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ORIGINAL: Sangeli

ORIGINAL: Wuffer
Certainly a high risk, even if you could keep the KB out of reach.

The real downsides I see are the time, fuel, and supply investments to make it happen because Suva won't fall easily.

That's what I meant, thanks for clarification: In the light of burnt fuel and supply even a sunk BB or two could be of secondary concern. That said, it'a a long way to sail home for any damaged vessel and any amphibious action in '43 against a fortress with LBA is a risky one imho, let alone defending an isolated outpost like this. But after kicking China, Australia and India de facto out of war, why not?

ORIGINAL: Sangeli
Perhaps the biggest danger is the Allies being able to establish a foothold in New Guinea with the KB far away at Suva.

I agree, that would put the allies in real trouble...

Bad news on Nadi. It holds about 25000 troops and 50 fighters. The stacking limit is 45000.. This means that I'll have a huge problem taking it.. (assuming the forts are build up)..

Securing Fiji, as promised:

Supporting base situation, end of March 1943:

Fiji, 2 weeks into the operation

Ship losses IJN: One LSD and a handful of xAKs
Air losses: A few aircraft to ops and ship flak (light)

Ship losses Allies: Two dozen small subchasers, eight DDs and DMS, about fifteen TKs, AOs, AEs, AKEs, ADs, AS and one ARD
Air losses: About 100 fighters, divebombers, B26 level bombers on the ground, and a handful to ops and air ops....

Taking Nadi was very easy. Either most of the groundtroops withdrew to Suva or (most probably) part of the strength was moved to elsewhere.. He might had them preparing for offensive action (not so strange, considering it is March 1943)

The way things are going I could go for New Zealand... That would make the allied situation very complicated.... But my supply line very long..

It is rare, but it happens at times...

Yugumo sinks

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Mar 30, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Colombo at 28,49

Japanese Ships
DD Yugumo, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
BB Yamashiro
BB Fuso
CL Tama
CL Yura
DD Oshio
DD Asagumo
DD Arashio

Allied Ships
SS Truant, hits 1

SS Truant launches 2 torpedoes at DD Yugumo
Truant bottoming out ....
DD Asagumo fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Arashio fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Asagumo fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Arashio fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Asagumo fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Asagumo fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Asagumo attacking submerged sub ....
DD Asagumo fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

The way things are going I could go for New Zealand... That would make the allied situation very complicated.... But my supply line very long..

I think you need to keep pushing until the USN gets their CV reinforcements in late 43. You lost almost nothing establishing yourself in Fiji. I don't think Mundy can effectively resist the Japanese hammer wherever you bring it down. If not New Zealand then Australia. If you could take Australia in 43 that would truly be something special.

Australia is a big continent.. So far I do not have much invested in it (main presence at Darwin, want to keep that place for as long as he lets me).. I'm not to sure yet. I will push out towards Lord How Island (it has a level 5 airbase, but could be easily smashed by bombardement) but nothing prepared for it..

More good news, two new Unryu class carriers are coming online this month, with a third 2,5 months out. I'll have 920 aircraft on flight decks soon! Talk about projection of power.....

31-03-1943: P38s sweep Port Moresby and score against assorted Tojos and Oscars. Still, 11 P38s go down in flames while only killing four Japanese pilots.. Mundy keeps throwing his frames at me, achieving favourable odds but in the end it means nothing... My economy is a rock with supply growing, fuel supply steady and sufficient aircrafts in the pools + new types coming online... If there is one thing he needs to learn is when and how to use the frames available to him... Allied aircraft need to shutdown bases and sink ships, not destroy airframes....

The two India battleships go in for a bombardement run and get attacked by level bombers, including B25D1s and B24 libs (flying at 1000 feet, breaking a houserule - but this doesn't seem a good time to complain about that). The George is combat tested, claiming all but 2 of the B25s and a couple of B24s...

65th Brigade is now preparing for Lord Howe. Two divisions (not bought out yet) are preparing to land in New Zealand. Lord Howe operation could be launched by the end of May. It might draw the attention from New Zealand and will serve as a great seaplane base.. It is far enough away from Mainland Australia that it will be problematic to attack from the air.. A squadron of Tojo's together with heavy hitting George fighters and a Destroyer flotilla might be sufficient to defend it for a while

From Lord Howe you could surely hurt the Allies by hitting the industry for strat VPs. A KB sweep mission followed by Georges and Betty/Nell from here could hit pretty hard.

Exmouth

ORIGINAL: obvert

From Lord Howe you could surely hurt the Allies by hitting the industry for strat VPs. A KB sweep mission followed by Georges and Betty/Nell from here could hit pretty hard.

That might be worth considering. VP wise it wouldn't matter that much (I am 5,5 to 1) and I would surely lose a lot of aircraft bombing it so would need to think about what it would achieve...

ORIGINAL: Cannonfodder

ORIGINAL: obvert

From Lord Howe you could surely hurt the Allies by hitting the industry for strat VPs. A KB sweep mission followed by Georges and Betty/Nell from here could hit pretty hard.

That might be worth considering. VP wise it wouldn't matter that much (I am 5,5 to 1) and I would surely lose a lot of aircraft bombing it so would need to think about what it would achieve...

Mr Kane achieved 5-6k strat VP points bombing Sydney and surrounding areas. It might mean the difference between a draw in 45-46 and a win. You will surely recoup more points than you lose. Especially since a lot of the LI and resources are spread out in bases that would have no CAP to start out. Once you spread em out, then smash Sydney with all you have. [:)]

It is far enough away from Mainland Australia that it will be problematic to attack from the air.. A squadron of Tojo's together with heavy hitting George fighters and a Destroyer flotilla might be sufficient to defend it for a while

How about the reverse? Might it be feasible to stage port attacks on Sydney with Betties?

It is possible to attack, yes.. It is even in Helen range actually... And battleship..I would rather not waste Navy assets as the lightly armoured navy bombers will get shredded by the 3.7 Inch AA...

Quiet turns, except for the bombardement runs on Suva and the occasional air raid. India is almost dead, no troops spotted at all. I'm not planning to push further here but I'll keep a strong armoured reserve behind the lines, ready to counter allied moves... It is one of the few places Mundy could go on the offensive without much naval support... I am stripping some infantry from the area to shore up defenses in Australia, Java and Sumatra (I am very weak there at the moment, with just one division and several smaller militia and SNLF units defending the entire western flank...)

The freed up troops in China are preparing for several offensive targets (western Australia, a ruse and New Zealand, the real potential target) the and bases I want to defend. So many 80s and 90s experienced division just waiting to be bought..

First bombardment goes in @ Suva. Looks like a lot of smaller sized formations with in total 400 somewhat AV. This will cause issues as my attacks will get absorbed by the support troops before it starts having effect. Thankfully, I won't need the troops committed for other operations for a while. My first attack will go in once the 3rd Tank div arrivés. I should have about 1500 AV supported by HQ (hoping to drop forts)...

Supplies will be consumed at a high rate due to BB support and overstacking....

My supply situation is healthy enough to support these operations (with an upward trend still....) but I do need to ship in troops, fuel and supplies to keep going.. Submarines are already concentrating around Fiji...

I'm prepping two more divisions for Suva now (total 5 infantry, 1 tank with 3 infantry and 1 tank already bought out, in place or enroute). We'll see how it goes before buying out the reserve divisions though...

If they are needed it will put a delay on a potential NZ operation...