Lambs to the slaughter (Lowpe (J) vs Jocke; BillBrown (A)) Finished

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Did Jack Bunt happen to see Clint Morgan during his travels? Clint was last seen in my AAR wounded on the Kansas prairie, surrounded by hostiles. I haven't been able to find him.

Must have, because he was still delivering the mail in the early 1950's. A most famous mailmen! And the Hughenden ammunition explosion in late 42 early 43 was quite the local gossip. Who knew it was really Japanese paratroopers responsible?

[Lowpe]

A Kamikaze class DD after hitting a type 6 mine. Uh-oh![X(]



Or is that a Mark II mine? Who to believe, the original report or this?

[Lowpe]

Those Nicks and Sonia's were lost attacking Chungking. The Nicks strafed of course, and were met with a wall of flak. The Sonia was much higher, but there was enough ammunition left in the city to hit them too.

They got their orders mixed up and were supposed to attack a Chinese Corp in the plains instead.

Oh well.

[Lowpe]

Are you ready to RUMBLE!

The rumors spread thru the two hapless Chinese Corps that the Japanese have even affixed bayonets to their tanks!

[Lowpe]

The Chinese railroad gauge hasn't slowed the Japanese assault down at all.[:)]

[Speedysteve]

Lol[:D]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

You definitely have strategic bombing down pat. I tried three days in a row bombing the resources at Cloncurry with two Sentai's of Sally's totaling 54 bombers. I didn't score a single city hit so I pretty much just gave up even trying to strategic bomb anymore. Maybe next time around I'll get it figured out.

SR bombing with Japan is really, really tough. You just can't expect to pick it up.

These pilots have been training for almost 2 months for this operation.[:)]

The Dinah's and Babes flying recon from multiple runways were very well trained and experienced.

There is no AA to spoil the aim.[;)]

Range was very close.

Weather was poor.

An Air HQ was handy and close (at Mornington).

Leaders were good.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

You definitely have strategic bombing down pat. I tried three days in a row bombing the resources at Cloncurry with two Sentai's of Sally's totaling 54 bombers. I didn't score a single city hit so I pretty much just gave up even trying to strategic bomb anymore. Maybe next time around I'll get it figured out.

SR bombing with Japan is really, really tough. You just can't expect to pick it up.

These pilots have been training for almost 2 months for this operation.[:)]

The Dinah's and Babes flying recon from multiple runways were very well trained and experienced.

There is no AA to spoil the aim.[;)]

Range was very close.

Weather was poor.

An Air HQ was handy and close (at Mornington).

Leaders were good.

Didn't your entire strike launch from the CVs, not from Mornington? So the HQa doesn't matter. Nor does the strike range, except for coordination (CV strikes mostly stick together anyway). I don't think leaders affect ground bombing results at all, either. I would be surprised if so - I've never seen anyone suggest that, and the desired leader attributes repeatedly touted for air units (Air, Inspiration, Aggression, and Leadership) don't matter (there has been at least one thread where Naval skill for an air leader came up in a question asking if it increased hit changes for NavB/LowNav/NavT - it doesn't, and why would ground attacks be any different?). Training level on the recon pilots doesn't matter that much, but it does help mitigate poor rolls or socked-in flights.

The AA comment is on, as well as the obvious lack of CAP. The weather being poor maybe dinged your strike a little bit, if anything at all.

But really, strat bombing is a bit of a crapshoot. Resources, Factories, and Oil seem to be relatively easy to hit (not as easy as Manpower). Heavy Industry a bit harder, and Light a bit harder still. Cloncurry is a nice fat target with its 400+ Resources and unlikelihood that it will be used as an airbase at all since it's in the middle of nowhere. There's also that base southeast of Exmouth (starts with an R, I think?) that starts as a dot and 100+ Resources.

[Lowpe]

80 Planes launched offensively from Mornington: 40 Oscars strafing (arrived in two groups) and 40 Kates in two squadrons (not shown) plus a squadron of Babs doing recon.

I think leaders and HQ can effect the number of planes that launch, especially into a contested area.

I have heard Mr. Kane argue the high Naval skill in pilots helps with attacking higher value targets. Just what he said, not sure if it is true.

I think training on recon pilots is critical -- I see a huge correlation in game between skill 50 and skill 70. I figure high experience and high defense helps too with recon. High DL is I think one of the most important variables along with full bombloads and experienced/skilled pilots.

Short range insured the Vals (and Oscars although they were attacking the runways) were dropping their big bombs. I have seen plenty of time where I scored many resource/industry hits with the smaller bombs on Betties or Nells and not gotten a lot of victory points.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

80 Planes launched offensively from Mornington: 40 Oscars strafing (arrived in two groups) and 40 Kates in two squadrons (not shown) plus a squadron of Babs doing recon.

I think leaders and HQ can effect the number of planes that launch, especially into a contested area.

I have heard Mr. Kane argue the high Naval skill in pilots helps with attacking higher value targets. Just what he said, not sure if it is true.

I think training on recon pilots is critical -- I see a huge correlation in game between skill 50 and skill 70. I figure high experience and high defense helps too with recon. High DL is I think one of the most important variables along with full bombloads and experienced/skilled pilots.

Short range insured the Vals (and Oscars although they were attacking the runways) were dropping their big bombs. I have seen plenty of time where I scored many resource/industry hits with the smaller bombs on Betties or Nells and not gotten a lot of victory points.

OK, with LBA involved, then yes an HQa within range will positively affect your strikes in at least one way (coordination). Other than affecting the number of planes that launch, and how well they do in air-to-air combat, leaders have no known effect on strikes.

Typically, at least for me, there is a glut of recon planes flying the assigned mission. You only need 3 "hits" to maximize the DL (source: tm.asp?m=3694325&mpage=1&key=recon�). So if you figure even mediocre pilots (40-50 Recon skill, or average 45) and even only 8 planes flying (assuming 50% rest on one of those 16-plane units), the chance of poor results is small. Combine this with Recon pilots being easy to train up, and losses being low, and well... I never pay attention to their skill levels and it hasn't mattered for my recon. I'll divide USAAF units into 1/3's (5 planes each), set them to 50% or 60% rest, and pull in replacement-level pilots (average exp = 35?) and still have great recon results (DL 7/8 or DL 9/10 in a single day). Also note what that link says about increased DL from air units bombing targets.

And yeah - bomb size matters too. Just because you get a hit on industry doesn't mean it did any damage. I've seen 2 hits do no damage, and 20 hits do 50+ damage.

[Lowpe]

Recon planes do not use percentage to determine the number of planes per mission.....they launch 2 planes per phase I believe.

They do not use search arcs.

I have no clue how much information they deliver if shot down.

According to the manual they might coordinate with bombers in a mission. I had babs flying recon from the same base and at the same altitude as bombers.

If they recon the target after the strike, I doubt they did much to improve the accuracy of the bombers who arrived first.

Sometimes the final bombing wave, although fewer in number, does the most damage ... I attribute this to a higher DL.

Preferably you want recon to arrive prior to bombers.

A night recon prior to a morning attack probably helps.

Just my thoughts.

[witpqs]

"Mailman First Class Jack Bunt: 1" [:D][:D]

[Encircled]

I see no mention of "Defeated Allied Units retreating" but on the plus point, no "Allied units surrender" either.

Maybe Jack is in hiding? [:)]

[Lowpe]

2nd Week of Nov, 1942

A rare Japanese sweep that finds planes.

British altitudes are split between 15K and 20K.

[Lowpe]

Trying to keep Jocke off balance. Here a heavily escorted raid goes into Portland, striking at the repair yards.

I keep thinking the Allies will step up their CAP here, but not so.

[Lowpe]

Looks like around 21 British fighters are destroyed for a loss of 6 Zekes.

Two disappointing attacks in Paoshan. No strategic bombing in Oz....

[Lowpe]

2nd Week of Nov, 1942

After a days respite, the Vals are set to ASW, Naval Search and strike; while the Kates continue where they left off. A small sweep happened first then the major carrier strike.

[Lowpe]

Some escorted land based strikes...pretty soon, if not today, the CV strike force will retire and the remaining industry will need to be destroyed by the land based air.

[Lowpe]

Leaving Townsville, or mining the approaches?

No joy on my Iboat trap along the coast north of Sydney. So far.

[Lowpe]

No LRCAP.