The Italian Job (2) - Comments from the Allies

[mc3744]

Hi TheElf, [:)]

I've been out for a while and I just saw your post.

I'm using the latest files (the CHS ones).
I'll soon 'upgrade' to the last one (stock) you just released.

Let me know if you want any specific airplane posted.

Cheers

I'll keep posting (as soon as we resume playing) once in a while or when something interesting happens.

[mc3744]

March 19th, 1943

After a stop due to the Xmas holidays here we go again, albeit still at a slower pace.

BURMA – DEI
Singapore is back in Allied hands. The entire Malaya peninsula is now under control, but for Kuantan and Mersing. I’ll use two small paradrops to avoid stranding troops in those two isolated bases.
Singapore will be the new centre of operations, South East Asia Command is on its way to Singapore.
Engineers are moving toward Kota Bahru, from there I’ll be able to provide air cover to the advance in Indo-China.
The bulk of the CW forces is now in the Malaya peninsula or under way. Reassigned Chinese troops are still recovering in India.
Next steps will be Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Those areas are free of Japanese forces, but full of thousands of mines.
It will mainly be a logistic effort to coordinate minesweeping activities, air cover and supplies. I hope I’ll be able to recapture the entire DEI within a couple of months.
Soon I’ll take care of Hanoi’s airport, there’s no hurry anyway.

AUSTRALIA – NG – BANDA SEA
As in Malaya/DEI the main problem is represented by tons of mines and by G3/4Ms that can hit my unescorted convoys at a great distance.
I’ve already lost a few ships to these two threats. [:o]
Both problems are now being addressed by several MSW’s clearing the way with a CV’s escort. Not much is needed since the G3/4Ms are operating beyond fighter’s cover.
The big amount of CV’s, CVL’s and CVE’s is now proving very handy. I can escort my minesweeper TFs and amphibious TFs with small carrier TFs (1-2 CV/CVE/CVL, 1 CL, 1 CLAA and 3-4 DDs). A couple of carriers are enough to avoid G3/4M attacks at long distance.
I’m now moving towards Rabaul in the Pacific and towards Amboina/Kendari in the Banda Sea.
There’s no Japanese presence anywhere. The first protected bases are Truk and PI.
The next two months will be mostly focused on organizing the force transition Northbound.
The air force is now impressive. I have thousands of planes, I don’t even know what to use them for. [:'(] And thanks to the training program I also have hundreds of pilots at 80+ exp.
The Navy is also super-strong with 20+ BBs, dozens of carriers and countless cruisers and destroyers.
On top of that GH is doing his best to make my life easier, he keeps retreating and doesn’t even attempt at bothering my advance. Only mines stand between PI and Japan and the Allies forces.
Regardless his current attitude I’m keeping a strong force, both land troops and air force, on the entire way from PH to Australia. You never know. [;)]

[String]

I think airborne operations are the way to go in DEI. If he really did pull back most of the smaller bases should be empty.

[Sneer]

this screen is the best proof that japan should do its best and go for east india in early 42
if Japan is able to hold calcutta region than Burma is safe and allied have problem with bombing offensive

[mc3744]

ORIGINAL: String

I think airborne operations are the way to go in DEI. If he really did pull back most of the smaller bases should be empty.

I agree, the problem is that one paradrop here, one paradrop there and I'm out of paratroopers [;)]
For some reason the pick up troops command never seems to work in my games.

I'll use the paratroopers for isolated bases and the regular landings for the big islands with road connections.

[mc3744]

ORIGINAL: Sneer

this screen is the best proof that japan should do its best and go for east india in early 42
if Japan is able to hold calcutta region than Burma is safe and allied have problem with bombing offensive

You have to consider that GH is playing strictly to win on a VP basis.
We are now 33k to 15k, hence he may very well make it even loosing PI as early as 1943.
He simply avoids loosing points by not fighting.

[Speedysteve]

The problem is that by falling back he is reducing the frontage you have to fight on and you are fresh, ready and experienced by now = you can bring even more than he can to any point and smite him even quicker. Just my thoughts.........

[Sneer]

taking india and scoring points are not opposite tasks and even offer easy points from starved china

I noticed few players can successfuly defend burma in 43 so better defensive position is needed
usually players are doing reasonably well in pacific , salomons , have problems in south dei and are kicked in burma in 43.

just my 2 cents

[mc3744]

ORIGINAL: Sneer


taking india and scoring points are not opposite tasks and even offer easy points from starved china

GH scored enough points in China soon enough. He must have decided that the effort to take India could have been too dangerous.
India can be very difficult to take.
I'm not saying I don't agree with you, just that it's easier said than done [;)]

[mc3744]

March 20th, 1943

It seems I was wrong. [8|]
G3/4Ms can fly unescorted vs. escorted targets.
The British CV Formidable was covering a minesweeping TF at Lautern.
Two waves of unescorted Nell’s attacked the carrier, the (18) Seafire’s were not able to stop but a few them. One torpedo hit the Formidable, sys dmg (31), still rising due to some fire. She’ll be out of commission for a few months.
I’ll have to strengthen the air cover of TFs, it’ll slow me down. Anyway nothing irreparable.

[Sneer]

ORIGINAL: mc3744

ORIGINAL: Sneer


taking india and scoring points are not opposite tasks and even offer easy points from starved china

GH scored enough points in China soon enough. He must have decided that the effort to take India could have been too dangerous.
India can be very difficult to take.
I'm not saying I don't agree with you, just that it's easier said than done [;)]

I have never failed in successful invasion in late feb/early march - allies have not enough troops to resist to 5-8 jap divisions + same amount of tank regiments[8D]
It is easier to take east india than to defend Burma later and it is my usual strategy
the only reason when Jap player resign from planned india invasion is when he make really serious mistake somewhere
there is enough troops to finish Singapore/Manila and go for india in full strenght

[mc3744]

I definitely see your point Sneer.

However I still believe that Gh can win this game (or at least get a draw) even without having come to India.
I doubt I'll ever be able to obtain 2:1. Probably the best I'll get is 1:1.

[mc3744]

March 27th, 1943

The time to close down Hanoi had come.
Today two waves of Allied bombers escorted by P-38’s obliterated Hanoi’s airfield.
The first wave from Moulmein suffered heavy losses, loosing all (48) escorting P-38s when engaged by the Japanese CAP.

Allied aircraft – First Wave
Catalina I x 6
Wellington III x 93
P-38G Lightning x 48
B-17E Fortress x 96

Japanese aircraft - CAP
J2M Jack x 23
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 35
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 27
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 128

The second wave from Rangoon however managed to shoot down dozens of Japanese fighters and to smash the airfield.

Allied aircraft – Second Wave
Liberator VI x 81
P-38G Lightning x 72
LB-30 Liberator x 48
B-24D Liberator x 186
IL-4c x 15

At the end of the day I lost 188 planes in air-to-air and 7 to flak while he lost 113 in air-to-air and 126 on the ground.
Most fighter pilots had exp 80+

Tomorrow I’ll finish off the damaged planes on the ground.

GH is obviously complaining because he can’t stop me.
IMO the problem still lies in the FCD. Only the stronger one plays. He played ‘solo’ for over one year, now it’s my turn and I don’t even enjoy it so much.
I have another game in late ’42, my opponent has scattered his air force over several airfields, that makes my life so much more difficult (even with P-38). I can’t close down 5-10 airfields, he always has some operational airfields and aircrafts to hit my convoys. The game is much more realistic and fun. FCD is a game killer.
WitP does not handle well mass concentration, nor should it because it’s rather unrealistic anyway.
On my side I’m respecting the airfield size*50. Obviously from Rangoon (L9) I could launch 450 planes and another 300 from Moulmein (L6).

The logistic effort continues and soon I’ll be able to finish off Java, NG and the Banda Sea area.
May will probably be the month of the offensive over PI. But I don’t know where I’ll be able to recover all the points I lost in China. [&:]

[mc3744]

March 29th, 1943

Today the Imperial Air Force managed to score quite some hits.
A TF composed by the CV Essex, CVE Nassau (with Corsair’s), CV Illustrious, CVL Hermes and CA New Orleans was escorting a minesweeper TF at Amboina.
The minesweeper TF did not sweep one single mine! [:@]
The carrier TF has been attacked by several G3M escorted by A6M3a, the CAP of Seafire x 15, F4F-4 Wildcat x 26, F4U-1 Corsair x 17 shot down (48) enemy aircrafts loosing (10) planes, still many managed to pass through the CAP. Not one Corsair has been shot down. [8D]
CA New Orleans has been sunk, the Nassau is at sys dmg 28 and fire 15, the Essex is at 18-35 and the Hermes at 8-13.
I’ll have to dock them for some time. [8|]
From now on I’ll resume the standard tactic of jumping from airfield to airfield and I’ll employ LBA as well. I thought that with the scarce escort the Japs could not pass a medium CAP … well they can. [:'(]
The main problem will be time, this will slow things down a bit.

For some reason the minesweeper TFs I send to enemy bases do not sweep unless they are also landing or unless the base is mine already!! [&:]

[mc3744]

April 3rd, 1943

It’s confirmed, I cannot mine sweep enemy bases unless I land. I don’t understand it because in other games I can! [&:] Hence I had one CV, CVL and CVE damaged for nothing. [:(]
I’m now sending the amphibious TFs with dozens of minesweepers, still my APs hit mines. I'll have to accept a high ship turnover for repairs.
It’s kind of bothering, but I have enough (if I include AKs).

Once again (for the third time! [:o]) a British CV has been asked back. This time however I have a damaged one to send back.

These days are dedicated to moving all the troops to the new frontlines, everywhere. The main HUBs are now Singapore, Darwin, PM and Lunga. Today I’ve landed in Lautern with troops and engineers, from there on to Kendari and Amboina.

Rabaul will be over with in approx. a week. I wish I could pick up the paratroopers with the Dakota’s, instead I can only drop them. I then have to go and recover by ship and that means that I have to mine sweep first. [8|]

[mc3744]

The situation in NG - Guadalcanal

[Mistmatz]

ORIGINAL: mc3744
...
Rabaul will be over with in approx. a week. I wish I could pick up the paratroopers with the Dakota’s, instead I can only drop them. I then have to go and recover by ship and that means that I have to mine sweep first. [8|]

Why cant you pickup paras? Is there no airfield or is it too heavily damaged? Generally pick up should work, at least it does for me...

[mc3744]

I wish I knew why I can't.
I tried several times. I airdrop with 12 Dakota's. Then I try to pick the fragment up with 16 (just to make sure).
Next turn the squadron is back to suply transport cammand and the paras are still there. I tried several times in several different locations. [:(]

[Mistmatz]

Hmmm, I dont understand how you can select 12 and 16 Dakotas, I always thought the whole squadron ia assigned to the task, but I doubt that has to do with the problem...

Have you checked that there is an operational AF to pick up the troops? Opposite to the dropping the transport planes have to land this time, but I guess you knew that... [;)]

Might it be an issue with fragmented units, maybe you can only airlift the main corpus of a unit and not the /1 .. /x units... Would be quite a flaw though.

I have to recheck, but I'm quite sure that with 1.795b I was able to bring paras back from the place they landed.

Uh, btw. in your last picture Rabaul is marked as japanese base, if this is the base where you dropped your paras then it would be rather obvious why you cannot pick them up...

[mc3744]

I have one carrier group stuck on the coast!?! [&:]

Can anybody help me outt? I don't understand what's happened [:(]