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GJ, Good work in China. Once you crack that crust the rest falls pretty fast. For the Allies, China is the one real theater where you cannot afford to make mistakes. And it is easy to do.

Seaplanes can launch from a catapult in bad weather, but landing in big waves or poor visibility is another matter. If they can't land safely, they won't launch either - would you? [;)]

They can't fly in bad weather? Didn't know the FPs had a different code...

In fact the "advanced weather" gives the Allies a tremendous advantage in 1942 if used smartly .. basically the world is more like planet Hoth than the Pacific Ocean .. expect patrol planes not to fly ... but the Mavis' and Cat's will fly and if the IJN are adventuresome outside of Mavis range it could be an Allied first strike ..

I have two such occurances with disasterious results for the IJ

Well, guys, it seems everybody has his own opinion about the CS-CVLs conversion. I think i'll keep 2 CSs and convert the Nisshin and the Mizuho. In medio stat virtus.... [:D]

Sep 9-18, 1942

With order:

NOPAC: the enemy started to use 4Es against troops. This is the first time Brad does it...and the results were terrifying: 2 SNLFs and one base forces completely destroyed at Attu Island in less than 10 days[X(][X(][X(][X(][X(] No Attu is empty and our dominions in the Aleutinas are no more.

I tried to track the enemy surface fleet down with my subs...but no luck this time...lost a glenn-equipped sub (I-8) due to DC racks in deep waters [:(]


CENTPAC: The enemy has fortified Baker, while we're sending reinforcements to Makin, Tarawa and all the other islands in the Marshalls.

SOPAC/SWPAC: The enemy started to recon Horn Island: i'm sure he will follow this route of advance... We're building Hollandia and some nearby bases in order to prepare our future defensive positions. Many enemy fighters were retired from the front at Portland Roads, CookTown, Ndeni... where are they going? My guess? Exmouth and NorthWest Oz

NWOZ: The enemy activity around Perth is rising. Exmouth is now a major base, along with Carnavon. Many ASW TFs are patrolling those areas and i already got two subs badly damaged. I will try to buy some time here, while building my deep defences in the DEI.

COCOS Is: Enemy fighters appeared at Cocos, along with several TFs.... i could not send my bombers due to the presence of enemy fighters in strenght.... but one thing is sure: the fastest i start to dig in western DEI/SRA, the better!

BURMA: see map

China: Well CrSutton, it's not like that. The terrain and the stacking limits mean that every enemy stack i defeat and force to retreat becomes another PITA the very next hex. There's no steamroller in this game. I have to fight for every damned inch of ground i conquer! For example: once the enemy army at Chikkiang was defeated, i immediately followed it. 3 turns later we attacked it again and we obtained two 1-1 in a row... then we shock attacked and pushed them back with a 3-1. We followed up (rotating my divisions) and, with the next attack, only managed another 1-1... it's tough, believe me!

Anyway, we're advancing in China. The norther front seems where we are making better progresses (while in the south the 13th Army keeps on being repulsed). I'm pretty confident that, by the end of october, we will be running our tanks in the plains around Kienko.


R&D: Ha-45 arrived! We'll start to produce 250 of them/monthly, while 2 engineR&D factories are changed to research the Ha-43 (for a total of 3).

ASW: we're doing well. It's been now 20 days without any significant enemy sub attack!

China

The good thing is in Burma that he'll face similar difficulties with the stacking that you've had in China. It should give you some time to re-enforce if needed.

The flanking and maneuvering in China is really great to watch. So much more interesting, even if hard n the nerves, than the usual giant stack approach. I admit although it's fun to roll through with 6k AV, this takes more patience skill and planning. Much closer to a real scenario, if still difficult on the Allied player.

Have you been hitting the troops North of Chikhiang that you're flanking toward with air bombardment? They're in the rough only, so you should be able to nail them.

ORIGINAL: obvert

The good thing is in Burma that he'll face similar difficulties with the stacking that you've had in China. It should give you some time to re-enforce if needed.

The flanking and maneuvering in China is really great to watch. So much more interesting, even if hard n the nerves, than the usual giant stack approach. I admit although it's fun to roll through with 6k AV, this takes more patience skill and planning. Much closer to a real scenario, if still difficult on the Allied player.

Have you been hitting the troops North of Chikhiang that you're flanking toward with air bombardment? They're in the rough only, so you should be able to nail them.

Hi Erik. No, i haven't bombed yet those units. Will soon. My bombers in China are busy keeping the enemy AFs damaged and the enemy stacks suppressed... but there are so many of them that it's a difficult task to accomplish!

YEs, it's completely a different game using the stacking limits map. And a better game i'd say. Much more realistic and the land warfare aspect of WITPAE gets a lot of improvements!


Sept 19, 1942

The enemy started to bomb Horn Island. As i was saying, my bet is that the allied main vector of advance will be a double hook from NorthEastern and NorthWestern Oz towards Darwin and Timor. I'll try to gain as much time as possible and, in the meanwhile, building up a good defensive perimeter.

Sept 20, 1942
 
Another quiet day.
 
Still no subs attacks! It's nearly a month now since the last enemy attack...it's working!
 
Oh, yeah, i sent 4 midget sub carriers to PH... results? 3 out of 4 midgets hit mines and sunk...a 4th is detected and didn't engage anything... will be lost.
An attempt...but defenetly i'm not doing it again... you risk 4 good subs (the carriers) for nothing.
 
Again heavy enemy activities reported around Perth.
 
KB is almost ready to move (all ships have been upgraded so far).
 
A shock attack is ordered for tomorrow in China. The 11th Army will again attempt to break the enemy backbone east of Kweiyang

Sept 20-21, 1942

Brad is scouting my whole perimeter, in order o find a weak spot.

picket ships suddenly appeared near Wake, south of Tarawa, North of Exmouth and south of Cylon... he wants to see where i do have my Netties and how good my search arcs are...be sure of that!

My sense was right...his next move will come from Western Oz. Suddenly the number of a/c present at Exmouth doubled! and now also a BB is spotted (maybe FOW, but for sure is a BIG ship). Moving some subs from SOPAC to Kendari while we speak. The KB will be moved to Babedoleab...

We finally landed at Cebu. He has a full division there and some forts, while i brought the 16th Division, the 65th Bde and an Artillery regiment. It's taking foreever to unload tough... Gotta get rid asap of Cebu so that we can then move two divisions to Northern Oz...time is running up!

In China the shock attack went well. 3-1 and the enemy is backed again... but my 2 divisions are very tired and would need some rest...but we cannot. Orders are given to keep on marching, while the 22nd division is coming to give an hand.
The flanking moving 68th Division north of Chikkiang has made contact with the enemy. Tomorrow tanks and artillery will arrive, along with the 12th Army HQ.

The 41st Division is ready to be loaded and moved to Sebang, along with 2 artillery pieces and 2 AA units.

The whole map is heating up now...The allied navies are clearly trying to strangulate me...


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Sep 20, 42



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 83 encounters mine field at Pearl Harbor (180,107)

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-6, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage



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TF 83 encounters mine field at Pearl Harbor (180,107)

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-6, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 83 encounters mine field at Pearl Harbor (180,107)

Japanese Ships
SSX Ha-6, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage



And here goes the last midget sub....


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Ground combat at 76,50 (near Tuyun)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 28724 troops, 348 guns, 277 vehicles, Assault Value = 805

Defending force 34917 troops, 229 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 582

Japanese adjusted assault: 794

Allied adjusted defense: 262

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
1197 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 64 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 17 disabled
Guns lost 19 (1 destroyed, 18 disabled)
Vehicles lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
11887 casualties reported
Squads: 217 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 464 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 53 (49 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 11

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!



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Ground combat at 80,40 (near Kienko) Tomorrow we'll attack here!

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 2121 troops, 148 guns, 110 vehicles, Assault Value = 827

Defending force 43586 troops, 321 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1165

Allied ground losses:
140 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)



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Ground combat at Cebu (80,86)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3405 troops, 59 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 128

Defending force 11088 troops, 51 guns, 29 vehicles, Assault Value = 504

Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
81st PA Infantry Division
PAF Aviation
202nd PA Construction Battalion

Defending units:
38th Division
65th Brigade
8th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

sept 21-24, 1942

NOPAC: The enemy landed at Attu and found it desert. What was left of my two naval garrison units had been destroyed by his 4Es last week. 7 of my subs didn't manage to make a single attack on his transports that were lightly escorted...damn!

BURMA: the enemy seems to be very committed here. A chinese corp made contact with my RTA Cav Division holding the right flank of Mitikina front. We'll see what he's up to here...if it's just a feint or not.
The 48th Division managed to reach a position in the jungle hex right in front of where the 20th Indian division has breached the burmese border. We'll see if and when he'll advance to Akyab or to Shweebo. I have now two divisions in reserve for Burma (one at Rangoon and the other one at Mandalay).
After the beating the RAF took two weeks ago, no more bombings have occurred [:'(]
ADAMANS: Port Blair and Little Adaman are being well built and soon they will be garrisoned heavily. Sebang and Nicobar will get a division each, along with an air HQ at Sebang. The 41st Div is already being sailed towards Sebang.

PI: Cebu fell at the very first attack. Good. Maybe it was an overkill here, but i had to be sure to conquer the only supply producing base left in the PI. The catalinas that were operating from there gave him a too good insight of my naval movements. Now i have 2 divisions that can be sent to somewhere else!

SRA/DEI: we're very busy to reinforce the whole area. Padang, Siberoet, Sebang are being garrisoned, while we're trying to save some PPs to buy a couple of Base forces to be sent to estabilish a minimum naval search from Sosarbaja to Timor.

Timor: Timor is being built very well. We now have 4 operational bases here and several reinforcements are being sent here (Air and Land HQs, BAse forces, AA units etc). The 2nd Area Army and the 2nd Army HQ are present. the 1st Air Division HQ is being trasnfered from Singapore to Alor.

The enemy is clearly focused in Northern Oz now. The air attacks against Horn Island continue, while at Exmouth are confirmed 20,000 men, 200 planes and several TFs (among which, for sure now, a big SCTF, with a BB and several cruisers).
Considering the fact that the enemy CVs are unseen since 40 days, they may be lingering around Perth.
Port Hedland is the most obvious target. He has bombed it daily untill i showed him a couple of Nicks and Zeros on LRCAP from Broome. But i cannot deny the fact that he may be going for something bolder. All the islands between Timor and Java are ungarrisoned and, with some heart, he could chose to land directly here and cut in two pieces my defences.
I don't have enough forces to estabilish a decent perimeter here. Not now anyway. My only hope is on LBA and on KB. Timor, Sosarbaja and Makassar/Kendari will rapresent my LBA defensive triangle....not enough, but still... Also i'm assembling a new sub flottilla at Sosarbaja (using the subs scattered, uselessly, around the Indian Ocean) and a surface force composed of 3 BBs, 3 CAs, 5 CLs and 15 DDs...not much, i know... Also sending a fuel convoy to Timor

For Horn Island there's nothing much i can do. I have a tiny SNLF unit there... i knew i would have lost it when i conquered it... time gained anyway.

The scheldued reinforcements for SOPAC, however, aren't detached to the DEI. I cannot change my plans. So Russel Island will get a second SNLF unit, along with Lunga. Tulagi will get an extra AT unit, while Munda will benefit from the arrival of 2 AA units. Torokina will get a SNLF and a base force. WoodWork Island will get its third SNLF unit and another base force (getting so an AS of 48). Mylne Bay another SNLF and some engineers. Port Moresby, Buna and Lae will get some garrison units and some engineers. Hollandia will recieve a Garrison unit and a base force and Biak (recently conquered by a SNLF company) will get its first engineer unit in order to start building it asap.

It must, however, underline that all his fighters and bombers have vanished from the whole N-E Oz in the last weeks, and so they are from Ndeni and Lungaville... he must have transfered there somewhere else...where? Western Oz, i can bet on it!

CENTPAC: Tarawa and Makin are now two real strongholds. They both have some very good artillery pieces, forts, tanks and decent infantry. Makin also have an air HQ with torpedoes. I'm now busy getting ready at Ponape and Kusiae Islands. These are very important cause the cover the right flank of Truk. He could easily bypass the Marshalls if he decides to land direcly here, so i'm sending SNLF units to support the base forces already present here, that are busy building forts and AFs.
Majuro, Jaluit etc are also being slowly garrisoned. Wake and Marcus are firmly held...i'd love if he'd come for these twos...[;)]

KURILES: With the winter at the gates, i think we're safe. Paramushiro is held by 350 AVs, with base forces, a CD gun unit and substantial AA guns. Onnekotan Jiima is held by 150 AVs, with 5 forts, a Tank regiment and some AA. Shimushiri Jiima has 500 AVs (a full division here), an Air HQ, AAs and Artillery units. 215 planes are resident in these bases. Etorofu has several base forces, and it rapresents my main port in the area (with an AS, an AKE, an AD and several ASW units).


CHINA: Here is where we're doing well. As you may see in the map, we're making good progresses in the central front. The 12th Army succesfully flaned the enemy stack NE of Chikkiang, while the 13th Army keeps it pinned down and will now attack what seems to be a somehow less strong enemy army,s upported by 80 bombers from Hankow. The 11th Army is keeping up with its glorious march towards Kweiyang and will attack tomorrow, in the hope to open the gates of Kweyang and open the road from Tsuyun (so shortening our supply lines).
In the north we are still stuck in the same hex. The attacks didn't work. We're now rotating two more fresh divisions in, and we'll resume the attacks in 3 days.

ECONOMY: the economy hasn't any real problem. 700k HI are stockpiled and fuel and resources are flowing steadly (even if slower than before due to my new convoy system...better slow but safe that fast and sorry, right?). The R&D program is reaching its goals (that weren't exceptional btw) and we should have all the planes we wanted on the scheldued time. I even stop producing Tojos cause i'm stockpiling way too many of them lately. Oscars IIb and A6M5 should arrive between october and november 42. The A6M3a will enter into produciton in 3 days. George should arrive on march 43 (if Gods are good) and Franks and Tojo IIc on september 43. Judys will arrive in mid november 42, while Jills in Jan 43.

KB: the Kido Butai is waiting at the Mariannas for Akagi to finish her upgrades (1 day left) and then will recombine and sail towards Babeldolaeb.




CENTPAC

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Sep 25, 42

A good day.
Yesterday we spotted what was reported to be a convoy of 6 TKs near CookTown. Our recon showed no more fighters were there present (only 17 at Portland Roads in the whole northeast Oz), so we decided to strike.
A Sentai of Zekes, starting from Lae, swept the empty skies of Cooktown, followed by 22 G3M3s escorted by 25 Oscars IIa. Another unescorted wave of Nells arrived in the afternoon... The TKs prooved to be only small xAKLs... all 6 were sunk for no losses on my side... well, not a big victory, but i hope it will help to keep Brad well aware of the dangers of this area. Even if i don't throw away waves of my bombers, that doesn't mean i don't have the heart to use them when i think i'll get some results [;)]

More enemy TFs are spotted at Exmouth... i can bet my own balls something is up there... i'm hurring up to transfer as much assets as possible towards Timor...but i fear i won't get there in time anyway

In China we had a field day! The first tank division had its baptism of fire with the 12th Army...and it did wonders! The enemy, even if a very weak one, was defeated 20-1!
In the meanwhile, the 11th Army got a 3-1 south of Kweiyang [8D]

Now, with the assembling of the 2nd Tank division only a couple of weeks ahead, i'm thinking of transfering also the Guards Tank Division to China from Java and create a Tank Army...but, maybe, it's not worth the effort in China by now... i better keep that big unit to guard Java....[&:]

I'm retiring to the Kuriles the Northern Sub Flottilla... nothing much else to gain in NOPAC, except being sunk by escorts...

Now R&D question: is it worth to reasearch the Judy2 once the Judy1 comes online, or it's better to skip directly to the Judy3 (which, however, changes the engine to the HA-33) ?

Still no signs of enemy CVs....

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Ground combat at 78,48 (near Chihkiang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 32659 troops, 418 guns, 615 vehicles, Assault Value = 1038

Defending force 23278 troops, 112 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 563

Japanese adjusted assault: 798

Allied adjusted defense: 39

Japanese assault odds: 20 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
418 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled

Allied ground losses:
9868 casualties reported
Squads: 275 destroyed, 103 disabled
Non Combat: 266 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 8 (8 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
9th Armored Car Co
1st Tank Division
68th Division
15th Division
2nd Tank Regiment
4th Mortar Battalion
2nd Mortar Battalion
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
12th Army
9th Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion

Defending units:
74th Chinese Corps
78th Chinese Corps
39th Group Army


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Ground combat at 75,50 (near Tuyun)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 26642 troops, 324 guns, 271 vehicles, Assault Value = 1273

Defending force 26171 troops, 139 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 401

Japanese adjusted assault: 727

Allied adjusted defense: 202

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
470 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Guns lost 17 (4 destroyed, 13 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
7480 casualties reported
Squads: 143 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 285 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 21 (20 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 10

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
17th Tank Regiment
36th Division
3rd Division
22nd Division
4th Tank Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
11th Army
12th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
21st Mortar Battalion
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
20th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
2nd Prov Chinese Corps
60th Chinese/B Corps
79th Chinese/B Corps
87th Chinese Corps
62nd Chinese Corps
9th Prov Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
46th Chinese Corps
79th Chinese/C Corps
50th Chinese Corps
30th Group Army

Rather than have many bases garrisoned with a full division, I would have that division at a major port with sufficient fast transports (14 spd or above) to be able to reinforce a troubled area. Places like Truk and Singapore for starters and more to come later when troops become available from China.

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Rather than have many bases garrisoned with a full division, I would have that division at a major port with sufficient fast transports (14 spd or above) to be able to reinforce a troubled area. Places like Truk and Singapore for starters and more to come later when troops become available from China.

Hi micheal,

yes, you're right and that was my first idea. But there are several problems to solve:

1. the americans can appear out of nowhere and you need to have enough time to load your troops at the Hub base, gain air and naval superiority over the targetted base, travel, arrive and unload... how many days? Even without APA/AKAs the yankees have enough ships to load each division in a 100 shipsTF...so to unload in one day.

2. with the stacking limit map you have very strict limits. For example Rabaul only holds 45,000 men, truk 25,000... in the Marshalls only Tarawa and Makin can get more than 6,000 men! You need to place reinforcements in far away places, like Kusiae or Ponape...
At these pacific bases, most of the space is already occupied by AAs, HQs, Base forces, engineers, naval engineers etc etc...
At Timor it's the same... Koepang can hold 45,000 men...Roti the same... It's hard to say where to place your fast reinforcements.

So the idea is to strongly garrison only the must-have bases, while keeping anyway some decent fast-reserves.

But it's tough to balance your defence as Japan...really really tough

You must be thinking of other bases GJ. Truk's limit is 60,000 and Rabaul is unlimited in Scenario 1 - did they change it in your scenario?
You could also consider unlimited Ponape, between Truk and the Gilberts and close to the Solomons.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

You must be thinking of other bases GJ. Truk's limit is 60,000 and Rabaul is unlimited in Scenario 1 - did they change it in your scenario?
You could also consider unlimited Ponape, between Truk and the Gilberts and close to the Solomons.

Sorry mate, but in DBB with the stacking limit map. Truk's limit is 25,000 and Rabaul's 45k. Ponape and Kusiae 35,000. PM is 45,000 and 40,000 is Lunga. In China we're experiencing the same problems: most of the hexes go from 20,000 to 50,000, while only in plains terrains you see some 90,000 limit


DBB with stacking limits It's a brand new game

Wow - those limits really do ...errr ...limit you![;)]
Once again I am awed by your guts to take on the difficult Japanese economy AND the DBB scenario all in one go! [&o][&o]

GreyJoy, what's the VP total look like now?

ORIGINAL: Gridley380

GreyJoy, what's the VP total look like now?

it's 2-1 in japan's favour. Not good, i know...


Sep 26, 42

Brad is defenetly too fast for me. A great invasion sailed today from Exmouth, positioning 4 hexes NW of Port Hedland. Not less than 300 a/c are now placed at Exmouth. CVs are for sure lingering somewhere unseen. I'm late, as always. The 6th Guards Division prepped for Broome is still sitting at Manila, waiting for the needed transports. The Singapore Surface fleet is moving to Sosarbaja... but won't be there in time. Very few air groups can be transfered at Broome or at Timor in time to be able to interdict the enemy's landings. I only have 3 subs in that area... damn.

He keeps on unbalancing me... he knows i cannot defend everywhere and he keeps on attacking on every damn corner of the map...and, despite my runs, i always arrive too late.

I arrived late for Addak. I arrived late for Baker. I arrived late for Amchitka and now i'm arriving late (or not arriving at all) for Port Hedland.

Once Port Hedland falls (will be a matter of 3 days from now probably), it will be a downhill slope for my northern Oz territories. Now i have to decide weather it's wise or not to try to hold Broome... Should i waste a division there? Should i waste my very scarse resources (especially supplies) to defend there? Should i counterattack at port Hedland? With what? Should i still send the KB in those waters?

What would a wise japanese player do?

I haven't been able so far to contest any of his advances...and we're still in 1942!

Oh, another bad news. AO Daiei Maru, one of the few fast AOs i have, was sailing with its replenishment TF (the KB's one!) near the Mariannas. Everything was fine. No subs contacts. Nothing strange to report.... Near Saipan, suddenly, it sunk!!!!
I only got this message: "Fires out of control, AO Daiei Maru can not be saved"...no collision reported, no previous damages....nothing.... the fire simply lit up and the loaded ship went beneath the waves in a click [:o]

Ouch. Weird occurrence with the AO. Was it a fire-breathing Kraken?

He is quick! If he's committing here and wants to get Port Hedland, you could counter. It's still early for him to be able to dictate the balance on the oceans. I would advise trying to hold in West OZ as long as possible, even at the cost of troops, unless you feel your defenses are ready in the SRA. The longer it takes the more air groups and trips you'll have elsewhere. As long as he doesn't know where you're basing the KB he can't move at will yet.

ORIGINAL: obvert

Ouch. Weird occurrence with the AO. Was it a fire-breathing Kraken?

He is quick! If he's committing here and wants to get Port Hedland, you could counter. It's still early for him to be able to dictate the balance on the oceans. I would advise trying to hold in West OZ as long as possible, even at the cost of troops, unless you feel your defenses are ready in the SRA. The longer it takes the more air groups and trips you'll have elsewhere. As long as he doesn't know where you're basing the KB he can't move at will yet.

Counter? You mean counterinvade? Or simply fight for Keep Port Hedland shut? How to? I only have one base force at broome. To succesfully fight for Port Hedland i'd need to move severals base forces, Air HQs, supplies, fuel, support ships etc to broome... and it all takes time! Moreover, once at Broome, i have no retreat from there. He could easily bomb it to submission with his 4Es from Exmouth and, once the AF is shut, how can i resupply and move back my units stuck there?

Counterinvade...well...i have no troops prepped for Port Hedland...and we know that Japan cannot even think to counterinvade anything if it hasn't 100% preparation. Plus i'd be in range of 2 great enemy bases (Carnavon and Exmouth)...