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Billiton is sufficiently far away from Kendari to preclude intervention. What you want to be careful of is your retreat route from Kendari. You probably want to set your home port for Koepang or Darwin or the like so when you leave Kendari you will be headed away from potential intervention.

Also regarding your 3 days of high speed runs with your carrier that was carrier abuse plane and simply. I almost never make more than one days high speed run and will only consider 2 days under the most dire of circumstances. You've learned the hard way, first hand, how debilitating multiple days of high speed runs can truly be. As I have always said lessons learned the hard way stick with me the best, as I never forget them.

And, BBfanboy I meant no offense by my minefield post. Sorry if I came across a bit bluntly.

December 21, 1941 Report

I was hoping that Force Z would savage at least a landing fleet and maybe a SAG. Instead, nothing happened. Those fleets invaded elsewhere.

- HMS Indomitable (CV) has arrived in Aden and has been ordered to Trincomalee to join the CVL Hermes in...err...I don't know what. Perhaps they'll do a traveling antique show or maybe travel from port to port doing morale boosting performances. They certainly won't be doing anything productive for the next 6 months. HMS Formidable is due to arrive in late February.
- CL Emerald arrived in Mombasa - the only use for that port that I've found thusfar.
- In Celebes, Japan landed at Gorontalo. In New Guinea, he landed at Waigeo and Hansa Bay
- I didn't bother mentioning that he invaded Guam starting last turn. Their fate was sealed on Dec 7, so why bother. I'll make a note of it when it falls, I guess.
- I'm concerned about his activity around Billiton. There is a strong SAG (2+ BBs) that has been sitting there almost since they took the island. PTs attacked that TF last night to no effect and at the loss of 2 boats. What is concerning is that there are three other fleets arriving now from the north. At least one is probably a TF with the construction group that has been in the SigInt for days, and another is probably supplies. However, I also know that one is a carrier group (it keeps shooting down my naval searches or I'd have better intel). I -think- it is the KBa (perhaps even rejoined by the KBb), but right now it is reporting as 4 CVLs and a CL (not helpful.). If he pushes south of Billiton, I may have to order Force Z to Australia or south and west to the IO.


Orders Summary - December 22, 1941

- Force Z is ordered to stand off and on Kendari until a) an invasion attempt is made or b) I figure out what is going on in the Java Sea. They're about halfway through their fuel and a small replenishment fleet is loading up in Soerabaja to top them off.
- Speaking of fuel...Lexington is still looking good and about 3 days from Pearl. She has a couple major damage points to her engines but the rest is SYS damage. I'll be disappointed if I find she has to stay in the yard a month. If that is the case, she'll be sent to the WC. Otherwise, sending her to the states seems a bit overly cautious.
- Enterprise continues to get into position for her strike. Unfortunately, the target TFs have disappeared. I think my Naval Searchers may have gotten a bit distracted by a fleet in the Marshal Islands, but I'd still like to be more sure of my target with my precious carrier racing into dangerous territory. If I recall correctly, she'll be in position for the attack the day after tomorrow. I'm still hovering my finger over the 'Abort' button. We'll see.
- Saratoga should arrive in the Bering Sea tonight or tomorrow. I've no reason to believe any attack there is imminent, so this is mostly a training cruise to occupy her time until Yorktown arrives at the end of the month.
- My SOPAC cruisers have about 3 more days before I'm ready to move them back toward the Java Sea. I'm thinking about leaving a fleet behind to disrupt enemy movement in the Solomon Sea, but I suspect they'll get more action in Java.

December 22, 1941 Report

- The (as yet) unidentified enemy carrier group is a hex or two north of Billiton. They sent a moderate size strike against Batavia's port last round. Judging from the number of aircraft, I would say that this is KBb, but I'm not sure.
- Enemy took a handful of undefended, minor bases in Celebes and New Guinea
- Manila is being occupied (should fall this turn)
- Some ridiculous losses in China. These Chinese are seriously pathetic.

Orders Summary - December 23, 1941

- Due to thunderstorms in the area, Enterprise will be waiting just NW of Wake before getting the green light on her strike. A replenishment fleet will finish fueling and move to Midway tonight to cover her retreat and/or abort path to the Bering Sea. (see Diagram below)
- Replenishment fleet out of Soerabaja has been ordered to meet Force Z and top them off. They continue to patrol around Kendari
- Moved a bunch of transport AGs out of Palembang and into Batavia. Still trying to get Palembang's AF down to an effective number of groups
- Let the dogs loose on the submarine just south of Pago Pago. I have search planes down there now, so that sucker isn't getting away this time
- Adjusted some training levels and check for pilots that needed to go to reserves
- Bah! Forgot to adjust China, so it will be another day of losses probably.

Good training attack for Enterprise and her AGs? Or utter disaster?

(NOTE: "Full Speed" will only be for one turn starting when she gets the green light. By my count that should put her back even with Wake before the next day)

Re: the transmission at Maloelap: In my game against the AI there was a CVL [Ryujo or Zuiho, IIR] that stopped in at Maloelap to join up with the invasion convoy for Wake. One of my SS put a torp in it as it left the port so I had a postive ID on it. I think Maloelap can only go to a level 4 port and I don't think a level 4 can re-arm [bombs, torps and avgas] a CV, although it can refuel one. This leads me to doubt that any large carriers would stop in there - just can't be positive about that.

Re: Lexington: Isn't it due for a major upgrade soon to remove the 8" guns and boost the AA? Just thinking if that means dry dock time it could tie up one third of PHs capacity for quite a while. In my campaign against the AI, I soon had PH dockyard completely socked in with damaged ships [darn those working Japanese torpedos!] and was sending everything to the West Coast, even minor refits that needed only 10 days or so in dockyard. Since then I always tried to keep a little room at PH for emergencies. That was my experience but it's your call on how you want to manage it.

ORIGINAL: marbakka

Good training attack for Enterprise and her AGs? Or utter disaster?

(NOTE: "Full Speed" will only be for one turn starting when she gets the green light. By my count that should put her back even with Wake before the next day)

Question: Can the escorting destroyers make a two day full speed run without pausing for refuelling? That usually seems to happen within range of enemy retaliation!
Overall the situation makes me want to get inside your opponent's head. Does he try to lay traps? Does he sometimes send SAG forward without good air cover? If this was a trap set-up, where would his attack come from?
Can you creep in half way, run in to attack on the morning phase and then by having "retirement allowed" set, retire in the naval movement phase before the afternoon air attacks start. This would reduce the high speed run to one day [unless you were being chased].

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Question: Can the escorting destroyers make a two day full speed run without pausing for refuelling? That usually seems to happen within range of enemy retaliation!
Overall the situation makes me want to get inside your opponent's head. Does he try to lay traps? Does he sometimes send SAG forward without good air cover? If this was a trap set-up, where would his attack come from?
Can you creep in half way, run in to attack on the morning phase and then by having "retirement allowed" set, retire in the naval movement phase before the afternoon air attacks start. This would reduce the high speed run to one day [unless you were being chased].

I wouldn't put a trap past my opponent, but I am much more suspicious about what is going on in Celebes than here. The target SAG is the same one that I hit pretty hard with Lexington last week. It never left that position (unless it's disappearing last night meant that it moved). If it IS a trap, I'd expect his KB to come flying in from the West along with bomber cover from the Marshals. That is why my flight path is toward the Bering Sea with the replenishment fleet already positioning for just such a contingency.

I confess that movement distances is something I'm still getting a grip on. I hadn't thought about the DDs needing to stop for a drink. I don't have the turn right now so I'll have to take a look at that tomorrow. I'd rather not ease her down south because I don't want her spotted by search aircraft out of the Marshals. I wish these thunderstorms hadn't shown up because she was going to be about a third of the way down the attack line at the end of the day otherwise.

I'm counting a little on his not thinking that I'd do this twice. This is essentially the same thing that Lexington did. I'd love to finish off the CAs that were sitting down there, and I view it as a training opportunity. That said, I'm beginning to wonder if the fleet in Java is really the KBa. If it isn't, then I don't know where it is.

December 23, 1941 Report

- Manila fell (uncontested) in Luzon. George Town fell in Malaya
- He has begun to attack the 167 AV worth of troops that are stuck in central Malaya. I'm supplying these troops by air from Singapore, so perhaps they can inflict some damage
- My picket sub east of Celebes has spotted 3 TFs moving about. I can't tell if they are moving SW or E. One is a 4 ship TF that reports 2 BBs present. I suspect this is the Kendari landing force that I've been expecting, but its hard to tell.
- The KB group that was hovering near Singapore has disappeared. My PT ghost-pickets (they are floating around out there out of fuel) came into contact with a TF of about a dozen xAKs last night. They are apparently unloading in Billiton now. For giggles, I set every bomber within range (from Palembang and Batavia mostly) to conduct Naval Attacks.
- The Pillow Fort has 325 pillows in it now!
- Saratoga is on station in the Bering Sea, but needs replenished. A fleet is already there but needs to top off the SAG group first.

Orders Summary - December 24, 1941

- Enterprise has been given the green light now that search planes have confirmed that the ships are still present in the target area. The weather has been downgraded to "rain" which still may cancel the mission, but we'll give it a shot. Fighters set to 50% CAP 50% Escort (no enemy CAP is expected), DB/TBs set to 100% Naval Attack (the area is being thoroughly searched by float planes out of Wake).
- Until I know more about the TFs near Celebes, I have moved Force Z to a position SE of Kendari. Those BBs may turn out to be CVLs. We'll see.
- The lead element of the 7AUS has arrived in Karachi. They will hang out there until the rest of the division arrives in about a month and a half.
- Troops should begin unloading at Adak tomorrow
- In China, wherever he pushes, I fall back. He has a line of forces taking the northern plains. If he pushes into the woods, he'll meet stiff resistance. I have issued orders to abandon Yenan lest those northern forces get cut off entirely if he pushes for Sian
- About 8000 British troops should arrive in Colombo today. They will remain there until I have a better idea what the enemy's long range plans are. I may move them over to Trincomalee if only to spread the Ceylon troops out a bit.

December 23, 1941 Report

- Lexington arrives in PH and refuels. Her repair will take upwards of a month (by which time she'll only be a couple weeks from an upgrade). 4 BBs who will be due for an upgrade in a week will hitch a ride to California.
- Enterprise executed her assigned manuevers, but did not launch the strike (due to weather?). I've seen nothing to indicate that she has been spotted, so she will linger another day and try again. If it doesn't work this time, then she'll return home to refuel then meet up with Saratoga and Yorktown, which should be arriving soon
- Japan captured Mauban, Hwaiyin, and Leowoek. He landed troops at Madang and the dot-base east of Rabaul.
- My brave picket sub east of Celebes engaged several TFs yesterday. They appear to be SAGs in support of the minor landings around Celebes and Moluccas. They do not seem inclined to move.
- Lots of bombing going on in China - particularly of my troops retreating in the south. Nanyang has been abandoned and my forces positioned in the woods nearby.

Orders Summary - December 24, 1941

- Again, Enterprise is to try again today. Weather forecast is 'overcast'
- Saratoga is to refuel and then splash about in the Bering Sea a bit more
- Force Z, find no imminent threat to Kendari, is sailing west to meet up with the replenishment fleet and then to take up a position midway between Kendari and Ambon
- My cruisers have finished repairing in Australia and are ordered to return to Soerabaja in two groups
- More troops to the Chittagong Defense Line (CDL)
- A couple AKVs from Balboa to Cape Town to help transport the Fifth USAAF units when they arrive in a little over a month

Disappointed that Lexington is going to be out of it for so long. Yorktown can take up her slack, but it still doesn't change that I'll be playing with 3 instead of 4 because of my dumb fueling mistake.

An update on my Indian/Burmese defenses

The plan is to defend in Burma along a line of wooded/rough terrain bases. I expect his biggest thrust toward Pegu and have most of my troops there. The blue lines indicate my lines of retreat which I won't hesitate to use if it appears that the enemy will break through the line.

In India, I expect that the Burmese survivors will take up the defense alongside the Indian troops that are already there. The base up the road from Imphal will serve as a staging area for reserves that I can quickly move to the point along the CDL where they are needed. I'm also building up airbases around Calcutta to help support the stand here. The east coast of India itself is to be protected by the British Navy as well as newly built fortifications, though I'm focusing most of my attention at the CDL for the time being. Extra troops are sitting in Ceylon and can be deployed if I think his major thrust will be to conquer India.

Lady Lex and Sara are about halfway through thier upgrades in my current game. They take 26 days to complete so look forward to another month of downtime. [:(]

Be careful keeping your SAGs on station too far forward. Nells and Betties aka Netties can strike them from incredible range and they almost never miss with thier airborne fish. I tend to keep my SAGs a little further back and only stage them forward to a striking point when live bait is spotted and they have a definite target.

WHY ENTERPRISE DID NOT L:AUNCH. I could be wrong about thsi, but it did not launch because it used all its OP points to get to the launch position. As I understand it, the TF must still have OP points available to actually launch its AGs. I would say that was the reason E did not launch, but the weather.

Weather can do that, but I rather doubt that was the problem given E's long run to attack position.

December 24, 1941 Report

- About 5000 enemy troops have moved into the hex with Moulmein, and another group is coming out of the woods to the NE of Pegu. The invasion of Burma has begun
- Singapore has been getting hit by heavy bombers for 3-4 days now. My fighters are worn down something aweful.
- Still no move on Kendari
- All enemy carriers have disappeared
- Enterprise still did not launch. It makes no sense to me. The weather was nice, and there is no reason that they should have been out of ops. In any case, I'm pulling her back to PH and then the WC to welcome Yorktown into the Pacific. Saratoga will be joining them soon.
- Japan snagged a few minor bases including Madang. He has a very large force at Rabaul, so it is pretty clear that will be his SOPAC base of operations.

Orders Summary - December 25, 1941

- First major shipments into Pago Pago should be arriving in a couple of days. I have an ominous feeling down there. He knows I'm building it up and his sub in the area has been snooping the various fleets. My first mission for the three carrier groups may well be to head down there and keep an eye on things until I know where the KB is
- Ordered the Chinese to just shoot themselves to save bullets.
- Several new units arrived in Karachi and were sent to the CDL including the HQ for the RAF 225. Ledo should be a lvl 4 airfield in a week or two.

SigInt: Notice that yet another faction of the 33rd Division is prepping for Rangoon. It's pretty clear who he's sending there. 15th Army was also prepping for it a couple days ago.

Noob Question: I have a tank battalion at EC, USA that I want to transfer to Cape Town. I set Cape Town as the destination and it asks me if I want to send it there. I click yes, and it goes back to the screen with no destination set. What am I doing wrong there? Can I not transfer LCUs off-map?

Check you settings on the AG on Enterprise. Naval Attack, MAKE SURE the range is where you want it...I have set it all up and left the range at 0....no attack.

ORIGINAL: princep01

Check you settings on the AG on Enterprise. Naval Attack, MAKE SURE the range is where you want it...I have set it all up and left the range at 0....no attack.

It was 100% Naval Attack (no patrol values set) with max range, and I took the carrier to within 4 hexes of the target via a waypoint.

Re your question about the tank unit in EC going to Capetown. Is the unit in strategic mode? To transport to Capetown, it probably needs to be in strat mode. Then just send it....no ships involved.

Question: You have few enough available units to send to the Pacific at this point. Why are you sending American unts to do what Indian and British units should do for themslves??? You should be pouring units into Pago-Pago and building the port and AF there ASAP. This is an important place to HOLD. Similarly, though to a lesser degree, I try to deny Canton Island to the IJ to protect the supply lines south. Depending on your opponent's initial objectives (clearly the DEI), you have a chance to hold and fortify Fiji. New Caldonia is probably out of reach, but since he went south and SE, I would consider the potential for holding it too. But, if you send many American units to Ceylon and India....forget anything in the Pacific short of the Hawaiian Islands.

On Enterprise. I just don't know how many hexes you moved this last turn, but at normal speed, the TF will move about 8 hexes. If you traveled 7 to get to the launch point, you probably ran afoul of the "too few OP points remaining" problem again.

Ah - there's the rub. Naval attacks only take place if the search finds something in a TF. I don't think searchs usually find ships stood down in port. You need to use Port Attack to be sure of stiking the ships in port, regardless of sighthings.

About that armoured unit - only thing I can surmise is that the unit is still assigned to a restricted HQ so it wont move off of the continent? You can strat move restricted units by rail but moving between off-base hexes involves ships and you can't put a restricted unit on a ship.

Re: 33rd Division going to Rangoon - this is good, it means your preparations to resist have been in the right places and it is less likely he will try an amphib landing in Ceylon or South India.

Most of the units that arrive at the East Coast aren't restricted. I agree with princep that it probably needs to be in strat mode. I can't say for sure as I have never tried to transfer an LCU from off map base to of map base without putting them in strat mode and it works for me every time.

I also agree with not sending American LCUs to the Brits. He is dead on about Pago Pago and Canton. From PP slowly start garrisoning further west to Suva, then Noumea, then Louganville, then Nedeni. Poise yourself for an assault on the Solomons.

Get SWPac units to Oz and decide if you are going to fight to hold Port Morseby. If he is slow to come after it build it up to the hilt. If you can get SWPac base forces and the II Fighter Command into it along with the two Pursuit Groups belonging to SWPac and then get thier B26s and the A24s from ABDA there you can pummel his efforts to build up the Lae/Salamaua/Buna area. I also put SWPacs and the PIs B17s in Townsville and Charter Towers to hit the Lae/Salamaua airfields. If he wants to overcome that kind of concentration he has to committ a major concentration of Zeroes that will hinder his abilities elsewhere. Heck I even transfer the Aussie Vildebeasts there. And the SWPac P39s are incredible ship busters when set on Nav attack at 100 feet.

In CenPac keep an eye on Tabiteuea. If he ignores it, once you have suffcient force, run a SeaBee there with a fast tranport. Follow up with a Marine Def Bn and a base force and perhaps a regiment or two of the 3rd Marine Div. Use your carriers to cover the unloading of the follow up forces as long as you do so when you know his carriers are elsewhere and deliver fighters as soon as the base is built up. The tough thing about taking and building up a dot base in range of his LBA is getting supply in. The beauty of Tabby is that it has it's own ready made stockpile of supply! See Denishe's awesome AAR for some pointers on Tabby. It is an easy stepping stone for both the Gilberts and Marshalls.

And BBfanboy is correct. Ships disbanded into ports can only be hit with a Port attack not a Nav attack. This is how the first turn attacks on either Pearl or Manila are executed. Anytime you see an anchor symbol at an enemy port you know you have a potentially juicy target waiting.

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Ah - there's the rub. Naval attacks only take place if the search finds something in a TF. I don't think searchs usually find ships stood down in port. You need to use Port Attack to be sure of stiking the ships in port, regardless of sighthings.

I'd assigned Port Attack as a secondary mission, but even so, the spotters had reported that there were ships in TFs parked there.