nowhere near enough, thats where the bulk of the Chinese army is at the moment. And really... thats about it. Quiet turn.
RE: EUB vs Sprior - see who gets his banana straightened
Rabaul falls today. Going to have to use a few subs to get the rest out - I've got a relative shortage of submarines in the South Pacific, just about 6 in total, not enough for major operations at such a distance.
PM and Gili Gili have 20,000+ supply each and neither are going to go down easy I would argue. Gili Gili has 1 Bde, Fort Hobart, an aviation unit and 24 Warhawks. PM has 2 armoured units, 1 Bde, CD batteries and the usual PM defence unit, and 80 a/c of varying types.
He should find it much harder to supply an invasion against those two than the one against Rabaul as well. I'm going to try and raise the airfield at PM to level 6 - I believe thats whats required for a Fortress to run at maximum efficiency, right? Certainly a Liberator anyway.
Elsewhere, Java is quiet. Koepang is up to about 200 aviation support now with submarine transported engineer units from the Philippines and DAF scrapings. I'm poor on political points at the moment due to British withdrawal, but I've got Aussie Bdes at Derby and Darwin, I want to hop the Derby one over to Koepang if PPs permit.
Stillwell's heavies level the resources at Mandalay scoring 25 hits. One more day of that and Mandalay is just a crater, no oil, no resources, no airfield. [:)]. So one more resources strike, one more airfield strike, and then I'll unleash them on some other base. The Chinese at Myritkina - 5 divs, 70 assault points each on average plus a 35 assault point Indian armoured unit, are set to deliberate attack the 1 Jap division there, they have maximum supply. I allocated my Dacca Blenheims to ground attack this turn to assist their efforts.
CentPac remains very quiet. All my ships are in port for refits and so it will remain so probably. A hunter-killer TF at Canton Island depth charged a Japanese sub that has tagged a few of my AKs supplying the place, aside from that, nothing.
PM and Gili Gili have 20,000+ supply each and neither are going to go down easy I would argue. Gili Gili has 1 Bde, Fort Hobart, an aviation unit and 24 Warhawks. PM has 2 armoured units, 1 Bde, CD batteries and the usual PM defence unit, and 80 a/c of varying types.
He should find it much harder to supply an invasion against those two than the one against Rabaul as well. I'm going to try and raise the airfield at PM to level 6 - I believe thats whats required for a Fortress to run at maximum efficiency, right? Certainly a Liberator anyway.
Elsewhere, Java is quiet. Koepang is up to about 200 aviation support now with submarine transported engineer units from the Philippines and DAF scrapings. I'm poor on political points at the moment due to British withdrawal, but I've got Aussie Bdes at Derby and Darwin, I want to hop the Derby one over to Koepang if PPs permit.
Stillwell's heavies level the resources at Mandalay scoring 25 hits. One more day of that and Mandalay is just a crater, no oil, no resources, no airfield. [:)]. So one more resources strike, one more airfield strike, and then I'll unleash them on some other base. The Chinese at Myritkina - 5 divs, 70 assault points each on average plus a 35 assault point Indian armoured unit, are set to deliberate attack the 1 Jap division there, they have maximum supply. I allocated my Dacca Blenheims to ground attack this turn to assist their efforts.
CentPac remains very quiet. All my ships are in port for refits and so it will remain so probably. A hunter-killer TF at Canton Island depth charged a Japanese sub that has tagged a few of my AKs supplying the place, aside from that, nothing.