PzB vs Wobbly - Clash of Steel

[WhoCares]

Looking at your production, 'I'd suggest to stop Val and Kate production as their replacements will soon arrive and you have plenty reserves in pool: Judy 43-09 with >800 Vals in pool, Jill 43-11 with >1000(!) in pool. If you produce as many Judys as Vals, you might have to look after your Aichi engine production as well [;)]

Tonys you need till '45 - considering that they will suffer more and more from better enemy fighters it is useful to build a stock early, same for their Kawasaki engines, of course. However, considering that you already have more than a years 'usage' (~400 from 42-08 to 43-07) you might consider to reduce production just to the level of demand.

How's your situation with Resources, Oil, Manpower, ...?

[PzB74]

Hello Laurent,

That was what I feared Nomad would do...guess he hoped to hurt me - and he came close. As I said, a risky
operation that ended well [:)]

I actually like to use my Kongo's in a battlecruiser role. They make pulp out of enemy cruisers...and old battleships.
The ships that took part in the operation gained experience nicely:

Kirishima 78/79 -> 79/82
Hiei 74/81 -> 74/84
Kongo 84/79 -> 87/79

The Japs did evacuate some bases, but that mostly happened when the situation became hopeless. If the Allies hadn't
forced them to leave, they wouldn't have. In 1945 the situation was much more critical than in 1943 and I guess more and
more of their own people realized that stubborn Banzai charges wasn't the way to go....

WhoCares, I have stopped producing Kates and Judys. The production screen doesn't show this.
I've stopped Tojo and Tony production as well...when it comes to Tonys I don't loose too many. So difficult to move them accross
the Pacific, so they are mostly kept stationary above important bases like Kendari and Kwajalein.

Can give you a screenie of my resource pools when I get the next turn. Things are mostly good, after I stopped some merhcant yards
and armaments factories the HI pool increased from 4 to 65k. With parts of China, all of Burma and India in our posession it will be
very difficult to starve me out of this game.

[PzB74]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/09/43

Air Combat

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Dobodura at 55,91

Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 3
G4M2 Betty x 3

Allied aircraft
Boomerang II x 3
Hurricane II x 12
Kittyhawk I x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
G4M2 Betty: 3 destroyed

Allied Ships
AO Cimarron

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Ken has brought in reinforcements and Buin will soon be pacified!

Ground combat at Buin

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11043 troops, 118 guns, 106 vehicles

Defending force 4370 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 11 to 1

Japanese ground losses:
101 casualties reported
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Industry July 1943

[PzB74]

It's time to re-organize the fleet:

The KB now consists of:
10 fleetcarriers (9 operational)
6 light carriers
4 escort carriers (another 2 are due in less than a month)

I've experienced some problems launching large air strikes. There may be several reasons for this:
Too many carriers in a single TF
Carrier air groups have been re-organized

To fix this the following will be done:
The KB has been divided into 4 fixed carrier divisions - Car Div I-IV
A capable commander will be assigned
As far as possible the original air groups will be re-assigned to their ships

Carrier Division 1: Yamaguchi 287 ac
Cvs: Shokaku, Zuikaku, Katsuragi
Cvls: Ryujo, Shoho

Carrier Division 2: Nagumo 264 ac
Cvs: Taiho, Unryu, Amagi
Cvls: Chitose, Chiyoda

Carrier Division 3: Yamada 239 ac
Cvs: Akagi, Junyo, Hiyo
Cvls: Ryuho, Zuiho

Carrier Division 4: 161 ac
6 Cves (including the two that will arrive within a month)

It is possible to overload each carrier with 10% additional ac, but I will try to avoid this.
There will thus be available

287
264
239
161
72 (when the Kaga is repaired she will join Car Div 2 - she's currently at 58 sys damage)
----------------
=1023 ac
---------------

Each carrier division can operate independently and if speed is required the light carriers
can be dispatched from Car Div 1 and 2 in order to increase speed from 5 to 6.

The overall plan is to combine this fleet when the enemy strikes at a crucial target like the Marianas or
the Phillippines. It should be attempted to combine both land based and carrier based ac for this 'final battle'.

The problem with having 4 Carrier Divisions is that it takes a lot of escorts.
I'm thinking about providing Car Div I-III with:
1 Kongo class battleship (may be exchanged with a slower one if speed is not essential)
1 Furutaka class heavy cruiser
1 modern light cruiser (Agano/Oyodo)
2 Akitsuki class destroyers
3 other destroyers with a heavy AA/ASW compliment

Car Div IV will be escorted by 1 light cruiser and 5 Mutsuki class destroyers

This will require:
3 battleships
3 heavy cruisers
4 light cruisers
20 destroyers

These can be dispatched before/after a carrier battle has taken place to strengthen the surface fleet.

What do the rest of you think, will this composition allow me to get the most out of my carriers?

[Gen.Hoepner]

I think you should stay below 200 A/Cs for each CV division....with >250 planes the risk of having uncordinated strikes is quite high imho

[Honda]

It should be attempted to combine both land based and carrier based ac for this 'final battle'.

Whoa!!! This is every Jap admiral's wet dream. A decisive battlwe that is really decisive and Japan has a chance. lol
Great job. GH is right. You have a huge CV force. There's bound to be mayhem in the air over the CVs soon. Ken has to think of something immediatly or lose thinking about it. Only a devastating blunder by you can ruin this game for IJ.
Good hunting

[String]

Kitakami and Oi have both good AAA ratings after their mid 43 refit, you should use those as well imho.

[PzB74]

Thx for the suggestions....

Yes, I do have a large carrier force Honda, but if I launch them all against an all mighty US striking force it
will be mayhem. And not the kind of mayhem I desire [8|]

Ken is already having wet dreams about this, here is his 'estimate':
Well, you wont see my CVs outside of my LBA until after 1/1/44. Then I will have 8 Fleet CVs( 40xF6F, 34xSB2C, 18xTBF ) and 9 CVL( 21xF6F, 9xTBF) plus the Wasp and Formidable. I'll let you do the math, my calculations say 500+ fighters, 300+ DB, and 240+ TB at least. All I have to do is not get killed between now and then. Easier said than done I think. I'll probably need all of that and the 12 CVE with combat F4Fs and TBMs.

The combined might of 500 Hellcats, Corsairs, Wildcats and a lethal AA rating will splash the KB all over the Pacific.
I really need a miracle, so I have to come up with a really good plan.

Let's look at what counts in our favor: Ken will have to attack the Marianas/Philippines in 1944. This will take him into dangerous waters
and I will be ready for him. The initial invasion wave will have to fight a protracted battle to capture any of the key bases there that are heavily fortified.
So the KB doesn't have to spring into action at once, but will be able to 'circle' their foe that's busy supporting the invasion force fending of the cream
of the IJAAF. This is the moment I'm usually looking for: an opening, a short window of opportunity - then we strike with all we have!

So you're suggesting I split the KB into another 2 Car Div's Hoepner!? Hm, that holds both advantages and disadvantages:

On the 'plus' side:

- more coordinated air strikes (or will it become more difficult to treat 6 Car Div's as one and get them to coordinate their strikes+
- more targets for the enemy to hit

On the 'minus' side:

- Less AA guns in each of the TFs
- More escorts required

Let's see how this could be done:

Carrier Division 1: Yamaguchi 192 ac
Cvs: Shokaku, Zuikaku (72+72 ac)
Cvls: Ryujo (48 ac)

Carrier Division 2: Nagumo 199 ac
Cvs: Taiho, Unryu (74 + 65 ac)
Cvls: Chitose, Chiyoda (30+30 ac)

Carrier Division 3: Yamada 197 ac
Cvs: Junyo, Hiyo (53 + 53 ac)
Cvls: Ryuho, Zuiho, Soho (30 + 30 + 30 ac)

Carrier Division 4:
Cvs: Akagi, Amagi, Katsuragi (72 + 65 + 65 ac) 202 ac

Carrier Division 5: 161 ac
6 Cves (including the two that will arrive within a month)

The Kaga is not included in this setup and the carrier Kasagi should arrive in ca March 1944 with
her sisters Aso and Ikoma + the light carrier Ibuki following suit in the following couple of months.

I will certainly need to use both the Kitakami and Oi as carrier escorts if I get this many Car divs.
A carrier escort of 5 destroyers, 1 cl and 1 ca and or bb will probably be as much as I can afford.

[Gen.Hoepner]

Yes PzB...always try to stay below 200 planes/TF.
More escorts needed..yes..but in those conditions you described it will be a "all or nothing" game. Surely few more CAs won't stop the allied counterstrike, so you'll need to rely only on your first strike, possibly coordinated with a good IJAF strike...so you won't need that many flak guns...your only defence will be your planes

[String]

I might be mistaken, but i think that most CL's get a lot of nice AA in the 43/44 upgrades, which makes them useful as carrier escorts. I don't see them going into surface combat past 43 as the new allied CL will murder them, and considering the amount of CA/CL you have sunk the allies are gonna get a lot of pretty Baltimores and Brooklyns soon.

[PzB74]

I will follow your advice Hoepner...let's see what happends! [8D]

If possible I will try to engage the american carriers from 5 hexes as soon as the Kates
are replaced by Jills. If thing goes wrong I will be able to retreat my carriers (minus 600 ac :p)
..but these can be replaced!

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/10/43

Some PT boats reacted against my barge convoys at Rabaul. All they got for
their trouble was mines. There are aLoT of mines at Rabaul!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 1083 encounters mine field at Rabaul (61,88)

Allied Ships
PT PT-220, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PT PT-196, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

The problem caused by 'leaky CAP' is escalating! After moving my fighters from
Kavieng to Emirau Ken sent his T-bolts to Kavieng. This time the CAP over Emirau 'leaked' to Kavieng
and caused me further losses. Those who trumphed through this 'improvement' should be hanged from
their pecker

Here's perhaps some valuable intel: The T-bolts shot down Tojos and Nicks without problems, but the Tonys
proved a tougher nut! 5 P-47s were shot down in exchange for a single Tony. Is this more than a coincident?

Day Air attack on Kavieng , at 61,86

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 6
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 10
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 4

Allied aircraft
P-47C Thunderbolt x 30

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 5 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIb Nick: 6 destroyed
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47C Thunderbolt: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Ground combat at Buin

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 11715 troops, 118 guns, 137 vehicles

Defending force 4247 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 16 to 1

Japanese ground losses:
103 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[PzB74]

That's true String...Furutaka class ca's and most light cruisers are probably the best suited escorts from now on.
I still like to use the Kitakami and Oi in a surface combat role though. Their massive salvo of torpedoes usually hit the ship they fire at.

Most of the US cruisers that have been sunk went down in late 1942 (around Java), and it will take 2 years before these re-appear.
So the 'decisive battle' will most likely be fought without them. At least I hope so [:o]

[PzB74]

'Found' another 2 tank regiments in China today. Going to move them out..need more
garrisons. Just another 2 days and 5 South Sea Detachments will arrive. I also notice that
a large number of troops will arrive during the first couple of months in 1944.

If Ken sticks to his plan and doesn't move his carriers out of LBA range this means that we
should be able to strengthen our main defensive perimeter considerably by the time the storm
hits us.

Ken also stated that he may have to find an alternative route to the mainland. From my point
of view there ain't too many:

The Marianas which are heavily defended.
The Phillippines which will allow me to base thousands of ac on all the bases there
Sakhalin which is close to Japan. Staging from the Aleutians would be a logistical nightmare.

An advance against the Marianas will most likely be preceeded by an invasion of the Marshalls
An attack on the Philippines requires an Allied advance through New Guinea. A very narrow corridor unless Palau, Truk and several other bases were captured as well.
Paramushiro Jima must be captured before Shakalin can be taken. An invasion of the Home Islands in 1944 would be almost impossible?

The outlying islands of Wake and Marcus could also provide a springboard towards the Marianas or Bonin/Iwo Jima. All these bases will be heavily defended.

Would anyone like to place bets!? [:'(]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/11/43

Air Combat

Another example of how 'leaky CAP' chews up my air defenses piece by piece.
Going to try to LRCAP a patrol craft in Emirau tomorrow. Will they also protect
the base..and not 'leak' to Kavieng?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Kavieng , at 61,86

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 6

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 27
P-47C Thunderbolt x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIb Tojo: 12 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 1 damaged
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Ground combat at Buin

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12010 troops, 121 guns, 150 vehicles

Defending force 4038 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 6 to 1

Japanese ground losses:
211 casualties reported
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carrier Construction Program

As you can see the remaining 3 fleet carriers will arrive between April and June next year.
A light carrier and 6 cve's will also arrive within this time span. These ships can carry another
400 ac, bringing the optimal naval air strength to ca 1400 ac.

CV Kasagi 540 days/2 = 270 days = 9 months. 11-07-43 + 9 months = 11.04.44
CV Aso 612 days/2 = 306 = 10 months 6 days. 11-7-43 + 10 months and 6 days = 17.05.44
CV Ikoma 644 days = 03.06.44
CVL Ibuki 615 days = 19.05.44

[Fornadan]

He could try to take Timor and proceed northwards from there. He would still need to take the Philippines though

[String]

Or a mad dash for Bombay/Karachi, after capturing one he could leave the huge forces that will be available there to fight on their own and liberate India. From there on Malaya, Borneo/Indochina/Burma, Southern coast of china..

[Gen.Hoepner]

ORIGINAL: String

Or a mad dash for Bombay/Karachi, after capturing one he could leave the huge forces that will be available there to fight on their own and liberate India. From there on Malaya, Borneo/Indochina/Burma, Southern coast of china..

If PzB keeps the I.O. well patrolled with subs and AVs( those with float planes ) Nomad won't stand a chance of getting to Karachi...too risky and dangerous imho.

PzB: how many units are left in India? You could probably send some more divisions from China to India...just to be sure...

[PzB74]

I certainly hope Ken takes the route via Timor...will take a long time to get to Japan!
Going via the Marianas is perhaps the most bloody option, but by far the most efficient one.

Not overly worried about India either; got 2 'spy subs' covering the area west of Timor and the maps
edge. Will be interesting to see who guesses right [;)]

I quickly counted the assault points in India Hoepner: 5180.
There are 6 full divisions, plus another 5-6 brigades/regiments. Several SNLF units, 4 engineer regiments
and 3 tank regiments + a variety of AA, arty, coastal defense, construction and base force units.

If Ken doesn't attack India I will consider moving an Army back to the area which comes under attack.
Doesn't hurt to have a reserve of elite units [8D]

It must be tempting for Ken to re-open Aladdin's cave (Karachi) and receive a wealth of reinforcements.
An attack that goes in through Diamond Harbour will virtually seal of the Jap units in India. Such an operation
will most likely take at least 6-8 months and require the bulk of the American forces. So no, I don't think he
will do it.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/12/43

Air Combat

China is the only place I can hit back without killings myself these days.
A good raid today...hopefully we shot down a most annoying chink ace!-)

Day Air attack on Chungking , at 43,32

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 35
Ki-21 Sally x 76
Ki-48 Lily x 25
Ki-49 Helen x 26
Ki-46-III Dinah x 7

Allied aircraft
I-16c x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses (in all 14 Chinese ac were destroyed today)
I-16c: 6 destroyed
SB-2c: 2 destroyed
IL-4c: 2 destroyed

Allied ground losses:
30 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 53
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guess Lae is Ken's next target...

Day Air attack on Lae , at 54,87

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 11
Boomerang II x 18
P-38G Lightning x 14
A-20G Havoc x 16
B-25J Mitchell x 13
B-17E Fortress x 69
B-24D Liberator x 44

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
121 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 42
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No 'leakers' over Kavieng today...
[:)]
Day Air attack on Kavieng , at 61,86

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 36
P-47C Thunderbolt x 26

No Allied losses
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buka is also receiving lots of attention!

Day Air attack on Buka , at 63,90

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 42
B-17E Fortress x 42

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
52 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Port hits 4
Port supply hits 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Buka , at 63,90

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 43
B-17E Fortress x 32

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
20 casualties reported

Port supply hits 6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

It's going downhill for the poor grunts at Buin now!

Ground combat at Buin

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 12626 troops, 123 guns, 178 vehicles

Defending force 3790 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 26 to 1

Japanese ground losses:
472 casualties reported
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is the immediate LCU reinforcement program

Most of the South Seas Detachments goes to Ulithi/Yap/Palau/Iwo-Bonin/Jima.
The brigades will mostly go to the Phillippines and Northern Guinea.

[pauk]

my guess is SRA via Timor (or combination SRA/Philippines via Timor + via NG). He don't need carriers for these routes.

[Honda]

My guess is he'll just continue up NG towards PI. Time is not his ally any more and although not the shortest route, it seems most logical to me because most of his resources are already in the area. SRA seems to time-consuming and Marianas would just ba an enormous disaster for USN. I cheer for that option but belive NG -> PI will turn ou to be the one Ken chooses.

[PzB74]

Bad news: Ken is changing ISP and he will be without one for a month [X(]
Perhaps he can retrieve his turns from work? We will see..but things may be
slow for a while.

I agree completely with your assessments Pauk and Honda. A continued advance up
the coast of New Guinea is the logical approach.

There is a couple of problems with this approach:

*) It will be very narrow and thus also vulnerable to attacks from the flanks (Truk/Marshalls)
*) Palau/Yap and Ulithi may have to be captured to open the route to the Philppines. These islands will be well defended.
*) Without the Marianas Ken can't bomb Japan until the Philippines have been secured

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/13/43

Surface Combat

Sent a fast surface group into Torokina as I observed some transports
there. Assumed that Ken had moved most of his PT boats to Gasmata.
I was right, but the small buggers had a sting! 3 destroyers have between
22 and 45 sys damage after taking only a few 0.50 cal and 20mm shells.

The retreating ships were not spotted by ac and got away with it.

The reward: 4 cargo ships sent to the botttom - with their supplies I hope [:)]
Such little 'stings' will cause a slow trickle of attrition on Ken's forces and slow
down his buildup.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Torokina at 63,92

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
DD Minegumo, Shell hits 1
DD Asagumo
DD Yugure
DD Shinonome, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Isonami
DD Uranami
DD Ayanami

Allied Ships
PT PT-127
PT PT-187, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT PT-191, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
PT PT-223
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Torokina at 63,92

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
DD Minegumo, Shell hits 4
DD Asagumo, Shell hits 5, on fire
DD Yugure
DD Shinonome, on fire
DD Isonami
DD Uranami
DD Ayanami, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
PT PT-127
PT PT-223
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Torokina at 63,92

Japanese Ships
CA Furutaka
DD Minegumo
DD Asagumo, on fire
DD Yugure
DD Shinonome, on fire
DD Isonami
DD Uranami
DD Ayanami

Allied Ships
AK Draco, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AK Albireo, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Caelum, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AK Castor, Shell hits 18, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

More heavy pounding of Lae and Green/Buka Islands.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moved in a stronger CAP to Emirau today, LRCAP'ing a PC seems to work. No leakers!

Day Air attack on TF, near Emirau Island at 60,84

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 13

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 destroyed, 10 damaged

Japanese Ships
AK India Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
APD APD-34, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Huzikawa Maru
PC Kyo Maru #2, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
APD APD-36
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Emirau Island at 60,84

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 5
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 7

Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 21
P-47C Thunderbolt x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
APD APD-31

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x P-47C Thunderbolt bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Only one small Naval guard unit left at Buin now...

Ground combat at Buin

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 13055 troops, 123 guns, 200 vehicles

Defending force 2769 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 13 to 1

Japanese ground losses:
486 casualties reported

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Situation Map: New Guinea and the Solomons/New Britain

A tactical update!

Most of the forward base forces and construction units have been moved out from the exposed
perimeter bases. They will be moved to the rear and continue constructing forts and build new bases.

I'm moving reinforcements to bases like Madang, Hansa and Wewak. The same is being done in the SRA.
A full division has been split in 3 and is moving to Kendari, Menando and Sabang.

The 5 South Sea Detachments that arrived today have been posted to:
Bonin Jima
Iwo Jima
Marcus Island
Wake Island
A small island just south of Palau..can't remember its name

Felt that the string of islands from Wake to Iwo Jima needed to be strenghtened. Should be adequately fortified
and defended for now. 3 SNLF units have been released from China and are moving to the area between Biak and Hollandia.

Further reinforcements over the next 6-8 months will all go to Palau/Yap/Ulithi, the SRA and the Philippines.
4 crack divisions are still being held in strategic reserve. Still like the thought of mounting a powerful counter invasion if Ken
comes up with some cunning plan [;)]