RIDERS ON THE STORM-THANK YOU

[jumper]

Your decision to take Ponape before he will get more availible LCU to boost his pacific defence is absolutely correct. But you shouldn´t focus yourself just to Ponape. Ponape itself is good only as a threat to Truk and nothing else. If he will put 1-2 divisions and 10000mines to Truk and pull out his LBA to avoid unnecessary losses, you will get only a narrow corridor leading to the wall. IMO your main goal should be to get some base/bases, from where you could spread to more directions and threaten more bases, that he can effectively defend even with all those units he could release from PI or China as a response. East coast of NG or Timor will give you much more oportunities to advance in the cover of your own LBA and it will be very hard for him to predict your next step. Soon he will have a lot of troops availible for garrison duty, but even with all of them, he can not defend everything. You just have to choose the way of your advance that will allow you to choose from more targets than just one.. just my 2p.. [;)]

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: jumper

Your decision to take Ponape before he will get more availible LCU to boost his pacific defence is absolutely correct. But you shouldn´t focus yourself just to Ponape. Ponape itself is good only as a threat to Truk and nothing else. If he will put 1-2 divisions and 10000mines to Truk and pull out his LBA to avoid unnecessary losses, you will get only a narrow corridor leading to the wall. IMO your main goal should be to get some base/bases, from where you could spread to more directions and threaten more bases, that he can effectively defend even with all those units he could release from PI or China as a response. East coast of NG or Timor will give you much more oportunities to advance in the cover of your own LBA and it will be very hard for him to predict your next step. Soon he will have a lot of troops availible for garrison duty, but even with all of them, he can not defend everything. You just have to choose the way of your advance that will allow you to choose from more targets than just one.. just my 2p.. [;)]

You're totally right jumper.
Ponape it's important because as soon as it will be at level 4 AF, in my hands, that will mean that Rabaul is completely isolated and the same Truk will be, sooner or later, obliterated.
But at the same time i recognize the importance of opening other important threatres. PM will be soon reinforced. From there we'll start mopping up towards North Guinea.
Darwin is already safe and it's only waiting for reinforces to go up on an offensive northwards.
However Ponape remains a strategical firts target at the moment because with it in my hands we can push forward the air attrition...we desperatly need a point of attrition

[Gen.Hoepner]

The Eniwetok Status.

As you can see my Air Force can still fight his KB...and the threat for him remains

[Andy Mac]

lol and I thought I was bad for stacking AF's !!!![:D][:D][:D]
 
You will get severe strike co ordination issues with that many aircraft GH and one decent Bombardment and you are toast

[hades1001]

you guys don't have any hrs to restrict how many aircrafts you can stake on one island/atoll?
 
 

[Fishbed]

Yes, now that's overstacking...
Why don't you just leave the LBs together with some fighters, or DBs?
Everything else is harming your coordination capability and causing raid disruption for not much...

With less planes than that, actually, you could have toasted him yesterday with bigger strikes! [:(]

[Andy Mac]

To be honest GH you are hurting yourself badly there I would leave the DB and one or 2 sqns of highly expd mediums and pull the rest out and leave some fighters you are better keeuping it at about 200 maybe 250 - 300 if you have a top air HQ but no more lack of co ordinatio against naval targets is a stone cold bitch

[Fishbed]

Well at any rate, he may come for you with half a dozen battlewagons in a couple nights, you won't like that.
You'd better keep some cruisers and DD divisions at Eniwetok to protect the place against such an operation. If it triggers a KB strike, that's even better.

[hades1001]

Imaging of a naval bomdardment from the Combined fleet [:D]
 
hundreds of planes will be destroyed on the ground[:-]

[Gen.Hoepner]

LOL guys...yes, i'm overstacking there (no Hades, no HRs against that), but not that much!!![:)] I moved all those planes there just to let you see what do i have in the Marshalls in terms of air force...some 80 of those medium bombers are based between Wotje and Maloelap and so the fighter bombers.
Same goes for the SDBs...
However my worst mistake when the KB came in was to move all my units back to Eniwetok...like you see now in the screenshot...the coordination penalty was HUGE, despite the radars and the air HQ present...lesson leanrt now.
 
For what concerns naval bombardments...i'm keeping an Australian Cruiser force few hexes SE of Eniwetok...because it was a damned risky situation with the KB so close till few days ago. I'll move them back as soon as i spot one of his SCTF coming in...

[Bogo Mil]

Why do you have 643 AV support at Eniwetok? You never need more than 250. You have AV support to spare - that's another reason to get more useful bases as soon as possible.

About the thread of bombardements: If I recall it corectly, in PzB's AAR once a sub saved his ass big time. It attacked an enemy fleet during it's bombardement run, was sunk in the process, but the BBs did not bombard that turn. So if you have some subs in the area, you can try to use them as "armour" for your planes. They don't need hits and detonating torps, any attack could be sufficient (at least if that issue was not fixed in a patch).

[String]

ORIGINAL: Bogo Mil

Why do you have 643 AV support at Eniwetok? You never need more than 250. You have AV support to spare - that's another reason to get more useful bases as soon as possible.

About the thread of bombardements: If I recall it corectly, in PzB's AAR once a sub saved his ass big time. It attacked an enemy fleet during it's bombardement run, was sunk in the process, but the BBs did not bombard that turn. So if you have some subs in the area, you can try to use them as "armour" for your planes. They don't need hits and detonating torps, any attack could be sufficient (at least if that issue was not fixed in a patch).

Afaik they still repair planes faster if you have above 250

[witpqs]

I think he earlier said he has base forces there to fly into Ponape.

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: Bogo Mil

Why do you have 643 AV support at Eniwetok? You never need more than 250. You have AV support to spare - that's another reason to get more useful bases as soon as possible.

About the thread of bombardements: If I recall it corectly, in PzB's AAR once a sub saved his ass big time. It attacked an enemy fleet during it's bombardement run, was sunk in the process, but the BBs did not bombard that turn. So if you have some subs in the area, you can try to use them as "armour" for your planes. They don't need hits and detonating torps, any attack could be sufficient (at least if that issue was not fixed in a patch).

Trollelite still has problems with his exams, so no turns for some days...

as String said (hey man, i'm glad to see u back here![:)]), they repair faster and also i have 250 Aviation support points ready for Ponape..as witpqs said.
My subs are already dispatched around Eniwetok...not too close to Truk however because his air ASW is really a killer, so i wanna play it safely...

Now i'm re-ordering my ideas...i have 3 operative CVs at the moment...well, actually 2 because the Saratoga is still at the dockyards...however the Wasp is coming online within a week, so let's say 3 CVs...nothing that can really hurt him, i know... I also know that now i have to be more carefull with my CVs...cannot risk to lose them again with no gain like i did at Ponape... I'd also need to train a bit my navy pilots...from the last slaughter the exp of my navy squadrons dropped to 60/65...which is too low...Kwalajein would be a good target, but its flak is still nasty......mmmmhhh...

For what concerns the new bases...some 300 Aviation support points are ready to be shifted from Maloelap-Wotje area to the South West Pacific...so to say Noumea and PM. I'm also thinking of sending the 32nd Division to Brisbane...in order to give some more strenght to the eastern coast of Oz...i'm not completely at ease with the idea that once China is over he may come to Oz.....

Yes guys...time for re-organizing my forces now...but first we need to get at Ponape!!![:@]

[Bogo Mil]

I think you could bring the CVs to the SW area. Your pilots can train against the Solomones or SE New Guinea, the flattops can retreat into LBA cover easily when theatened, and this is the most probable area for future action.
Disadvantage: They would be too far away to react if he sends a light carrier force against your supply lines near the West Coast.

If the Japanese own Nauru, you can do some training runs there, too. From there it is easier to intercept raiders in the northeast. But don't stay for too long - the KB might attack you there.

[hades1001]

Don't worry, general, trollelite at least say one thing right, he don't have much to do in my game right now[:D]
 
I don't think it will take more 20 minutes for him to do one turn in my game, and he only promised 1 turn a day.
 
So, I'm pretty sure you are the first priority.
 
Let's beat him[8D]

[Gen.Hoepner]

Well, for the moment Hades i have to care about not losing rather that winning[:)]
However game is still on hold due to Trollelite's exams.
Hope this week will see some actions anyway....
 
Stay tuned

[Gen.Hoepner]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/24/42

Ok, turn arrived.

What to say?
Seems that at Truk the Kb has left, while 3 or 4 strong SCTFs are present..ready to come into action....well well...

There are 10 subs lingering around the marshalls...those bastards are hard to hit cause the keep on moving...however i'm strenghtening my ASW forces in the area.
A big Air Raid over Ponape today. 160 allied bombers came to squash the little pacific island, while more 300 bombers are now ordered to start the final reduction of Kwalajein.

In China we managed to push back the paras at Kwejiang(sp?) and so we re-open the way for what remains of my central chinese army...that, one hex eastwards, succesfully attack another tank regiment...but nearly 8000AVs are advancing from Changsha and more 3500 from Liuchow...simply impossible to hold[:(]..however i'm well intentioned to defend with firm will every single rice field from the yellow bastards![8D]

Recon missions made by the japs in northern Oz from Timor....mmmmm[&:]...Darwin is well safeimho...1500 AVs under 6 forts should be enough...i hope[>:]

Karachi is back at 260,000 supplies..[:D]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Ponape , at 73,80


Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 14
B-25C Mitchell x 54
B-26B Marauder x 53
B-17E Fortress x 57
F-4 Lightning x 6


No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
183 casualties reported
Guns lost 3

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 53
Port supply hits 2



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Liuchow

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 88543 troops, 363 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1555

Defending force 9058 troops, 36 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 154

Japanese max assault: 1373 - adjusted assault: 1110

Allied max defense: 147 - adjusted defense: 11

Japanese assault odds: 100 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
885 casualties reported
Guns lost 14

Allied ground losses:
1325 casualties reported
Guns lost 21


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 43,35 *these are on the way from Changsha towards Kweijan...amazing!!!..my guys that were trying to escape from the pocket are pushed back*[:(]

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 307872 troops, 1443 guns, 15 vehicles, Assault Value = 6476

Defending force 17986 troops, 45 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 257

Japanese max assault: 5879 - adjusted assault: 3726

Allied max defense: 253 - adjusted defense: 31

Japanese assault odds: 120 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
1409 casualties reported
Guns lost 17
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
1507 casualties reported
Guns lost 3


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at 42,34 *tanks pushed back 1 hex east of Kweijan*

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 94891 troops, 362 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2758

Defending force 3032 troops, 6 guns, 79 vehicles, Assault Value = 80

Allied max assault: 2359 - adjusted assault: 1105

Japanese max defense: 79 - adjusted defense: 59

Allied assault odds: 18 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
137 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 2

Allied ground losses:
440 casualties reported
Guns lost 11


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Kweiyang *paras pushed back!*[:D]

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7231 troops, 29 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 160

Defending force 1499 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 30

Allied max assault: 164 - adjusted assault: 200

Japanese max defense: 30 - adjusted defense: 5

Allied assault odds: 40 to 1


Japanese ground losses:
40 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
98 casualties reported
Guns lost 3


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

[Gen.Hoepner]

China's struggle

[Gen.Hoepner]

In one week we'll have available 2 more brand new divisions at SF.The 1st Marine Div will be moved directly to the CentPac, while the 32nd will stay at PH for few months, in order to repair the HUGE disablement 15/100!!!...
 
2 more divisions are en-route towards Brisbane and Noumea...soon the Sopac will be heavily reinforced