Intellectus Ex Nihilo (Wal-Mart on Ice)

[Canoerebel]

I don't think fires count toward flight ops threshold; only SYS, FLT and ENG, and if those three accumulate above 50, no flights.

The turn is away to Dave, basically what I spelled out above. I couldn't make sense of any other possibilities. Four good combat TFs are sortying to Roti, and one of them a hex further, to try to blunt any sorties by enemy combat vessels.

[Bif1961]

Were you handed a copy of Dave's battle plan before hand wrapped around 3 cigars? Now the question is will you be a McClellan or a Grant after this battle?

[Canoerebel]

How about Sherman? I'll go into winter quarters at Chattanooga and then move inexorably down the Western & Atlantic Railroad to Atlanta. (Just kidding - no winter quarters here.)

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

One thing I find interesting and that is that the Kaga has fires, but no messages of smoke screening the Kaga. I think , and somebody can chime in please, it takes 20% or better to produce the smoke screening message? What fires level prevents landing aircraft? I ask because I would anticipate Kaga aircraft to have landed on the land airbase with any significant fires on board.

From a strategic standpoint that major damage will likely take Yokohama to fix. The Kaga is built on a cruiser hull, but she has to negotiate running the sub gauntlet all the way to Japan.

That may not be so if he expanded the SY at Saigon or Manila or is willing to use Singapore which starts with a level 50 SY. Kaga should be similar to Lexington, around 36-40K tons.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

One thing I find interesting and that is that the Kaga has fires, but no messages of smoke screening the Kaga. I think , and somebody can chime in please, it takes 20% or better to produce the smoke screening message? What fires level prevents landing aircraft? I ask because I would anticipate Kaga aircraft to have landed on the land airbase with any significant fires on board.

From a strategic standpoint that major damage will likely take Yokohama to fix. The Kaga is built on a cruiser hull, but she has to negotiate running the sub gauntlet all the way to Japan.

That may not be so if he expanded the SY at Saigon or Manila or is willing to use Singapore which starts with a level 50 SY. Kaga should be similar to Lexington, around 36-40K tons.

I forgot about Singers .... right ! Still a small trip through the Java Sea ..

[BillBrown]

This is the situation that those CVEs with the replacement squadrons are very useful.

[Canoerebel]

Boy, I just gotta say I disagree.

The CVEs played an immense role in this clash, standing alone as major strikes came in from Koepang. Every CVE was needed for CAP.

And now that the battle is over and I need more aircraft, there all there, at DArwin and Daly Waters and Exmouth and Merauke and Taberfane. Refilling with fresh aircraft was a snap.

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: Important questions as a new day begins:

1. Is Dave attacking or withdrawing?
2. What will happen to the Allied combat TFs ordered to Roti to disrupt attacking enemy TFs?
3. Will the CVE TFs & The Herd successfully break off and begin the retirement to Darwin?
4. Will the two fleet CV TFs rejoin DS & The Herd?
5. Will the CVE TF inbound from near Broome rendezvous with the DS CVE TFs?

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: DD Abner Reed is the sole survivor of the three Fletchers that stuck their noses into Koepang yesterday. She's out of ammo but reports this sizeable IJN combat TF outbound from Koepang. Here we go.

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: On the right flank, an IJN sub destroys the Wickes class destroyer that just completed its mission of escorting an AVD to Saumlaki.

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: The Japanese combat TF exiting Koepang takes a left turn, towards the Allied carriers, and run into one of the USN combat TFs inbound to Roti, seeking meeting engagements, so as to protect the carriers.

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: After the USN DDs break away, a stronger CL/DD TF finds the Japanese TF, which is low on ammo now.

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: A larger USN TF, flagged by CA Boston, is inbound, but an IJN sub picks off a Fletcher (she's lost).

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: Boston TF finds the vulnerable out-of-ammo enemy TF...and doesn't engage. The Japanese, no doubt, sought to evade due to lack of ammo. Perhaps the Allied commander has low aggression ratings? Nope. It's Ching Lee.

This IJN TF won't be able to molest the carriers, but several USN TFs are low on ammo now, too. How much fighting lies ahead?

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: IJN subs are taking station between DS and Darwin.

There are lots of Allied ASW TFs, some operating independently and some attached to DS & The Herd. Many of them have engaged in combat over the past week or ten days and are cycling in and out of Darwin to replenish.

So far in the turn, IJN subs have been active, especially just to the south of Timor. There have been many missed shots in addition to the two hits on DDs. Allied ASW has scored a few hits but no major victories.

To the north of Timor, USN subs have engaged a bunch of IJN DDs without success. There is definitely enemy shipping moving north of Timor.

Which way, then, is Dave heading?

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: Damaged and low on ammo, CL Oyoda detaches from the big Japanese combat TF. She's vulnerable, but these Fletchers can't pick her off.

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: A fresh USN TF applies the coo-dee-grah.

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: A third IJN sub hit on a USN combat ship so far this turn. Japanese subs 3, Allied subs 0.

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: Hey, what are these guys doing over here? Is Dave working on a pincer movement towards Darwin?

Still IJN subs 3, Allies subs 0.

[Canoerebel]

4/2/44

Battle of Timor Sea: Dive bombers from Darwin score a couple of hits. I seriously doubt Dave will press forward any closer to the big, new Allied base.

Earlier in the turn, DS strike aircraft, in tired dribs and drabs, sortied against Japanese combat TFs at and near Koepang. Enemy CAP chewed them up. There weren't a lot of aircraft involved.