witpqs
Hawaii is better fortified, has larger airfields and a larger garrison than New Caledonia. The air group at Hawaii is slightly smaller than the one in New Caledonia and has P36s instead of Wildcats. Hawii has far more mines.
If Mogami goes for Hawaii it will take me a bit of time to get more stuff up there, but over all it is a stronger position. Hawaii was the first area to get re-inforced after the start of the game. I don't mention it much because nothing much is happening there but it is a very strong position.
Lunacy In The Pacific Mogami Vs. Tom Hunter
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
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Tom Hunter
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May 21 42
China
Some activity in South China as a small force of relatively low experience units advances out of Wuchow. The Japanese seem to be moving in response. 5 or 6 Corps are also being sent down from Changsha. Chinese supply is still good and a number of corps have passed the 300 AP mark.
In the air the random bombing continues and Mogami hits back catching a few Wirraways on the ground at Kaigan and intercepting some Buffalos that were bombing the Island off the South China Coast. Allied casualties are not very high but I have changed targets in response.
Burma-India No changes at all, the place is a snore.
The Japanese return to Port Moresby, this time with 101 Zeros and ambush the Allied CAP shooting down 20 planes for a loss of 7. Not to bad for P36s but still a good reason to run away. On the 20th they invade Lae but fail to bomb PM. 48 Beuforts move into PM set on naval attack, if the Allies are lucky the Japanese ships at Lae will get pounded, if the Japanese are lucky the Beauforts will sit on land and the 250 planes at Rabaul will bomb the crap out of them.
No action at New Caledonia. I have had a lot of trouble getting planes to fly so the air units and commanders have been reshuffled.
Noumea Buildup
Koumac: AF 3 AV 80 Fort 3 AP 188 Supply 17522
La Foa: AF 3 AV 45 Fort 2 AP 395 Supply 12595
Noumea: AF 5 AV 251 Fort 8 AP 494 Supply 156583
Here is the Japanese major ship loss, it turns out the US Idaho was revenged a bit, Chokai went down after the battle:
Some activity in South China as a small force of relatively low experience units advances out of Wuchow. The Japanese seem to be moving in response. 5 or 6 Corps are also being sent down from Changsha. Chinese supply is still good and a number of corps have passed the 300 AP mark.
In the air the random bombing continues and Mogami hits back catching a few Wirraways on the ground at Kaigan and intercepting some Buffalos that were bombing the Island off the South China Coast. Allied casualties are not very high but I have changed targets in response.
Burma-India No changes at all, the place is a snore.
The Japanese return to Port Moresby, this time with 101 Zeros and ambush the Allied CAP shooting down 20 planes for a loss of 7. Not to bad for P36s but still a good reason to run away. On the 20th they invade Lae but fail to bomb PM. 48 Beuforts move into PM set on naval attack, if the Allies are lucky the Japanese ships at Lae will get pounded, if the Japanese are lucky the Beauforts will sit on land and the 250 planes at Rabaul will bomb the crap out of them.
No action at New Caledonia. I have had a lot of trouble getting planes to fly so the air units and commanders have been reshuffled.
Noumea Buildup
Koumac: AF 3 AV 80 Fort 3 AP 188 Supply 17522
La Foa: AF 3 AV 45 Fort 2 AP 395 Supply 12595
Noumea: AF 5 AV 251 Fort 8 AP 494 Supply 156583
Here is the Japanese major ship loss, it turns out the US Idaho was revenged a bit, Chokai went down after the battle:
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Tom Hunter
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RE: May 21 42
I hate hitting the wrong button[:@]
Looking closely for the first time the Prince of Wales has been pretty hard on the Japanese navy, she get's credit for a CA and 2 DDs so far.
Looking closely for the first time the Prince of Wales has been pretty hard on the Japanese navy, she get's credit for a CA and 2 DDs so far.
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Tom Hunter
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RE: May 21 42
Here is the same for the Allies
Other than the Big BB massacre right after Pearl things have gone reasonably well, Allied warship losses are comperable to the Japanese since the start of the war. The Allies have lost far more transports than the Japanese, and interesting contrast to the Fear and Loathing game where the Japanese navy is intact but the merchant marine has taken hundreds of losses.
To compare losses outside of the post Pearl Harbor Massacre start with the USS Idaho and read down.
Other than the Big BB massacre right after Pearl things have gone reasonably well, Allied warship losses are comperable to the Japanese since the start of the war. The Allies have lost far more transports than the Japanese, and interesting contrast to the Fear and Loathing game where the Japanese navy is intact but the merchant marine has taken hundreds of losses.
To compare losses outside of the post Pearl Harbor Massacre start with the USS Idaho and read down.
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Tom Hunter
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RE: May 21 42
One other note Cebu island fell May 20 1942. This is 5 days after the historical surrender of the Island but 20 days before the Japanese declared resitance in the Phillipines over (June 9 1942) still a pretty credible performance all in all.
Mogami has been sweeping up bases here and there, Manila reports 164 ships again and there is no sign of a huge invasion force at the moment. I am not sure of his next move, I still think he might go for Russia in the hopes of getting 4 to 1.
My next move in the South Pacific is obvious, keep building the place up.
China will get some limited activity in the next few months but nothing like the huge campaing that opened the war.
India is a big question. I could launch a credible offensive in Burma as early as July but that would put the army forward and expose the country to Japanese attack by sea. On the other hand a push by the British could score a fair number of points and help prevent Mogami from pulling off auto victory. It is a really difficult question, I think I need to look at the reinforcement schedule to decide.
One thing is certain, no offensive moves by the CV fleet until after the June upgrades and the 33 plane fighter groups come on line.
Mogami has been sweeping up bases here and there, Manila reports 164 ships again and there is no sign of a huge invasion force at the moment. I am not sure of his next move, I still think he might go for Russia in the hopes of getting 4 to 1.
My next move in the South Pacific is obvious, keep building the place up.
China will get some limited activity in the next few months but nothing like the huge campaing that opened the war.
India is a big question. I could launch a credible offensive in Burma as early as July but that would put the army forward and expose the country to Japanese attack by sea. On the other hand a push by the British could score a fair number of points and help prevent Mogami from pulling off auto victory. It is a really difficult question, I think I need to look at the reinforcement schedule to decide.
One thing is certain, no offensive moves by the CV fleet until after the June upgrades and the 33 plane fighter groups come on line.
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Tom Hunter
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RE: May 21 42
Forming an offensive in India
I just did a little counting, this is what is in the SEAC army:
3 Full strength divisions
5 Indian divisions forming up
10 brigades at full strength
10 under strength brigades
7 under strength Chinese divisions
1 full strength Chinese division
3 crappy little Dutch units, one is a regiment and will eventually count for something
3 armored brigades
3 combat engineers
8 field artillery regiments
2 XXX HQs
2 XXXX HQs
6 Air HQs
3 AA Units
3 construction engineers
48 base forces (support looks really good)
This force has a total of a bit over 6000 AP a number which is climbing as the Chinese and under strength Allied units fill out.
4 more brigades and a division come in the next 3 months along with some additional base forces.
My thinking is to start organizing a 3000 AP offensive force in the Calcutta area and fly or walk in troops to Mandalay while moving the under strength in Mandalay back to India for R&R and to cover the rear. Then drive South and see what 3000 APs can do.
An alternative would be to send them along the coast Via Akyab. That would be easier to supply but vunerable to flank attack by shore bombardment.
I am going to start organizing this at once, it will take a month or more just to redistribute the army to the right places since a lot of units will have to move around. For example the 3 big infantry divisions are all near Karachi, they need to be replaced with Chinese troops now near Calcutta. Several interior bases have armored units pushing the contruction rate up, those units need to move nearer the front, the construction can be finished at leisure by the base forces.
I will also need to calculate the amount of support needed so that I can send the correct number of base forces in support. The attacking army will definitely get an Army HQ and maybe both corps HQs as well.
Of course Mogami can respond to this force with a large number of troops of his own, maybe more than I will have. But the British will have superiority in Armor, Supply, hopefully air attack and probabley artillery. And if Mogami does decide to come to India the counter attack will already be organized.
I don't think there is much possibility of India getting end runned by a huge Japanese force after this offensive opens. It will be July or August by then and I doubt Japan will be able to, or even want to, put together a 300,000 man army on transports at that time. If he is going to get 4 to 1 Mogami needs to make a strong commitment somewhere before August.
I just did a little counting, this is what is in the SEAC army:
3 Full strength divisions
5 Indian divisions forming up
10 brigades at full strength
10 under strength brigades
7 under strength Chinese divisions
1 full strength Chinese division
3 crappy little Dutch units, one is a regiment and will eventually count for something
3 armored brigades
3 combat engineers
8 field artillery regiments
2 XXX HQs
2 XXXX HQs
6 Air HQs
3 AA Units
3 construction engineers
48 base forces (support looks really good)
This force has a total of a bit over 6000 AP a number which is climbing as the Chinese and under strength Allied units fill out.
4 more brigades and a division come in the next 3 months along with some additional base forces.
My thinking is to start organizing a 3000 AP offensive force in the Calcutta area and fly or walk in troops to Mandalay while moving the under strength in Mandalay back to India for R&R and to cover the rear. Then drive South and see what 3000 APs can do.
An alternative would be to send them along the coast Via Akyab. That would be easier to supply but vunerable to flank attack by shore bombardment.
I am going to start organizing this at once, it will take a month or more just to redistribute the army to the right places since a lot of units will have to move around. For example the 3 big infantry divisions are all near Karachi, they need to be replaced with Chinese troops now near Calcutta. Several interior bases have armored units pushing the contruction rate up, those units need to move nearer the front, the construction can be finished at leisure by the base forces.
I will also need to calculate the amount of support needed so that I can send the correct number of base forces in support. The attacking army will definitely get an Army HQ and maybe both corps HQs as well.
Of course Mogami can respond to this force with a large number of troops of his own, maybe more than I will have. But the British will have superiority in Armor, Supply, hopefully air attack and probabley artillery. And if Mogami does decide to come to India the counter attack will already be organized.
I don't think there is much possibility of India getting end runned by a huge Japanese force after this offensive opens. It will be July or August by then and I doubt Japan will be able to, or even want to, put together a 300,000 man army on transports at that time. If he is going to get 4 to 1 Mogami needs to make a strong commitment somewhere before August.
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Tom Hunter
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May 23 42
Everyone knows that its May 23 now, and that the date is in teh subject line, right?
China
The usual flying around, we may have a small battle South of Wuchow, I bombed a tank unit and have 4 corps crossing the river (where the tank unit is) in the direction of Pahkoi.
Burma-India
Mogami sends 123 Oscars over Mandalay where they meet 51 P40Bs of the AVG and 19 Hurricanes. 6 Hurricanes and 18 P40s get shot down, the Japanese lose 48 Oscars. During the turn I give my heavy bombers orders to bomb Moulmein and send 64 B25s to Mandalay (now a level 5 airfield) with orders to hit the same target. Chances are nothing will fly, but if I am wrong it ought to be a good show.
Deeper in India the first reorganization moves start.
South Pacific
None of my Beauforts fly, in spite of the Japanese shipping just over the other side of the hill in Buna. Maybe tomorrow. I am beginning to agree with ADavidB's theory that one of the recent patches made planes less likely to fly, I have had one flight against Lugaville in the last week to 10 days and I have well developed bases with air HQs and everything else, plus from recon flights I know there is no CAP there. Anyway if the Beauforts go some Japanese shipping should get sunk and if my planes don't fly then I am going to lose New Guinea.
No big changes at New Caledonia, more ground units will arrive in the next 3-4 days. KB is lurking off of Luganville to supress Allied shore bombardment missions. The US CVs are still a few days out of Aukland, the British are in port doing maintainance.
Over on the US West Coast Repulse is down to 4 sys.
Will Mogami try one more offensive or just start fortifying?
China
The usual flying around, we may have a small battle South of Wuchow, I bombed a tank unit and have 4 corps crossing the river (where the tank unit is) in the direction of Pahkoi.
Burma-India
Mogami sends 123 Oscars over Mandalay where they meet 51 P40Bs of the AVG and 19 Hurricanes. 6 Hurricanes and 18 P40s get shot down, the Japanese lose 48 Oscars. During the turn I give my heavy bombers orders to bomb Moulmein and send 64 B25s to Mandalay (now a level 5 airfield) with orders to hit the same target. Chances are nothing will fly, but if I am wrong it ought to be a good show.
Deeper in India the first reorganization moves start.
South Pacific
None of my Beauforts fly, in spite of the Japanese shipping just over the other side of the hill in Buna. Maybe tomorrow. I am beginning to agree with ADavidB's theory that one of the recent patches made planes less likely to fly, I have had one flight against Lugaville in the last week to 10 days and I have well developed bases with air HQs and everything else, plus from recon flights I know there is no CAP there. Anyway if the Beauforts go some Japanese shipping should get sunk and if my planes don't fly then I am going to lose New Guinea.
No big changes at New Caledonia, more ground units will arrive in the next 3-4 days. KB is lurking off of Luganville to supress Allied shore bombardment missions. The US CVs are still a few days out of Aukland, the British are in port doing maintainance.
Over on the US West Coast Repulse is down to 4 sys.
Will Mogami try one more offensive or just start fortifying?
RE: May 23 42
ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter
Will Mogami try one more offensive or just start fortifying?
At least one more offensive. But where? The reason that I asked about PH is that there is little he can do to prep for it, but by paving the way in SoPac that also serves as a great diversion of your forces. You have no choice really - defend SoPac or lose it for nothing.
Russia makes sense, but those transports moved east. Was that subterfuge? I presume not. Assuming that the transports moved east with a purpose, and that he will attack:
1) Hawaii?
2) South Pacific?
3) New Guinea?
4) New Guinea followed by some of Australia?
5) New Guinea and South Pacific (order unknown)?
Heck, I don't know. Would Hawaii give him enough points when including the units that would die there? How about SoPac if he crushed Noumea and followed up by collecting the other SoPac/CentPac islands?
Intel Monkey: https://sites.google.com/view/staffmonkeys/home
RE: May 23 42
ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter
Will Mogami try one more offensive or just start fortifying?
Well if Mog decides to hunker down and start defending i thnk you have him his forces seem to be concentrated in SoPac and he seems very commited there have you thought about sending a raiding for to Eitweentok or Kawjalain? Just as a diversion (attack take the atol get some good valubale combat xp for the americans and then withdraw) This might lure KB away from SoPac and allow you close down luganiville and effate. If not you racked up some army loss points and maybe an easy capture of a base or 2
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AmiralLaurent
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RE: May 23 42
ORIGINAL: jrlans
Well if Mog decides to hunker down and start defending i thnk you have him his forces seem to be concentrated in SoPac and he seems very commited there have you thought about sending a raiding for to Eitweentok or Kawjalain? Just as a diversion (attack take the atol get some good valubale combat xp for the americans and then withdraw) This might lure KB away from SoPac and allow you close down luganiville and effate. If not you racked up some army loss points and maybe an easy capture of a base or 2
Playing on Japan's turn like that is not a good idea. If Mogami has reinforced the place with some SNLF, you will need at least a div here... When you now that 5 or 6 div are sailing to S Pac, and may be diverted there, that means you are dropping a div directly to the POW camp. Japanese troops are not destroyed even if the atoll fell. And KB will be around Kwajalein in some days.... no time to withdraw troops, or you will lose them aboard ships.
Such a tactic may be done at Wake Island, as it is farther to the main action area, and Midway is providing a good place to have LBA protecting the returning fleet.
One thing I learned by playing with Mogami in a team PBEM is that he won't change his plans often. It seems to me he described these lunacy games as test games and it seems to me that he is attempting something different in every of them. I don't think anything that Tom is making will change much his plans, but it may make them fail... If the plan is to take Noumea then the war will be won or lost here...
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Tom Hunter
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RE: May 23 42
witpqs,
I don't liek the idea of sending my CVs elsewhere for the reasons Adm. Laurent just gave, and for other reasons.
There is a fair chance that fighting around New Caledonia will cause KB to be at some kind of a disadvantage, either damaged or out of missions. If my CVs are in the area then I can jump KB and possibly sink part of it.
It may be that the CVs are needed to save New Caledonia. A really big sea battle or series of sea battles is very possible. Mogami will pick when, and I don't want my CVs off somewhere else when he does. The fact that he does not know thier location also constrains him.
Raiding produces none of these advantages. However when Noumea is better fortified then I can consider a raid.
I don't liek the idea of sending my CVs elsewhere for the reasons Adm. Laurent just gave, and for other reasons.
There is a fair chance that fighting around New Caledonia will cause KB to be at some kind of a disadvantage, either damaged or out of missions. If my CVs are in the area then I can jump KB and possibly sink part of it.
It may be that the CVs are needed to save New Caledonia. A really big sea battle or series of sea battles is very possible. Mogami will pick when, and I don't want my CVs off somewhere else when he does. The fact that he does not know thier location also constrains him.
Raiding produces none of these advantages. However when Noumea is better fortified then I can consider a raid.
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Tom Hunter
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May 26 42
China
A small war starts in the South. 4 Chinese corps with relatively low experience leave Wuchow heading South. Japan counters by moving troops to the river West of Canton. The Chinese bomb a tank unit and try to cross on May 23rd, but by the time they do a division has joined the armor:
Ground combat at 42,40
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 32311 troops, 235 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 21869 troops, 245 guns, 143 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 0 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
29 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Allied ground losses:
940 casualties reported
Guns lost 28
Now they are on the defensive waiting for the disruption to decline.
Japan sent 2 units North from Canton, and 5 corps are coming down from Changsha. Seeing the Japanese move 2 corps and an HQ have left Wuchow marching South. It is beginning to sound like the first day of Gettiesburg, isn't it?
Canton is lightly garrisoned and the Chinese control the approach. The coastal cities are even weaker, so maybe there is a chance to make some trouble.
In the air thinks have gotten a little hotter as well. On the 24th British and Dutch planes luanched a sweep over Nanchang. Cloud cover caused one of the 3 groups to miss the sweep cutting Allied strength from 47 planes to 31 [:@]. This kind of good luck for Mogami is a theme we will come back to.
Day Air attack on Nanchang , at 49,37
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 27
Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 18
Hawk 75A x 15
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Mohawk IV: 4 destroyed, 7 damaged
Hawk 75A: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
Still not bad, but the Allies would have won outright if they had 16 more planes.
In Burma-India the planned retaliation strike for Mogami's sweep of Mandalay did not fly for 3 days, and when it did only one B17 group went. They got chewed up losing 11 fortresses on May 24th. Another bit of luck for Japan.
Elements of the Chinese 55th division started landing in Mandalay. The Chinese 93rd divisions is heading North to Myitinkya at 4 miles a day on the RR. Does anyone in quality control read this stuff? [:-] Other British units continue moving to get ready for a counter offensive in July/August.
The South Pacific is an active place as the Japanese launch small invasions to capture the North Coast of New Guinea and clean up the island bases around Rabual. The Aussies fly in 3 beaufort groups and on May 23 they launch. Sadly 34 of them choose to fly 5 hexes to attack some APDs which they cannot hit anyway. I told you Mogami got a number of lucky breaks.
6 intelligent Beauforts did go for viable targets putting a torpedo into an AP and sinking a patrol craft.
Then a cloud of 250 Japanese planes bombed Port Moresby into the stone age and the beauforts flew away. That ended the air battles around Port Moresby for the moment.
Off Luganville 9 B17s decided to take a run at the Huyaga which had CAP of 40 Zeros. Why all 48 did not go I can't explain, maybe they thought they would take fewer casualties if they only sent 9 planes. Needless to say they missed.
The next day 30 B17s attempted to bomb Luganville and ran into 45 Oscars and 17 Zeros. Proving that big formations are better they shot down two oscars and blew up 4 more on the ground.
On May 24th the Japanese took Tarawa.
On May 25th Noumea was built up as follows:
Koumac: AF 3 AV 80 Fort 3 AP 192 Supply: 21290
La Foa: AF 3 AV 48 Fort 3 AP 396 Supply 14839
Noumea: AF 5 AV 250 Fort 8 AP 500 Supply 153291
1 RCT, an artillery unit and an Australian Division are in the harbor at Noumea unloading now.
3 US BBs and some DDs are in Noumea harbor. I think Mogami believes there are 2 BBs there, but he does not get close enough to find out.
The Main Allied fleet is resting at Aukland, the Japanese are forced to remain at sea wearing out thier ships. Here is a picture showing what the Allies have to play with:
A small war starts in the South. 4 Chinese corps with relatively low experience leave Wuchow heading South. Japan counters by moving troops to the river West of Canton. The Chinese bomb a tank unit and try to cross on May 23rd, but by the time they do a division has joined the armor:
Ground combat at 42,40
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 32311 troops, 235 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 21869 troops, 245 guns, 143 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 0 to 1
Japanese ground losses:
29 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Allied ground losses:
940 casualties reported
Guns lost 28
Now they are on the defensive waiting for the disruption to decline.
Japan sent 2 units North from Canton, and 5 corps are coming down from Changsha. Seeing the Japanese move 2 corps and an HQ have left Wuchow marching South. It is beginning to sound like the first day of Gettiesburg, isn't it?
Canton is lightly garrisoned and the Chinese control the approach. The coastal cities are even weaker, so maybe there is a chance to make some trouble.
In the air thinks have gotten a little hotter as well. On the 24th British and Dutch planes luanched a sweep over Nanchang. Cloud cover caused one of the 3 groups to miss the sweep cutting Allied strength from 47 planes to 31 [:@]. This kind of good luck for Mogami is a theme we will come back to.
Day Air attack on Nanchang , at 49,37
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 27
Allied aircraft
Mohawk IV x 18
Hawk 75A x 15
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 5 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Mohawk IV: 4 destroyed, 7 damaged
Hawk 75A: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
Still not bad, but the Allies would have won outright if they had 16 more planes.
In Burma-India the planned retaliation strike for Mogami's sweep of Mandalay did not fly for 3 days, and when it did only one B17 group went. They got chewed up losing 11 fortresses on May 24th. Another bit of luck for Japan.
Elements of the Chinese 55th division started landing in Mandalay. The Chinese 93rd divisions is heading North to Myitinkya at 4 miles a day on the RR. Does anyone in quality control read this stuff? [:-] Other British units continue moving to get ready for a counter offensive in July/August.
The South Pacific is an active place as the Japanese launch small invasions to capture the North Coast of New Guinea and clean up the island bases around Rabual. The Aussies fly in 3 beaufort groups and on May 23 they launch. Sadly 34 of them choose to fly 5 hexes to attack some APDs which they cannot hit anyway. I told you Mogami got a number of lucky breaks.
6 intelligent Beauforts did go for viable targets putting a torpedo into an AP and sinking a patrol craft.
Then a cloud of 250 Japanese planes bombed Port Moresby into the stone age and the beauforts flew away. That ended the air battles around Port Moresby for the moment.
Off Luganville 9 B17s decided to take a run at the Huyaga which had CAP of 40 Zeros. Why all 48 did not go I can't explain, maybe they thought they would take fewer casualties if they only sent 9 planes. Needless to say they missed.
The next day 30 B17s attempted to bomb Luganville and ran into 45 Oscars and 17 Zeros. Proving that big formations are better they shot down two oscars and blew up 4 more on the ground.
On May 24th the Japanese took Tarawa.
On May 25th Noumea was built up as follows:
Koumac: AF 3 AV 80 Fort 3 AP 192 Supply: 21290
La Foa: AF 3 AV 48 Fort 3 AP 396 Supply 14839
Noumea: AF 5 AV 250 Fort 8 AP 500 Supply 153291
1 RCT, an artillery unit and an Australian Division are in the harbor at Noumea unloading now.
3 US BBs and some DDs are in Noumea harbor. I think Mogami believes there are 2 BBs there, but he does not get close enough to find out.
The Main Allied fleet is resting at Aukland, the Japanese are forced to remain at sea wearing out thier ships. Here is a picture showing what the Allies have to play with:
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RE: May 26 42
The Chinese 93rd divisions is heading North to Myitinkya at 4 miles a day on the RR. Does anyone in quality control read this stuff?
Don't you know that trains slow down when carrying fatigued troops? [;)]
Dave Baranyi
RE: May 23 42
ORIGINAL: Tom Hunter
witpqs,
I don't like the idea of sending my CVs elsewhere for the reasons Adm. Laurent just gave, and for other reasons.
I agree - that's why I say you have no real choice. If it is a diversion by Mogami, then it's pretty effective for just that reason.
Intel Monkey: https://sites.google.com/view/staffmonkeys/home
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AmiralLaurent
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- Location: Near Paris, France
RE: May 23 42
That is what I call concentration of strength ! Your fleet in Auckland may crush or severely damaged any Japanese invasion TF... It will be a very clever idea for Mog to go somewhere else...
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Tom Hunter
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- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:57 am
May 28 42
Noumea Build Up
Koumac: AF 3 AV 103 Fort 4 AP 193 Supply 24671
La Foa: AF 3 AV 50 Fort 3 AP 397 Supply 16805
Noumea: AF 5 AV 250 Fort 9 AP 957 Supply 166093
Noumea is just about finished expanding, the port will be L9 soon as well and then I can start running mine layers out of Noumea instead of moving back and forth from Brisbane.
Adm. Laurent concentration is the idea, I am not sure that force could beat the Japanese navy on the open sea but I am sure that it can win with the help of 3 large airbases nearby.
As you can see the Australian division and two RCTs are ashore now. 51st Airbase force is one hex out of Noumea harbor, that will push my AV up 270 giving me 2 max aibases and another at a bit over 150 AV. The 2nd USMC division is on the way as are a few specialty units like AA and engineers.
A force of 5 cruisers and 2 DDs is leaving Aukland for Noumea. They will join the 3 BBs and 6 DDs already there. This will give me a surface TF that can fight anything short of the whole IJN battleline and also give me the option of bombarding Luganville or Efate. My slow BBs cannot get in and out fast enough but the cruisers can do it.
My feeling is that when the forts hit L9 and all 3 airbases are L5 it will be impossible for Mogami to take the island. 4 Divisions and 4 RTC/Brigades plus some CD guns, 2 HQs and lots of support can hold the line even against the entire army that hit Manila. They also have 10X the supply that Manila had.
I will have 650 planes available, plus a base to rest them on at Nandi (soon to be an L6 base, already at 270 AV) so I can rotate units in. The IJN does not have the ships to close all these bases by bombarding and they will have to fight past my own ships to do it. Also the Japanese are short on cruisers compared to the Allies, he starts with 19, two are sunk and several others are under repair, right now he has 12-14 CAs available.
Then after he deals with all that the Allied CV fleet can attack him. KB might be able to beat New Caledonia, and it might win against the Allied CV fleet, in fact it is superior to either one alone. But there is no way he can defeat them both.
It occurs to me that attacking the Japanese army as it comes ashore but not committing the Allied fleet might be a sensible strategy. A combination of CD guns and air attack is likely to cause significant disruption to the Japanese. Constant air sea battles will damage their fleet and then the Allies can either get a battle or chase them away. If the IJN does withdraw then the Allied BBs can bombard the troops on shore which ought to stall the attack.
I just got an intel report of one division planning for Noumea. That may be a diversion though, Noumea is the absolute worst place to attack.
Of course Mogami will probably take Port Moresby, go on the defensive in the South Pacific and invade Russia.
Speaking of that part of the world the Japanese continue to grab bases nearer and nearer PM. They have also bombed the base flat. Allied ships are moving to pick up a BF at Cairns and move it to Thursday Island. That will bring Thursday to 60 AV at an L2 aibase which will allow me to put a strong LR CAP over Port Moresby and start hurting the Japanese. The Japanese can strike back at Thursday but it is a very long flight and if they are hitting Thursday then Port Moresby is repairing.
China is getting intersting in the South as both sides continue moving troops in. No major attacks yet but something is coming, I will put a map in the next update.
Burma-India is all about organization, especially shuffling units in need of replacements to the rear and sending full strength units to the front.
Koumac: AF 3 AV 103 Fort 4 AP 193 Supply 24671
La Foa: AF 3 AV 50 Fort 3 AP 397 Supply 16805
Noumea: AF 5 AV 250 Fort 9 AP 957 Supply 166093
Noumea is just about finished expanding, the port will be L9 soon as well and then I can start running mine layers out of Noumea instead of moving back and forth from Brisbane.
Adm. Laurent concentration is the idea, I am not sure that force could beat the Japanese navy on the open sea but I am sure that it can win with the help of 3 large airbases nearby.
As you can see the Australian division and two RCTs are ashore now. 51st Airbase force is one hex out of Noumea harbor, that will push my AV up 270 giving me 2 max aibases and another at a bit over 150 AV. The 2nd USMC division is on the way as are a few specialty units like AA and engineers.
A force of 5 cruisers and 2 DDs is leaving Aukland for Noumea. They will join the 3 BBs and 6 DDs already there. This will give me a surface TF that can fight anything short of the whole IJN battleline and also give me the option of bombarding Luganville or Efate. My slow BBs cannot get in and out fast enough but the cruisers can do it.
My feeling is that when the forts hit L9 and all 3 airbases are L5 it will be impossible for Mogami to take the island. 4 Divisions and 4 RTC/Brigades plus some CD guns, 2 HQs and lots of support can hold the line even against the entire army that hit Manila. They also have 10X the supply that Manila had.
I will have 650 planes available, plus a base to rest them on at Nandi (soon to be an L6 base, already at 270 AV) so I can rotate units in. The IJN does not have the ships to close all these bases by bombarding and they will have to fight past my own ships to do it. Also the Japanese are short on cruisers compared to the Allies, he starts with 19, two are sunk and several others are under repair, right now he has 12-14 CAs available.
Then after he deals with all that the Allied CV fleet can attack him. KB might be able to beat New Caledonia, and it might win against the Allied CV fleet, in fact it is superior to either one alone. But there is no way he can defeat them both.
It occurs to me that attacking the Japanese army as it comes ashore but not committing the Allied fleet might be a sensible strategy. A combination of CD guns and air attack is likely to cause significant disruption to the Japanese. Constant air sea battles will damage their fleet and then the Allies can either get a battle or chase them away. If the IJN does withdraw then the Allied BBs can bombard the troops on shore which ought to stall the attack.
I just got an intel report of one division planning for Noumea. That may be a diversion though, Noumea is the absolute worst place to attack.
Of course Mogami will probably take Port Moresby, go on the defensive in the South Pacific and invade Russia.
Speaking of that part of the world the Japanese continue to grab bases nearer and nearer PM. They have also bombed the base flat. Allied ships are moving to pick up a BF at Cairns and move it to Thursday Island. That will bring Thursday to 60 AV at an L2 aibase which will allow me to put a strong LR CAP over Port Moresby and start hurting the Japanese. The Japanese can strike back at Thursday but it is a very long flight and if they are hitting Thursday then Port Moresby is repairing.
China is getting intersting in the South as both sides continue moving troops in. No major attacks yet but something is coming, I will put a map in the next update.
Burma-India is all about organization, especially shuffling units in need of replacements to the rear and sending full strength units to the front.
RE: May 26 42
ORIGINAL: ADavidB
The Chinese 93rd divisions is heading North to Myitinkya at 4 miles a day on the RR. Does anyone in quality control read this stuff?
Don't you know that trains slow down when carrying fatigued troops? [;)]
Dave Baranyi
They keep requesting stops for potty breaks by pulling the stop cords in the cars; dysentery, you know......[:'(]
Actually, it's similar to what happened to Mogami in his Vancouver adventure in the "Beer" thread; his boys were only going 1 mile a day toward Vancouver from next door. With several hundred bombers hitting him every day, he could see the writing on the wall and gave it up as no good; all that would reach Vancouver would be some officers and supply sargeants in the long run after a month+ of that type of bombing.
So, what is the status of the 93rd? If disruption high (over 20) and fatigue high(over 40) and low supply I could see the reduced rate being used.
Sing to the tune of "Man on the Flying Trapeze"
..Oh! We fly o'er the treetops with inches to spare,
There's smoke in the cockpit and gray in my hair.
The tracers look fine as a strafin' we go.
But, brother, we're TOO God damn low...
..Oh! We fly o'er the treetops with inches to spare,
There's smoke in the cockpit and gray in my hair.
The tracers look fine as a strafin' we go.
But, brother, we're TOO God damn low...
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Tom Hunter
- Posts: 2194
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:57 am
RE: May 26 42
Fatigue is pretty high because of Malaria but the unit has never been in combat of any type. Mandalay has seen 1 fighter sweep during the war so far.
Supply is fine, I think there is a bug. I agree that units will move slower on a RR when fatigued but not 4 or 2 miles a day. This unit is treating the RR as some other kind of terrain.
Supply is fine, I think there is a bug. I agree that units will move slower on a RR when fatigued but not 4 or 2 miles a day. This unit is treating the RR as some other kind of terrain.
RE: May 26 42
As for the sig int saying that he has somone planning for Noema he could be setting his second wave troops (not his landing forces but his second wave) to noema so that he can capture it faster.
for expample if he has say 6 Divs commited to the attack he might be seetting 2 on the invasion beach to minimize casualties, and the other 4 on noema who he expects to land and march.
for expample if he has say 6 Divs commited to the attack he might be seetting 2 on the invasion beach to minimize casualties, and the other 4 on noema who he expects to land and march.
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Tom Hunter
- Posts: 2194
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 1:57 am
RE: May 26 42
jrlans,
That is very possible, and signit does not tell you much about total size of the invasion force.
51st base force just started coming ashore so Noumea now has 597 AV. Some of the base forces already have movement orders on so that will drop soon. As the BFs reach their destination the engineers will speed up construction of the forts and airfields. Each location will get a division, a RCT/Brigade and a CD unit. Lots of base forces are scattered around and there is some artillery, AA and other stuff as well. No armor at the moment but I might move some from Nandi.
Time is not on Mogami's side, more units are coming including another division of Marines. My next step is to increase the quality and quantity of the fighter cover. There are two Wirraway groups that could turn into Spitfire groups which would be an unpleasant suprise for KB.
I cannot help think that Mogami is aware of what I could be doing in SouthPac and has some kind of a plan to deal with it. That plan pretty much has to be go somewhere else, New Caledonia will be an island too far in just a few more weeks, it may be one now.
That is very possible, and signit does not tell you much about total size of the invasion force.
51st base force just started coming ashore so Noumea now has 597 AV. Some of the base forces already have movement orders on so that will drop soon. As the BFs reach their destination the engineers will speed up construction of the forts and airfields. Each location will get a division, a RCT/Brigade and a CD unit. Lots of base forces are scattered around and there is some artillery, AA and other stuff as well. No armor at the moment but I might move some from Nandi.
Time is not on Mogami's side, more units are coming including another division of Marines. My next step is to increase the quality and quantity of the fighter cover. There are two Wirraway groups that could turn into Spitfire groups which would be an unpleasant suprise for KB.
I cannot help think that Mogami is aware of what I could be doing in SouthPac and has some kind of a plan to deal with it. That plan pretty much has to be go somewhere else, New Caledonia will be an island too far in just a few more weeks, it may be one now.