Herb VS Tabpub

[1275psi]

30/7/42
longest turn I have plotted since turn 1
had a good, long hard look at my forces, and then tried to deduce what to do next

The only way to slow him, is several of these baker battles.
My belief is that he still has significant forces near Derby, and with all the airfoces committed here, it would be so tempting to try for Timor

When he comes to the gilberts, it will be with massive CV support -

if he comes to the solomons he must sieze an airfield -lunga or whatever.
After fighting into mid 43 in a UV game, I know I can defeat thisthrust -if KB is there as a threat, and the CA fleet is ready.

So, the greatest threat -a timor invasion, also the greatest opportunity.

The plan
After refit, KB will gather at Davao or nearby
The CA fleet will gather at Truk -it will depend on land based air for cover
The BBs will gather at sorong

The gilberts are going to be stripped for the moment -if he lands, OK, I now know I can do another baker
Burma has him Bluffed.
tabpub in his E mails says he sees big forces building, and reckons Im getting ready here
He is not counting divisions
All I have done is split units, and the naval guard units are marching - although at least 8 units are in Ghost mode -actually in one hex near raheang, while they appear in the hex north of rangoon.

The divisions will be this
2 burma (as long as the bluff works) plus all the Naval guard units, some mix regiments, and lots of tanks.

sumutra -the five that are here now attacking soerabaya
reserve at taipan -the 70th -now building, plus several brigades
truk -4 divisions -3 baker veterens building, plus 1 fresh one

the policy remains
he lands -no real attempt to stop the landing
Then a massive all or nothing counter attack

Action for today - betties struk at 100 feet at derby -lots of DDs there
The zeros did poorly at 100ft (as you would) against the p 40s, a win for the allies here
have to do the disband a unit trick here
Lost 2 betties, 9 zeros today, for 2 p 40's

Idid a complete survey of the army
After this -the above plan became clear -before I was lost as to what to do, so the below is boring to read, and is put up for my benefit, to confirm the plan is OK

Area1
Army
2 divisions, in good shape
3 regiments -fairly battered
7 naval guard units -full and fresh -(but will they stay on map[:@])

Air
oscar 1 -67 exp.
nate 1-79 exp
zero1 -24 exp
in singapore -2 crack sally units

Navy
TF177 -at rangoon , 2CL,4dd -the 4dd need upgrade urgently
TF203 -at singapore, 2BC,3cl,4dd -the BCs have been docked, Hiei is at 21 system damage

The supply situation is good
Will need a few more fighters here soon -will have to come from Japan

Area2
Army
have ordered yet another assualt on soerabaya
25th army hq
21st, 2nd, 5th,18th,38th divsions
4th,5th engineering and 8 artillery units
All at 100% - 2116 assualt points

If this fails - the game is broke[:D][8|]
several other SNLFs and 2 mixed regiments are being loaded for the Tinian reserve

Air
3 helen sq exp 64,77,75
3 sally sq exp 83,76,63
3 betty sq exp 8o,78,71
1 lilly exp 69
1 scrap of a zero unit
2 zero units,exp 64 and 65 - not too good
1 val unit - exp 74
several float plane units

so the airforce is OK, a good strike capability

navy
TF 123 -3 bbs,8dd - in good nick -to go to sorong,
TF 93 - 1cvl -2cve -6dd 1cl.
will follow the BBs to sorong
tf 8 - 1cl, 4dds -needs a refit bad - so to Hong kong it must go

All this and a look at what bases are size 4 , confirm that SORONG will be the centre point for the navy here -the troops to remanin in soerabaya when it falls

Area3
based mainly in Kendari, mallacca and Borneo
Air
nate -73 exp
2 zero units 79,67 exp
2 betty -78 exp
2 lilly 67 exp
and lots of kates scattered on ASW
various float planes, and 3 lilly sqs brocken up for ASW work

Area 3
Army
Will get 70 div, and subsequent divisions (about 3 months[8|]) I give siapanto arae 3 now as well
The reserve at tinian is they'res as well
Only base forces scattered about
5 asw groups operating
The survey shows Siapan needs attention , as does the paluas - move construction troops!
The phillipines could be invaded at the moment by 1 man and his dog - not good

Area4
trying to reform 4 divisions at truk

At lae
1 nate -80
1zero -66
1 kate -71
at rabual
2 zero,3 betty - all crack units
at shortlands
1sonia, 1 zero
at munda
2 zero,1 val, 1 kate -all crack units
At truk -
3 crack betty units, 1 kate unit

Lunga -1 zero, 1 sonia unit
so the airforce is stronger than in my UV games -which is good

navy
TF7 -4ca,5dd
TF 11 -4ca,5dd (the mogami needs repairs)
TF132 - 4ca,1cl,6dd
TF6 -4Ca,4dd
All ships in good nick

Moving TF256 -2BB,5DD to sorong -these ships need a refit too!
TF 167-3 old BBs8 dd, to sorong as well

Im glad i did this survey -amazing how refit dates slip by

The army here is just a screen -only PM has any significant troops, the rest is just a trip wire -I need a major troop rotation -malaria is chewing too many up -again the survey reveals something simply scanning does not reveal

Area5
the gilberts, 2 crack betty, 1crack zero unit to be taken to the solomons area
Only 3 asw naval groups

Area6
The CV fleet is home -
system damage
Akagi -8
kaga -12
Shok -14
zuik -9
hiryu -4
soryu -7
hiyo-4
junyo-2

BB hyuga is at 38
all the attending DDs are resting as well
Not much air here -some sallies in reserve
A good smattering of Naval base forces -all assigned for China

China -
Well the land war is a bust -we are not going to break each others line -our house rule ensures that
so -once we get some base forces, we will have to begin a strategic bombing campain, cannot think of any alternative

Home
Mushia - 36 days
supplies 2096162
fuel 3117509
oil 820559

The supply situation is getting better, the longer the war stays slumbering like this -the better now.
Some places in japan actually are climbing supply wise well.

So, boring suvey done -but Im glad I did it, now with a full grasp of what is what and where, I can plan and face the next 3 months at least with this plan

BBs to sorong
CVs to DAVAO after refit
take soerabaya -but leave troops there
strip gilberts for the moment
build a reserve at tinian
Begin operation BLUSH - bullshit tabpub that Burma is going to be the assualt area
WHEW!!!

[1275psi]

31/7/42
sub attack near siagon -miss
Night bombing on akyab
Sub attack off kendari does sink a AK
ASW action northern japan -kills a sub
Sub attack tori Shima - ouch, but the AK lives
Sub attack truk -miss
Sub attack north japan - escorts hit the sub
Sub attack Truk -miss

All but 1 of those sub attacks had a escort - and subs are vulnerable?
Akyab pounded by LBA -85 heavies

10 B17s attack kupong - 36 zeros intercept, 4 lost each side. So it begins, the bombing campaign of the DEI

The big disapointment of the day, was Soerabaya -again
107000 men, yes 107000 to 49000 get a 0 to 1 assualt.
5 totally undisrupted divisions with 2 eng regiments, and 8 artillery units, to what should be militia units, and I suffer 2800 casos to 800

This sucks, I am so angry that I have to deploy exactly half my army in the pacific to here , for 5 bloody months, when you can use just 2 divisions and take Malaya against 1st line troops.

Grrrrrr
I am just going to keep attacking -if it breaks the army, then fine, It'll all be over by 43.
really pissed off

[1275psi]

1/8/42
CV Hiryu updates -good
trying to repair ships -its so slow!

Another day of subs -man I dread 43
Sub off truk -misses
sub off truk -sinks a AP -48 div troops have a refreshing dip[8|]
ASw off the phillipines -miss

Soerabaya hit by 100 LBA today, and another deliberate attack

Still 0 to 1, forts to 6 today, 1146 casos to his 993
rest 1 day, more LBA bombing, and then we continue

Some Lillies are being bought into the area, time for round the clock bombing

In Burma the naval guard Ghost units stop ghosting, now its the saesabo 3rd SNLF's turn
If you cannot play a game without the basic pieces being trusted to stay on the map!!!!
grrrr
He begins to recon Timor from Darwin, I am really thinking that my analysis -his centre og gravity is in the derby/darwin area, making a thrust to relieve soerabaya -is really, really on the cards.

Everywhere else is very quiet, 2 days and all the baker troops are home in truk
beginning the slow process of moving base forces to China for the planned air offensive, and fuel and supplies to davao for the counter attack forces.

One thought -if I do take soerabaya -and that seems to be the impossible if -wonder how much oil has accumulated in the place. better have a couple of tankers hanging about standby
(Its not that they are flat out hauling whats available[8|][8|])

[1275psi]

2/8/42
a trickle of tonies and tojos begin production -not a real fan of iether, Id use jacks instead if I had the choice

4 sub attacks today -3 misses, 1 AK sunk near legaspi
The great re organisation is continuing -the CVs even seem to have 1 or 2 lose a system damage point per day

also moving a lot of air again, mostly to soerabaya -this is getting very, very urgent -must resolve in 2 weeks, or lose the war I feel.

[1275psi]

soerabaya still sucks -but the deliberate attack today got a 1 to 1, forts to 5, still lost 1900 to 900 today
Another rest day -with bombing, then we go again

Must rotate some malaria stricken men in the solomons
Almost home for the Baker boys -they will appreciate the rest at truk
Little else to report
A mini KB is being created at Tarakan -full of zeros, I have the germ of an evil plan for it.

[1275psi]

4/8/42
Continued bombing Soerabaya today -Lillies join in
4 more sub attacks today -mostly around Truk -an intense ASW war here at the moment
The cheeky sod laid mines in Osaka!

terrible Flak over soerabaya
I set everyone for bombardment attack - or thought I did -another deliberate went in -0 to 1 and the forts are back up to 6!

This is terrible -obviously you can never starve this place out -it generates too much supply.
264 casos to 222 -obviously only 1 unit went.
The engineers are goners -totally disrupted.

All I can do is just keep on bombing and keep on attacking

Pity such a good game is going to be ruined I feel by this -120000 men stopped by 40000.

Elsewhere a new tactic
I feel I have a months grace , with most CVs in refit -I must not let tabpub confirm this.
So i have taken all the CVL and CVE zeros, plus several other squadrons , and they are enroute to burma -intend to conduct a very sharp, short zero battle here-hopefully he will see that many are CV zeros -and assume the wrong thing again.

I make no effort in my games to sqs with original ships -I mix em up all the time, confuses the hell out of me -but gives him no free intelligence iether.

[1275psi]

4/8/42

Area1

the zeros settle into the bases in burma, we rest tomorrow, then 210 fighters will sweep mandalaby.
Should be interesting
Tomorrow some sallies and oscars will test the water

area2
The attack on soerabaya continues, forts to 5 today, still suffering heavy losses.
rotating the planes, flak losses are terrible -but i continue.

area 3
Convoys

area4
The baker boys are all home -very badly disrupted

area5
the gilberts slumber

area6
Mushia in 24 days -is being accelerated though
Not nearly enough tonies or tojos coming out, so some changes.
Lillies are useless, so these will be allowed to dwindle away.

the war is slumbering, this is to his advantage -but i have no choice, a refit for the CVs must happen, will happen.

[1275psi]

6/8/42

This game has descended into this

I send the entire japanese army to soerabaya -where it gets brocken

Can someone tell me that 5 full divisions, 3 engineer regiments, all the artillery you could dream off, plenty of HQ units, and over 100 bombers bombing nearly every day should be defeated by 40000 militia men -besieged for 4 months.

Crap.
Another attack -the 5 divisions now all have disruption above 50, the eng units at 100% -and the forts remain at 5

Now Im going to have to send the 4 divisions from truk to here -and this game is effectively buggard

If you are playing allies the only policy I would follow is pull all your units into Soerabaya -mine the place -and you will win.
Simple

[1275psi]

7/8/42

Over the dummy spit
OK, another division begins loading at truk for soerabaya, and the 2 regiments that were going to reserve, turn around

I have thought long and hard about the air situation in burma -he has had over 2 months of freebies -hurricanes bombing from mandalaby, and the heavies bombing what ever they want

Time to fix that
rangoon,is full of fighters.
rahaeng is full
Moulimien is full

The plan is this.
It is pointless trying to conserve the army bombers, come 43, they can achieve nothing -so now is the time to inflict the max damage.
Bombers will hit soerabaya, then rotate to balikapapn -rest/recover(only place on map with20000plus supplies)[X(] then go to burma -pound away, then,return to soerabaya, get wrecked, and then recover.

But 1st to get air supremecy
today we swept mandalaby
the 1st raid 77 AM2 and 27AM3 met 20 spitfires, and 10 hurricanes
Lost 17AM2, to 10 hurricanes, and 13 spits

2nd raid
163AM2,35oscars - 7 spits
Lost 2 zeros,3 oscars -to his 7 spits

OK, losses 26 fighters to his 30
But its only day 1

OK, tomorrow -tabpub response - I reckon use the heavies against rangoon
At mandalaby -if i was him have no fighters on CAP -or run away
All fighters put on 90% CAP for me.
Move the bombers up to the front

Elsewhere the ASW war rages near truk, and Im watching carefullythe CV refits.

[1275psi]

8/8/42
ASW action of japan -miss -but Im getting better at intercepts now

Only action is the air war over Burma
His heavies do visit rangoon
38 B17 at 36000 feet[X(]
22 liberators at a lot lower[:'(]
120 fighters intercept[:D]

6 zeros lost, 22 liberators wiped out

Tomorrows orders
CAP trap rangoon
60 sallies to strike mandalaby, with heavy escort from rahaeng fighters

Elsewhere he recons Attu island -well thats a given that he will take it back.
Nice if he does next month -KB is in the area after all.[:D]

At soerabaya I orderjust one division and a engineer regiment to attack -the daily bombings continue
Im still moving supplies and convoys about -the oil situation is poor -far too many empty tankers flopping about, with nothing to cart.

[1275psi]

9/8/42

Bit of an anti clinax in Burma as the clouds roll in, grounding the planes

Tomorrow I am going to pound a enemy land unit 2 hexes from mandalaby -a weak cap should protect it, and be overwhelmed, his hurricanes still remain active at Mandalaby

At Soerabaya only 1 division and 1 engineer attacked, and I almost fell over in surprise as the forts came down to 4
rest tomorrow, keep bombing, then we try this again.
On the strength of this, the division from Truk is returned to truk

The CVs are slowly getting better.
Most BBs are now at Tarakan, the CAs at truk, and mini KB -with out planes yet(all in Burma) will arrive at tarakan tomorrow.

I still need a reserve for the DEI -thats why soerabaya must fall.

[1275psi]

10/8/42
careful check today of CV aircraft to pilot ratios
Some ASW of japan

Area 1
Mitchells continue to hit akyab, will try to deal with them soon
A very large convoy full of tanks arrives rangoon very soon, as soon as it is empty, the major air effort here in Burma can change its focus
Tomorrow a major effort against mandalaby is ordered -weather grounds us again today
Im happy with the troop situation now

Area 2
Continued bombing soerabaya, will try another single div, engineer attack tomorrow

Area3
gave up some of the ASW Kates back to the fleet today -in 4 months they have not sighted a single sub, its always the twin engined planes that do.
Will send some more float planes soon to replace them

Area4
The supply situation has dipped again, more dispatched from Japan
He gets P-38s very soon, The plan is not to contest the air above GG and PM at all, but to conserve forces until the solomon invasion arrives

Kendari will be different, if he commences an offensive there, I will resist intensly, hopefully forcing him to turn back to the "easy" solomons

Area5
Slumbers, have almost emptied this area of shipping.

Area6
The CVs hardly repaired at all today -supplies have dipped a bit.
I have been thinking a lot about where KB will go, Tabpub has been reconning Attu island a lot.
I am thinking a cruise to Kodiak may catch a lot for little risk.
Still need 2 weeks before KB will be half fit I think -and that is optimistic.

[1275psi]

11/8/42
Area1
The attack on mandalaby began in the air
45 sally, escorted by 54am2, and 25 am3 encounter 41 hurricanes
(these have been training against my troops for months now)
lost 10am2, 3am3 to his 33 hurricanes.

Nice, 3 to 1
22 Sallies attacked unescorted, the 8 hurricanes that defended failed to intercept.
A nice day

A lot of the zeros now depart back to the CV's and CVEs at balikapapan, still about 120 left in theatre

they will lrcap akyab tomorrow, bet the AI wont let the B-26's blunder into it
1 little betty sq is moved in for the next operation planned, and several helen sqs will remain (planning big sweeps all over India)
All the sallies back to singapore, and then soerabaya

Area2
bad news at soerabaya, 0 to 1, forts stay at 4
Grrrr
But only 298 casos to his 445, surely this is a good sign
2 brigades still enroute, and Im desperate for some more engineers.
rest several days, and we keep bombing
Will commit some BBs very soon I think

Area3
All quiet, no ASW today anywhere -very,very rare
I counted that I have 30 plus subs about, all of them in port, repairing
I have actually now kept many of these still building, when the solomon battles begin, they will be deployed in strength for all the cripples -something my UV game is teaching me -there will be a lot of cripples

Area4
Quiet

Area5
Quiet

Area6
All quiet again.
The more I think about it, the more a quick cruise of KB to Dutch harbour appeals, or a cruise in the waters bounded by the triangle Midway, wake, dutch harbour area.
A naval bombardment of wake must surely be in the offering

We will see.

[1275psi]

tabpub is taunting about how the war is now a grind -ie, grinding me to dust.
he has begun reconning PNG, good, just bombing today, and KB2 is off to the Timor area, moving some valuable base forces about -must cover them.

[1275psi]

13/8/42
sub attack kendari -miss
94 sallies hit soerabaya, a AS is finished off
Continue bombarding soerabaya -385 casos today

Spent this turn looking at supply requirements -and dispatching same.
Will try an attack on soerabaya again very shortly.

[1275psi]

14/8/42

Continous reconning of PNG now taking place -and nidindi, and the kuriles.
I feel good about all three areas, maybe he is scared of the gilberts again.[:'(]
74 sallies hit soerabaya -2 msw sit in the harbour -no mines found, and the coastal guns did not fire[;)]

Area1
Over 90 zeros on CAP, but the weather is crud -again.
Its eerily quiet, ships refitting, and bobarding at soerabaya, thats it.

[1275psi]

15/8/42
a single engineer unit, and 3 tank units attack at soerabaya -forts to 4, and losses big for him

the last troops trapped in Australia die

So bouyed by the soerabaya thing -Im going to try again!

[1275psi]

Drat
the coastal guns at soerabaya flash up today -down goes a MSW

But a single nlf and 1 eng unit brings down the forts to 3
Yah!!!

Otherwise, the fuel and supplies ordered for davao are accumulating, troops are marching to soerabaya, the LBA is hanging in there , bombing every day, and in China, the base forces required for operations after soerabaya falls are in place.
Can i smash soerabaya by weeks end -I hope so.

[1275psi]

17/8/42

Forts to 2 soerabaya, lost the other ASW
ordered a big, big sweep over India - alot of 2nd line A/c reconned there.

KB2 waved the flag near timor, covered the base force evac, and will cover the return
The PG lure there -which his bombers have missed for 4 days in a row, is moved.

Im off to sea for a week, back next week

[1275psi]

A bump -back from sea, awaiting resumption of the war!