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So the big questions: Is it John that suckered me into an ambush? Or is it John that's allowed himself to be drawn far, far away only to have the Allies ambush him?

ORIGINAL: Houtje

That's a lot of quiet before a possible storm. LBA not flying at all seems strange; do your A/C commanders have high aggression? In this thread it is suggested that having one leader with low aggr. may cause a whole mission to be cancelled. Please note that I am no expert at all, so I'm probably wrong. [:)

All of them were high - between 62 and 67 except for one at 59.

Well, the fun may be centered around Exmouth, but John is losing the game in Burma. No way he can allow the Allied player to set up in Ramree Island in 6/42.

Any particular reason to change the plan midstream?

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Well, the fun may be centered around Exmouth, but John is losing the game in Burma. No way he can allow the Allied player to set up in Ramree Island in 6/42.

+1 .. Ramree Island once built up propagates supply into Burma as long as the Allies keep pumping the xAK's in .. I might still build up Wuzzup if only to distribute Supplies into China via Myitkyina ..and it makes a very nice level 9 airfield ... [8D] Plus I suspect John will react with BB's fairly soon making Ramree unusable until CR puts the reosurces here to defend. I like the LowNav B25C option but I am sure CR has a plan ..

I'm really impressed on how well cr is playing this match. Thought QBall had an aggressive tactic of attacking using lots of different vectors, but Dan here is bringing that strategy to a brand new higher level!

If i was john, i'd start shit...ing in my pants now.

Agree with Mr Sutton about Ramree island... It's going to be a decisive move!

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Well, the fun may be centered around Exmouth, but John is losing the game in Burma. No way he can allow the Allied player to set up in Ramree Island in 6/42.

+1 .. Ramree Island once built up propagates supply into Burma as long as the Allies keep pumping the xAK's in .. I might still build up Wuzzup if only to distribute Supplies into China via Myitkyina ..and it makes a very nice level 9 airfield ... [8D] Plus I suspect John will react with BB's fairly soon making Ramree unusable until CR puts the reosurces here to defend. I like the LowNav B25C option but I am sure CR has a plan ..

While Ramree is a great move by Dan and could turn the tide in Burma, don't forget John can walk there. No amphib invasions necessary. Even built up once the japanese have air supremacy in this area, which they should have in summer and autumn 42, he could leisurely walk 3 divisions over to hit Ramree.

Now, I don't yet believe that will happen, but this is a fragile foothold that is being used in combination with many other footholds across the map. Any one is tough to hold, but if Dan keeps adding more, he will force the tide early and the IJ will not recover.

I've said it in a JFB thread and repeat it here, dont get too back slapping happy.

CR has been succesful in a few small pinpricks against the monster.

While they may make JIII uncomfortable, and make him overreact or make mistakes, none are war winning moves.

Until KB is brought to battle and beaten, any movement like these are fraught with danger and potential disaster to CR until the Essex's arrive in number.

While Ramree is a great move by Dan and could turn the tide in Burma, don't forget John can walk there. No amphib invasions necessary. Even built up once the japanese have air supremacy in this area, which they should have in summer and autumn 42, he could leisurely walk 3 divisions over to hit Ramree.

At a deeper level CR has put the pressure on where as multiple divisions are going to be needed to stave off a disaster.... I think CR would be estatic for the iJA to focus on Ramree while the Irrawaddy Valley and the most important prize Toungoo (because all the rail lines meet here and this negates any MLR involving Burma .. )

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Quick question.  USN CV fighters set to 50% CAP, 50% escort.  Should I assign any of these targets?  IE, should I give orders "target Carnavon" or will that mess things up?  I seldom if ever give CAP/escort fighters a target, so I have no idea if it would work.  If I don't get a quick answer, I won't.  But if it does work it might help create enough fighter presence to persuade my LBA to fly.

Maybe too late for this answer to be useful. If you pick a target for the fighters on Escort, then AFAIK they will only escort to that target. If, say, the DB and TBD go after ships, then those particular fighters will definitely not go with them. So it really depends on how one manages their whole batch of fighter groups in a given battle.

Nobody's declaring victory or death or destruction.  Mistakes will be made.  Accidents will happen.  Traps will be sprung.  Bad luck will rear it's ugly head.  Maybe tomorrow.  Maybe the day after.  The wheels can come off instanter.
 
But the Allied operations in June have been significant.  In order of importance:
 
1.  Burma and Ramree Islands could well be game changers and perhaps game winners.  John's already lost the race for position and now he's losing the race to build airfields.  Even if he gets going now, the Allies should control the theater with the airfields at Akyab, Imphal, Chittagong, etc.  John can come, but it's going to be slow and he's already out of time.  There's lots of fighting to be done, but the Allies have taken the high ground and now Picket has to charge or just meekly surrender.
 
2.  Carnavon and Exmouth are important, but not in and of themselves decisive.  However, they are vital to my long term strategy to apply "directional pressure towards the DEI" to keep John focused here.  Then, later, I might be able to credibly feint here while moving far far away.
 
3.  I wouldn't be moving on Carnavon and Exmouth if the KB were unaccounted for.  That's the main benefit of the Gilberts invasion - it's freed me (I think) to take important action elsewhere.
 
Where does John commit his carriers now?  Gilberts? Okay, then I can move up the west Australia coast.  Australia?  Okay, I can resupply the Gilberts.  Bay of Bengal?  I can freely move in SoPac and CenPac.
 
This sounds pretty and neater than it is.  Lots of fighting to come, but these three operations have been complimentary of each other and the long-term Allied plan.

Probably too late, but you could sweep Carnarvon with one or more CV figther groups to get the bombers going. Obvious risk is they are out of the escort game if the IJN shows up but with KB accounted for that risk is virtually nil.

6/15/42
 
I've seen the combat report but haven't viewed the replay, but here's a preliminary summary of a busy day at and near Exmouth:
 
Surface Combat:  Two large IJN destroyer TFs tangle with the CAs Portland and Salt Lake City TF.  Based on experience (and armed with a stiff reminder by Obvert's thread yesterday), this ordinarly would mean trouble, but the American ships perform very well.  I'll post tallies below, but the USN wins these battles allowing the amphibious TF to hit the beaches later in the day.
 
LBA Strikes:  Japanese air (I'm not sure whether from Carnavon or Corunna Downs or Broome) make strikes against the Allied amphibious ships at Exmouth, damaging and sinking several.  The carrier fighters don't offer any help (do to the orders I gave, in all likelihood).  Allied LBA flies against the airfield at Carnavon to find some CAP.  15 B-17s do a modest amount of damage.  The B-24, B-25, and Vindicator strikes don't do anything.  Tomorrow I'll change the latter three to ground attack.
 
Naval Air:  The USN strike aircraft fly only naval missions, mauling an IJN transport TF and hitting some of the destroyers involved in the surface combat.  Results included in the tally to follow.
 
Invasion:  6th Aussie Cav. comes ashore in pretty good numbers considering the lateness of the day and the losses to enemy air strikes.  I get 116 AV ashore and find 300 enemy AV, far more than anticipated.  The enemy includes 1st and 4th Engineers, 124th Reg't, 1st Sasebo Assaul Div./7 (perhaps being flown in?) and 1st Kure Assault Div/1 (these guys are being moved here from Carnavon, which is interesting).  The big question is whether I have enough ashore to hold the beachead.  A US Army battalion is a few days out and will add roughly 35 AV. I'll be bringing more in all likelihood, but that's probably a week off.
 
Carnavon:  I don't know what John has here yet.  I'll find out when my advance troops bombard tomorrow. But if he's withdrawing troops, such as Kure Assault Div., then this base might be less strongly defended than anticipated.  That would be great, because its arifield is the only big threat in the region.  I have 250 AV in the hex today with 250 to be arriving via land march in the coming four or five days.
 
Japanese Ships Heavily Damaged or Sunk:
 
DD Shiratsuga:  HF (ie, heavy fires)
DD Mikazuki:  HF/HD (ie, heavy fires/heavy damage)
DD Kamikaze:  F (fires)/HD
DD Hatakaze: HF/HD
DD Numakaze:  Sunk
DD Yugao:  Sunk
DD Wakazuki:  F
DD Yukaze:  Sunk
DD Tachikaze:  Sunk
DD Ayanami:  HF/HD
xAP Manzyu: F/HD
xAP Huso: F/HD
xAK Yamasimo: HF/HD
xAK Azuma: Sunk
xAK Arimasan:  HF/HD
xAK Manila:  HF
xAK Seattle:  HF/HD
SC CH 12:  Sunk
xAKL Genkai:  Sunk
 
Allied Ships Heavily Damaged or Sunk:
 
CA Portland:  On fire
DD McCall:  Sunk
DD Maury:  Sunk
DD Craven:  HF/HD
AP Zeilin:  1 Torpedo (no fires reported)
xAP Koolama:  Sunk
xAK Alchiba: 1 Torp (no fires reported)
xAK Age:  1 Torp (no firest reported) 
xAK Florence:  Sunk
 
What's Next:  I'll post tomorrow, but I think the Allies have a strong position.  At the moment, I see no reason that the American carriers can't take position between Exmouth and Port Headland (or possibly further north) to interdict any enemy shipping that John might send down the coast.  Until John brings carriers, why can't the Allies just shuttle troops up the coast to deal with Carnavon, Exmouth, Port Headland and possibly Broome?  Shipping may be a little short now, but troops are in place at Perth and Geraldton and the shuttling distance will be short.  (In the clear light of day tomorrow, this might not seem feasible.  But in the deep hours of the night it seems good to force John to come back this way).
 
Other Miscellaneous News of the Day:  A Dutch sub puts three TT into AKE Kiya Maru.  Yamato bombbards Akutan.  KB still in the Gilberts.
 
The Opponnent:  Not happy, me thinks.
 

Wow, 7 or 8 DD's gone. [X(] That will hurt him.

Just a few things to add following viewing of the combat file and then sending the next turn back to John:
 
That AKE:  The AKE sunk by a Dutch sub was south of Roti (and Timor).  I don't know if it was going forward or fleeing, but perhaps this complicates John's ability to replenish ships.
 
On the Ground:  An Allied motorized regiment will attack at Carnavon tomorrow.  This is a real long shot, but what the heck.  I'm hoping 6th Australian Cav. can hold at Exmouth for a couple of days until reinforcements and a bombardment TF arrive.
 
In the Air:  John's air strikes came from Carnavon and Corunna Downs.  Curiously, he had one squadron of Nells hit my ground troops.
 
Carriers and John's Reaction and the Next Ten Days:  The four USN CV will move north and take position four hexes NW of Exmouth, hopefully blocking or hitting any shipping coming further south.  Per last night's comment, I indeed don't see any reason not to park in this area and shuttle troops north until John brings enough to stop me.  Once John sees this, I think he has to bring some or all of his carriers back from the Gilberts.  My guess is he'll leave a couple there.  I have an Aussie division at Perth that I can buy out (it will take all of my PPs) to reinforce the invasion of Exmouth or to invade Port Headland.  If Carnavon falls in a reasonable time, I'll also have the full Americal division available.  AE Mauna Loa and an AD are available at Perth.  More shipping is enroute from Melbourne to Perth.
 
Combatants:  Salt Lake City, Portland and Helena are in good shape and will transition to escorts for the carriers, thus freeing Northhampton and Astoria to form a new combat TF.

You certainly came out ahead in that exchange, Dan. Nicely done. I like the idea of orbitting in the area and smashing any other shipping that you happen across. Why not?

6/16/42
 
John is fighting hard with what he has.  He's exacting a toll.  But there's no question he's on the bad end of things here.

Operations at Sea:  The Astoria TF sinks DD Asakaze, which wasn't damaged in yesterday's fray.  Then a Japanese CL/DD force tangles with the Astoria TF, sinking a DD and putting one torp into Astoria (she later takes another from Nells and has moderately heavy damage).  The USN damages several IJN DD plus CL Kimo (on fire, heavy damage).  The Japanese raiders don't get through to molest the beach.  IJN subs put torps into several ships including an xAP carrying the US Army battalion to Exmouth.

Operations in the Air:  Nells and Bettys sortie, doing the aforementioned damage to Astoria and sinking BB New Mexico with four torps.  Allied LBA roughs up Carnavon a bit.  USN carrier aircraft sink another half dozen merchant vessels at Exmouth.

Operations on the Ground:  The Japanese at Carnavon deliberate attack, running their AV down to zero.  There's basically 21st Regiment and an Air Flotilla HQ there.  My guys counter and should win easily, but don't. Tomorrow, with reinforcements doubling my AV, my guys will shock attack.  I'm hoping the situation persuades John that he has to empty his airfield, which would help me greatly.  UP at Exmouth, John has 400 AV and 6th Aussie is 116 AV.  The Aussies have good supply and no disruption, so there's a small chance they can hold.  Two USN CAs will bombard.

Tomorrow:  The big question is what to do with my CVs.  There is a host of IJN merchant shipping (tankers, xAPs, etc.) at Port Headland.  I could go in an hammer them, but there's some risk from the airfields at Broome and Corunna Downs (both level three).  Also, I'm down to 76% sorties, so do I conserve, do I attack, or do I remain close to Exmouth and USS Astoria to provide a measure of protection until Carnavon falls?  This feels like one of those situations where you stay on the attack, but I'm mulling it over.

Long Term:  Given the situation - John has strongly reinforced Exmouth and appears to be reinforcing Port Headland, plus the sortie percentage - I may consolidate my goals just a bit to focus on Exmouth.  (I am assuming that Carnavon is already decided, which in and of itself is a major victory).  What I may do is focus on Exmouth, using two or three regiments of Americal, an American combat engineer units, plus whatever else I can cobble together.  I think I can win that campaign by using LBA from Carnavon (when it falls), a decent number of ground troops, plus carriers offshore to keep the IJN away (unless and until John commits the KB).

Bay of Bengal:  Port Service unit plus Indian CD unit ashore at Ramree.  Bettys from Rangoon fly ineffectively.  Some kind of IJN combat TF may be coming in.  Akyab looks really good (with 10th USAF HQ and a squadron of Beuforts, she even has torp capacity).  The armored unit is on the front lines.

China:  Looking good.

NoPac:  Japan active in the Aluetians but not approaching Akutan yet.

Pacific:  KB still loitering at Jaluit.  I have supply ships meandering well to the east awaiting an opportunity (which may never come) to slide in.  John may elect to keep his carriers in the Gilberts until that theater is secure, relying on other stuff to hold the line in western Oz.  That may be a workable strategy.

I wonder if Perth (port level five) and AE Mauna Loa (6350 tons) together are sufficient to replenish carrier sorties?  That would help alot.

Nice exchange, Dan.

I decided to remain aggressive with the carriers.  They'll close to within six hexes of Port Headland (airfield size one with lots of enemy shipping) which is ten hexes from Broome (level three) and six or seven from Corunna Downs (level three). 

That's certainly being aggressive - but don't compromise your advantage for the sake of a few AKs or DDs. Keeping your carriers intact just multiplies the advantages you've already gotten from landings in the Gilberts & the favorable situation in Burma....just a word of caution.