The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Bif1961]

S H C O O L = Senior High Cool?

[Barb]

Any ideas about opening direct supply route from Pearl to Philippines (via Marianas) ? It is the shortest one, KB is out of picture totally, but it would probably take a lot of your Amphib and Troop capacity little back. Maybe after the Formosa campaign is finished?

Would shorten the turn-around time for your supply/fuel (which are going to increase only), ease the situation, save tons of fuel in transportation, etc...

[JeffroK]

I would be surprised that there isnt a significant number of amphib and combat ships accumulating on the West coast and the Hawaiian island that could perform this task.

At least Marcus I should be a target to clear the LOC

[Canoerebel]

The CenPac route has always been on the table, and one day it'll be put into use. But it really isn't more efficient than the Oz route:

1. CenPac will never be a really safe "LOC," even if I take Marcus and Iwo. Even with those enemy airfields out of play and Allied nav search set up, the risks of enemy raids (combat ships or small carrier TFs) will require me to use combat ships and carrier, in which case John could then up the ante, requiring me to do so, ad infinitum (almost). The only way to avoid this would be to take a large enough corridor to eliminate entirely the chance of surprise - as in taking the rest of the Marshalls, Marcus, the Bonins and the Marianas. That's too big an operation that would take too much time. The more efficient way to handle it is to detail Death Star to accompany ships from the Philippines halfway back towards Hawaii, picking up inbound ships while escorting outbound ships. Doing that every two or three months should work nicely.

2. The Oz LOC isn't really inefficient, once all the ships are in place. I have an efficient system set up to deliver supply to Oz now, coming in at places like Brisbane to unload. The supply then moves overland to Normanton, on the Gulf of Carenpentaria, where smaller TFs can load it and move it into the DEI. This route is efficient and with low danger except when a strong KB force is present or close by. When that happens, I stand down my ships while taking some pleasure in having KB way off down here.

[Canoerebel]

8/25/44

Peep Show: Death Star & The Herd will begin arriving at Manila the day after tomorrow. Formosa operation may get underway in about a week.

SEAC: Enemy garrison at Haiphong includes a good mixed brigade and several tank regiments. The Allied shock attack didn't touch four forts. Recon bombing of adjacent Hanoi shows it is weakly held, though that info may not be complete. Two lagging Allied units will move there to see.

KB: Remains divided in the DEI.

[Lowpe]

You are now at the point where you need to press "W" so we can see hexside control in China on your maps. Pretty please.[:)]

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

In rural Georgia once, I saw a sign in a front yard: "Lawn more repair shop."

Nothing rural about where I live. Couple of days ago, my wife spotted a service vehicle with expensive signage on there rear and "comitted to quality and excellence" underneath.

The sad thing is that I would have never noticed. I blame her English teacher mother. [;)]

[Canoerebel]

8/26/44

Naval Battle of Swatow: A meeting engagement in the eastern extremity of the East China Sea. Fletcher TF came to Swatow to interdict anticipated enemy bombardment run, but John had his combat TF bound for the East China Sea. The resulting action was very indecisive, though a USN sub crippled CL Nagara later in the day. That's the first major Allied sub score in months.

P.S. A month ago, IJN sub puts one TT into CL Mobile, and she goes down. Redfish puts two into Nagara and she remains afloat (after she also took two several months ago in the Java Sea). My guys never finish the drill and score the kill, or so it seems sometimes.

[jwolf]

Maybe the Japanese were simply trying to sprint past your area of control back to home waters near Japan? Or possibly, from there to deploy in the defense of Formosa?

[witpqs]

Day time surface combat out of USN torpedo range. Those CA guns...

[Canoerebel]

If he's forcing combat vessels into the East China Sea through pretty dangerous waters, he's anxious to beef up his naval forces for the upcoming Battle of Formosa. That makes sense.

[Lowpe]

Now that night bombing is up and running, put a squadron at Foochow on night naval attack and make sure you have some night naval search....combined with all your subs you might bag something. If you really want to get nasty use assault bombers on night naval strike (you need good DL to get them to fly...but it is quite effective at 1000 feet). The AB pilots need low naval, strafe and defense skills.

Another tactic to try is to break a torpedo bomber squadron into 1/3rds. Assign one splinter to torpedo attack at say 30k if you can reach that high. Then assign three squadrons of good fighters to escort them. This acts like a sweep over the task force that is attacked. Very good against LRCAP over a task force.

And finally, you might want to put a cluster of subs in the Yellow Sea...and when the E's show up send in a task force of Fletchers with LRCAP of Lightnings....you want to kill those E's like you just did.[:)]

[anarchyintheuk]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

In another part of rural Georgia about four years ago, a school sign announced: "October is Downs Syndrome Awareness Month."

While that illness is no joking matter, I couldn't help but laugh at the irony.

In Sunday school last week, a very smart lady told us about some "paternal twins." (Well, okay, I suppose that's literally true.)

In Sunday school about six weeks ago, that same lady told us that you could "tell a lot about a person by their continence." (That's probably true, but wouldn't their "countenance" reveal more?)

I gave my secretary dictation once, and the type-written document came to me reading: "Gorilla warfare."

After my wife spent a few days with her father back in her hometown, I asked her what she'd done. She replied that she'd been "swinging in the valley." I wasn't sure what to make of this. So I repeated it that way, which made her mad, for some reason. She said, "I went to see Swain and Lynn Lewallen!"

Late to the discussion . . . I once had a newly minted paralegal email me her concerns regarding an airship proceeding.

[MakeeLearn]

Nagara: To do two actions at the same time. Although, Even while, but, yet

Although I'am constantly being torpedoed, I'am still sailing.

[JohnDillworth]

Light Cruisers don't survive 2 torpedo hits. She is a goner

[Canoerebel]

John, I wish that were true! But Nagara survived another two-strike altercation a few months back. She's leading a charmed life.

P.S. I had a very nice note from Panzerjager Hortlund today. That prompted me to re-read part of our AARs from five years ago....in which I came across the JohnDillworth comment "Canoerebel is a verbose SOB."

[Canoerebel]

8/26/44

John III Email Comment: "LOTS of action with a bunch more to come." Thanks, John, for letting me know that this wasn't an isolated incident.

Peep Show: There were three possibilities for the naval clash: 1. John was going to bombard some of my Chinese bases; 2. He was trying to get some combat ships to the Home Islands to help with defense; or 3. He might pull them back now that he's encountered problems with subs and knows I have a good DD TF in the vicinity.

From that email comment, I take it that John is seriously on the move. I guess he's (rather belatedly) decided to contest Formosa. His carriers are safely in the DEI, for now.

Death Star, now reinforced by eight new carriers, will reach Manila tomorrow. And the Allied navy is reinforced by about 15 combat vessels, including two BBs. Formosa's airfields are pretty trashed. And the Allies hold every coastal Chinese base from Swatow to Foochow.

So if John is prepared to contest, this is as good a time as any to give battle.

The Formosa invasion troops will begin loading at Manila the day after tomorrow. I have 150 APA, AP, LSI(L) and xAP (roughly 60 of those are the best three classes). There are hundreds of AKA, AK, xAK, LST, LCI, etc.

Shipping shouldn't be lacking, and the environment is about as favorable as I can get it prior to the operation.

SEAC: Allies take Hue in the north and will try (long shot) Hanoi tomorrow. In the south, the Allie take Bien Hoa, the base NE of Saigon. In two or three days, I'll have all the Saigon hexsides. I don't have enough to take that base yet, but it'll be contained pending further developments.

[CaptBeefheart]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Now that night bombing is up and running, put a squadron at Foochow on night naval attack and make sure you have some night naval search....combined with all your subs you might bag something. If you really want to get nasty use assault bombers on night naval strike (you need good DL to get them to fly...but it is quite effective at 1000 feet). The AB pilots need low naval, strafe and defense skills.

Another tactic to try is to break a torpedo bomber squadron into 1/3rds. Assign one splinter to torpedo attack at say 30k if you can reach that high. Then assign three squadrons of good fighters to escort them. This acts like a sweep over the task force that is attacked. Very good against LRCAP over a task force.

And finally, you might want to put a cluster of subs in the Yellow Sea...and when the E's show up send in a task force of Fletchers with LRCAP of Lightnings....you want to kill those E's like you just did.[:)]

All I have to say is thanks for putting these devious tactics in the public domain. Regarding night attacks against ships, have you actually had this happen? Does it happen often? I haven't seen it in the AI world.

Cheers,
CC

[adarbrauner]

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Now that night bombing is up and running, put a squadron at Foochow on night naval attack and make sure you have some night naval search....combined with all your subs you might bag something. If you really want to get nasty use assault bombers on night naval strike (you need good DL to get them to fly...but it is quite effective at 1000 feet). The AB pilots need low naval, strafe and defense skills.

Another tactic to try is to break a torpedo bomber squadron into 1/3rds. Assign one splinter to torpedo attack at say 30k if you can reach that high. Then assign three squadrons of good fighters to escort them. This acts like a sweep over the task force that is attacked. Very good against LRCAP over a task force.

And finally, you might want to put a cluster of subs in the Yellow Sea...and when the E's show up send in a task force of Fletchers with LRCAP of Lightnings....you want to kill those E's like you just did.[:)]

All I have to say is thanks for putting these devious tactics in the public domain. Regarding night attacks against ships, have you actually had this happen? Does it happen often? I haven't seen it in the AI world.

Cheers,
CC

And what, if the escort Lightnings elect to escort the lower flying bomber formations?

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Now that night bombing is up and running, put a squadron at Foochow on night naval attack and make sure you have some night naval search....combined with all your subs you might bag something. If you really want to get nasty use assault bombers on night naval strike (you need good DL to get them to fly...but it is quite effective at 1000 feet). The AB pilots need low naval, strafe and defense skills.

Another tactic to try is to break a torpedo bomber squadron into 1/3rds. Assign one splinter to torpedo attack at say 30k if you can reach that high. Then assign three squadrons of good fighters to escort them. This acts like a sweep over the task force that is attacked. Very good against LRCAP over a task force.

And finally, you might want to put a cluster of subs in the Yellow Sea...and when the E's show up send in a task force of Fletchers with LRCAP of Lightnings....you want to kill those E's like you just did.[:)]

All I have to say is thanks for putting these devious tactics in the public domain. Regarding night attacks against ships, have you actually had this happen? Does it happen often? I haven't seen it in the AI world.

Cheers,
CC

Late in our last game with the Allied navies off the coast of Japan, Andav got night air attacks on TFs to work every turn for long stretches.