Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[Spidery]

Best of luck!

[Lowpe]

Both Prome and Akyab socked in!

[Lowpe]

Let down. Nothing worked.

Allies fly out of Akyab. I scared them.[8D]

IJN destroyers race in, don't find anything and steam out. They do cause some merchant captain in Akyab to panic and stop unloading.

Bad weather scrubs a lot of flights, but in the pm some Helens roughed up an unknown American unit west of Magwe, and Zeroes swept Akyab to no resistance.

The Guards hold up to another deliberate attack (1-2), but the brigade with them is combat ineffective. Afraid to move them out because they soak off the attacks until reinforcements arrive. Where is all the supply coming from?

19 Lightnings sweep Kusaie where IJN fighter pilots trade at 1-2 ratio -- the horror. Those Lightning pilots were probably Tracom eligible too.[:D]

Subs off Karachi continue to do good work![:)]

[Lowpe]

Burma...

[Lowpe]

Trying to do some same things this day...destroyer raid near Akyab, move the cruisers due west of Akyab, heavy air (day and night) strikes on Akyab with sweeps and lots of naval.

I enhanced my naval search some.

Allies probably will return to Akyab and fly a killer CAP. We shall see...

I say this in the hopes it won't turn out to be true.[:)]

[Lowpe]

Intelligence tells me I sank 3 American submarines yesterday (and VP tend to confirm it), so that brings the total number of Allied ships lost to 697! 22 Tankers and 12 Oilers.[X(] Losing that many ships has to hurt, just a little.



Fusan:

I have probably close to 50 cargo ships pulling from Fusan, and resources are getting quite low although there are still generous supplies they can pull from in China.

Look at the jump in oil! What is even better: there is 15K at Port Arthur too! [:)]

[Lowpe]

Feb 6, 1942

A small group of 3 Allied bombers hit Magwe. The KAI Dinah raises to the challenge, and one gets shot down but two bombers are damaged. Probably due to the flak and not the Dinah.[:D]

At Prome, Betties pull off another good raid on the airfield. Unfortunately, during the afternoon, all the Allied 4Es hit Bangkok (their base) and thru neglect I had no fighters there. Many destroyed on the ground. But, since the 4Es were hitting Bangkok, the Imperial Guards east of Prome got another days respite from bombing, and the Allies have switched to a bombardment attack. The fighters appreciated the day off too!

The Guards held! Reinforcements will arrive in time for any action tomorrow! The American 41st Infantry division is down to 247 assault value...

Destroyers send to the bottom 3 MGBs near Akyab...

[Lowpe]

Sub wars:

I lost my first unescorted cargo ship near Ominato. Torpedoed twice, but then during the day about 10 hits are reported on the submarine by the heavy aerial ASW patrol and the Sunfish shows up as sunk by intelligence. 10 vp sub for a 7 point xak.

I also lose a a Std E tanker. I really like these guys, but I don't protected them much at all -- this one off China. Again, aerial ASW attacks the submarine and reports some hits.

Intelligence reports 16 sunk submarines since the start of the new year. Several scuttled.


Burma

None of the IJN surface groups are spotted. What abysmal naval search he has...

I suspect there are mines now at Akyab...Allies dropped mines at Bangkok.

Lots of actions planned here. I should be able to win air superiority over Prome, and with his troops in the open they will be very exposed. IJN ships should be able to put a hurt on Akyab and Rangoon.

I don't really like his raid on Bangkok, but recent actions tells me that the night bombing campaign has worked, his fighter levels are fragile, and he can't pursue his offensive against the Imperial Guards. Plus, losing some planes on the ground none of the excellent pilots are KIA, and stocks of Betties are very plentiful, but it was a missed opportunity to degrade his unescorted bombers some.

Overall, I am optimistic about Burma![:)]

[Lowpe]

China

A strong Chinese Corp retreated out of the woods into the open at Hengyang. There are 14 Chinese units in the open there between the two bases. The bombers are ready. He could have held that wood hex for quite a while I think...but in the open those troops are going to be bombed to death.

Moving troops into those two towns will eliminate all supply production in the Changsha pocket.[:)]

A little to the north and west, IJA have totally isolated 7 strong Chinese corps...

In other news, the IJA 43 Infantry squads are becoming available...they feature a huge increase in their anti-armor ability...

[Lowpe]

Kusaie Island.

This base will be a stronghold for most of 1943 I hope. Is that too optimistic? AA is on the way and a few other odd and ends.

The Airbase will be able to hit the major bases in the Marshalls with normal range Lilly IIb dive bomber attacks. I have no plans of running torpedo planes out of here at present, but that might change in the future.

60 Fighters are calling it home right now and some search planes.

Back in July the Allies could have taken the entire island chain for free. I had nothing here, except 100 AV at Jaluit....so aggressive everywhere else, but here the Allies are taking baby steps...

If the Allies would have pressed aggressively here back in July 42 -- the Empire would have been hard pressed to counter everything: Java, Manila, Kuriles, while 98% of the IJN capitol ships were in Singers area.

[Lowpe]

Port Moresby Invasion

8th Area Army is at Buna coordinating the invasion. 2 Divisions and 1 HQ are invading. Followup forces are available but not expected to be needed.

Allied naval search gets a 1 detection on the amphib force, none on all the surface fleets.

They are heading to Port Moresby. Fighter coverage from Buna. Lilly IIb divebombers at Buna. Plenty of search at Buna and Rossel. Bombers and torpedo bombers at Rabaul, Lae.

While this invasion is going forward, the IJN carriers have sortied from Kusaie, where they protected the arrival of a infantry division, to visit Mili. Intelligence feels that the Americans will re-supply, reinforce Mili which hasn't improved since being invaded.

[Lowpe]

No turn...maybe today. Tiemanj is moving! Perhaps the Allies will not do much and be very defensive because he cannot give enough time to the turn. Real life impacting the game turn.

Overall not a bad thing, as I think most players push a really aggressive timetable for doing things. I would like to see the pace of the game slow down some, as Japan is still not where I would like her even after four months of moving troops around.

Here is a look at a future battlefield. The Americans have built up the Aluetians, I expect it to get hot here once winter is over.

The lynchpin of the defense will be a surface group built around the Yamoto which can rearm at Ominato. Her sister ship will join her in a few days. Land based air will round out the defenses as the airfields are almost all built up.

Torpedoes are available at Uruppu and the bases to the left and right, and Bihoro.

[Lowpe]

No turn...life is hectic currently for the Allies. Why do turn delays occur when exciting things are happening in the game?

Here is a picture of Oz. I haven't shown one in a while. The unlucky 4th Australian Infantry Division is being bombed, weather willing, and is now down to 600 or so men that are probably pretty thirsty.

A tank regiment is heading south to overrun another Engineering unit south of Port Hedland.

Another tank regiment is heading for Katherine and Daly Waters which have been vacated by the Aussies.

Only one IJA division left in Northern Oz, just some aviation support, paratroops, and the Ichiki Detachment. I will probably tax Exmouth as a float plane base...

Seeing that the game date is Feb 43, I feel pretty good here...I think the lower DEI are safe for a while...

[Lowpe]

In the dark, dark of night (3 percent moonlight), two IJN task forces slice thru the waters on their approach to Akyab and the heavy concentration of enemy forces there.

What will be there? Planes? Ships in port? Juicy cargo ships off loading supplies? Or, a gaggle of MGB boats.

The recent Destroyer winnowing of the resident MGB boats has forced the Allied command to break them down even further into numerous one ship task forces.

Until, that is, they are destroyed.

[Lowpe]

After numerous short fights, Akyab is spotted. But does the task force have any heavy rounds left for the bombardment?

Silly question![:D]

[Lowpe]

And the night bombing continues with the Empire hitting Prome (Betties effective, Sally and Helen's not) and the Allies hit Magwe where the brave KAI Dinah rises to the challenge repeatedly disrupting wave after wave.

But far to the east, as the sun rises over the Marshalls, the dawn patrol sweeps Mili from the carrier Akagi. The weather is poor, heavy rain, but there are ships struggling to leave port and even better no enemy fighters spotted.

But, are all the carriers in position to launch strikes?

[Lowpe]

But, before more planes can be launched, enemy bombers are sighted at Kwaj!

What, no escorts? Where are the sweeps?

[Lowpe]

And then the twin engine bombers strike...still no enemy fighters.

This is shaping up to be a dark day for Allied bombers. But where is the carrier strike?

[Lowpe]

And still the American bombers come on. Some attacks are engaged before and after their bombing runs, and Japanese AA guns are very effective at hitting the damaged bombers.

[Lowpe]

And then, a busy day, gets busier.

The IJN strike planes have found some enemy ships!

Still, no enemy fighter cover!

Dare we say it, yes, Banzai! Kates get in the first strike, but this could be one of the last rides of the Val!