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Consider this:

1) Almost every available bomber fly at 7,000 feet at night to bomb the airfield. This would also include float planes. Strike only from airfields that have railroads so you can rail out damaged planes when the groups fly to another base the next day. 7,000 feet should be above medium AA gun range.

2) Bombard if you can. Fast in and out, then fast to another port to repair any damage.

3) Have ONE bomber group (or even just ONE bomber) fly from a base with all of your best fighters/pilots as escorts, using the maximum number of fighters that you can. Fly from a base than can railroad planes out.

4. If there is a convoy coming in/out or at the base, then also a strike with good Fighter Bombers (P-39s) that can also carry bombs. I attacked some small AKLs 2 hexes from Port Moresby with 11 P40Es at 100 feet and got 5 bomb hits to sink 5 of them.

5. Consider using Cats at night with a pilot experience rating above 50 to torpedo some convoys farther out.

Even if you don't do much damage to the airfield in one night, it will use supplies and eventually, those will run out.

Also, if you have any units using the Matildas, then consider putting the "no upgrade" option on if you have not done so.

Jock-

Looks like you are reinforcing India nicely.

Onward Allies!

Best Regards,

-Terry

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

Send B-17s alone, if available, they will take care of any float fighter easily; mine had killed more interceptors than most fighter models [:D]

If recon tells you it is lightly defended and within range of paras, I would send a quick assault; maybe have a few APDs ready to pick the survivors.. the para LCUs cannot be destroyed because the engineer component can't be airlifted... so worst case scenario you just lose some devices.

Regarding Calgary: if he is sweeping, expect bombers coming soon... I would be sure there is enough AA and fighter cover; and probably rebase the long ranged bombers to somewhere else for a few turns

Noumea isn´t B17 ready yet. [:)]

Considering he landed SNLFs on Aoba and Efade I´m sure they are on Belep too. I don´t think I can overcome that by air drop as I lack both paras (only battalions) and most importantly I don´t have the transports to lift them!

Jeff is playing it smart after I ambushed his bombers a couple of times. His bombers are attacking completely random and I can´t predict his next target. The sweeps where to try and catch my 50 fighters I put there. They were stood down though... [:)]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
The map shows no aircraft at Calgary, and I don't think there is much industry to bomb either.

You are right. [:)] I moved the fighters out to help sweep CH.

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Consider this:

1) Almost every available bomber fly at 7,000 feet at night to bomb the airfield. This would also include float planes. Strike only from airfields that have railroads so you can rail out damaged planes when the groups fly to another base the next day. 7,000 feet should be above medium AA gun range.

2) Bombard if you can. Fast in and out, then fast to another port to repair any damage.

3) Have ONE bomber group (or even just ONE bomber) fly from a base with all of your best fighters/pilots as escorts, using the maximum number of fighters that you can. Fly from a base than can railroad planes out.

4. If there is a convoy coming in/out or at the base, then also a strike with good Fighter Bombers (P-39s) that can also carry bombs. I attacked some small AKLs 2 hexes from Port Moresby with 11 P40Es at 100 feet and got 5 bomb hits to sink 5 of them.

5. Consider using Cats at night with a pilot experience rating above 50 to torpedo some convoys farther out.

Even if you don't do much damage to the airfield in one night, it will use supplies and eventually, those will run out.

Also, if you have any units using the Matildas, then consider putting the "no upgrade" option on if you have not done so.

1. Yes I could close the airfield doing that. But I don´t want to open the bag of worms that is night bombing in AE.

2. Only have DDs available right now but they will give it a go. Had some good results before when the airfield is overstacked even when using DDs.

3. Sweep beats escort. [:)] I´m so short on fighters I can´t afford to handicap some of them by using escort.

4. Problem with that is the CAP over CH. They might sneak in under the CAP but I will most likely end up losing a lot of planes.

5. One of my opponent tried this extensively in our game. Probably over 1000 attempts on night time naval strike. He managed ONE (1) hit on a CVE sometimes in late 44. Not worth it IMO. [:D]

I don't know about your scenario, but in stock you need to fly higher than 7000 feet to avoid all but the biggest IJ AA.

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I don't know about your scenario, but in stock you need to fly higher than 7000 feet to avoid all but the biggest IJ AA.

Havn´t checked this SCEN yet but in stock its 9k right?

Medium AA guns go up to around 9k for both sides. SOP for me is HB at 10k or higher.

I am looked at the 40mm guns. Just fly high enough so you won't get hit by those and at night so the accuracy w/o radar should suffer. Don't fly so high that you can't hit the target.

A few planes targeted at the port could also slow down unloading, possibly hitting any docked ships as well, and destroy supplies.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I don't know about your scenario, but in stock you need to fly higher than 7000 feet to avoid all but the biggest IJ AA.

Havn´t checked this SCEN yet but in stock its 9k right?

I think so, yes. I think the majority of IJ AA weapons are 2k and 8k ceiling.

Talk about anticlimax. Got the turn and replay and it looks like CH was hit with bad weather. No strikes or sweeps flew. DDs didn´t make contact either.

[font="Verdana"]4th August -42[/font]
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Very much an anticlimax as nothing happened...

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NORPAC
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Sweeps and bombers rained in. I´ll try again tomorrow. Jeff spotted my fighters in Vancouver. I decided to go for it anyway. Hopefully Jeff will see this as an opportunity to get some more of my fighters with his sweeps.

Didn´t expect Japanese DDs at Coal Harbor. Changed the bombardment TF to Surface Combat instead. Lets see if my DDs can do something. [:)]

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China
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No bombardments yesterday? Saving up supply for another attack probably.

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India
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Lots of housekeeping as the main army reaches Calcutta. OZ units will upgrade to 42 squads and the 32nd US will upgrade to the 42 US squads (+10 Anti Armor). 1st Marines pass Madras.

I´ve gathered the fleet for some operations on the Burmese coast to coincide with the pending ground offensive. Japanese fleet strength is unknown. I´m trying to find his main fleet. No luck at Rangoon. I´ve not seen anything bigger then a CL here for a long, long time.

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SOPAC
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No CAP over Belep. Bombers will move to Noumea in a couple days to try and close that base. Did a lot of housekeeping down here. Sent most of the long range ships back towards Balboa. Moved the RAAF up to take over CAP duty at Noumea. Lots and lots of engineers where sent North mostly to Cairns. With bases here built up Jeff will have to start worrying about his flank.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

I´ve gathered the fleet for some operations on the Burmese coast to coincide with the pending ground offensive. Japanese fleet strength is unknown. I´m trying to find his main fleet. No luck at Rangoon. I´ve not seen anything bigger then a CL here for a long, long time.

Has the IJN main fleet had time to transit from the New Caledonia area? It should have been there in support of offensive operations. Do you really think your opponent is going to send the main fleet to the Indian Ocean at this point in the game? Unless he is planning some sort of offensive operation it doesn't seem likely that he will send it to the Indian Ocean for defense in anticipation of your limited capacity for offensive naval operations?

You can influence him to go elsewhere pretty easily as well. A campaign to suppress Coal Harbor will require intervention by the KB to prevent you from attaining air superiority. He has a level 6 airfield supported by a level 1 port with no bases within range to provide LBA support. Threatening the airfield with the 50% damage necessary to shut down strike missions will surely draw his attention. If you can get to the 80% damage necessary to shut down CAP he will have no choice but to send the KB or abandon Coal Harbor.

Japanese forces withdraw outside allied search. Japanese NavS is now searching out from Belep Island. Can´t remember how to best deal with this? Float patrols are immune to Port/AF attacks arn´t they?

CAP over a base they go over at the altitude you think they are at. LRCAP over the base they are launching from (again, best at the altitude he is operating at). I'd split a fighter group, put them at 3 altitudes and see who gets the most kills over about a week. Recombine at operate at that altitude.

But you can´t do airfield attack on location that doesn´t have one... so how do get to the FPs?

naval attack... kill the tender.

quote:But you can´t do airfield attack on location that doesn´t have one... so how do get to the FPs?
naval attack... kill the tender.

I think it would require a port attack -- which would hit ships not docked but in port?

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

quote:But you can´t do airfield attack on location that doesn´t have one... so how do get to the FPs?
naval attack... kill the tender.

I think it would require a port attack -- which would hit ships not docked but in port?

A port attack should [be able to] hit any ships disbanded in port. Tenders need to be disbanded to do their job. So yes, port attack would be the way to go in this case.
Lowpe could have brought in land based air support to keep them going as well. But a tender is the quickest and easiest way to do this, and are comparably easy to kill. If he has one there, get it. Otherwise (or in addition) use LRCAP if possible over the base to drive up ops losses. If it is too far use CAP over your base. Of course, you could do all 3 as I prefer.

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

quote:But you can´t do airfield attack on location that doesn´t have one... so how do get to the FPs?
naval attack... kill the tender.

I think it would require a port attack -- which would hit ships not docked but in port?

A port attack should [be able to] hit any ships disbanded in port. Tenders need to be disbanded to do their job. So yes, port attack would be the way to go in this case.
Lowpe could have brought in land based air support to keep them going as well. But a tender is the quickest and easiest way to do this, and are comparably easy to kill. If he has one there, get it. Otherwise (or in addition) use LRCAP if possible over the base to drive up ops losses. If it is too far use CAP over your base. Of course, you could do all 3 as I prefer.

Seaplane tenders are not like other tender types. They don't consume supply transferring ammunition to other vessels. They provide Aviation Support that does not require he tender to be disbanded.
Any time a seaplane tender of any type arrives in a port hex in a TF it increases the seaplane aviation support count at the base.
Most times a player uses a seaplane tender to provide support at a remote base the tender is typically disbanded, not because it has to be to function, but because doing so hides it from NAV search and NAV attacks, requiring a targeted port bombing or bombardment mission to get at it.

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

ORIGINAL: Crackaces




I think it would require a port attack -- which would hit ships not docked but in port?

A port attack should [be able to] hit any ships disbanded in port. Tenders need to be disbanded to do their job. So yes, port attack would be the way to go in this case.
Lowpe could have brought in land based air support to keep them going as well. But a tender is the quickest and easiest way to do this, and are comparably easy to kill. If he has one there, get it. Otherwise (or in addition) use LRCAP if possible over the base to drive up ops losses. If it is too far use CAP over your base. Of course, you could do all 3 as I prefer.

Seaplane tenders are not like other tender types. They don't consume supply transferring ammunition to other vessels. They provide Aviation Support that does not require he tender to be disbanded.
Any time a seaplane tender of any type arrives in a port hex in a TF it increases the seaplane aviation support count at the base.
Most times a player uses a seaplane tender to provide support at a remote base the tender is typically disbanded, not because it has to be to function, but because doing so hides it from NAV search and NAV attacks, requiring a targeted port bombing or bombardment mission to get at it.

It also means the engineering plant is shut down so it is not using fuel, which tends to be precious at remote bases.

ORIGINAL: poodlebrain

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

I´ve gathered the fleet for some operations on the Burmese coast to coincide with the pending ground offensive. Japanese fleet strength is unknown. I´m trying to find his main fleet. No luck at Rangoon. I´ve not seen anything bigger then a CL here for a long, long time.

Has the IJN main fleet had time to transit from the New Caledonia area? It should have been there in support of offensive operations. Do you really think your opponent is going to send the main fleet to the Indian Ocean at this point in the game? Unless he is planning some sort of offensive operation it doesn't seem likely that he will send it to the Indian Ocean for defense in anticipation of your limited capacity for offensive naval operations?

You can influence him to go elsewhere pretty easily as well. A campaign to suppress Coal Harbor will require intervention by the KB to prevent you from attaining air superiority. He has a level 6 airfield supported by a level 1 port with no bases within range to provide LBA support. Threatening the airfield with the 50% damage necessary to shut down strike missions will surely draw his attention. If you can get to the 80% damage necessary to shut down CAP he will have no choice but to send the KB or abandon Coal Harbor.

I should have been more clear. What I meant was the main Japanese fleet in the IO. He has some BB and/or CAs stationed in the area. Last spotted at Akyab about 1-2 months ago.

KB was last spotted just 3 turns ago moving from Noumea towards Rabaul. So if he is going to transit to the IO it will take him 2-3 weeks. [:)]

If things work out Coal Harbor might be suppressed shortly. Would be very interesting to see if he will move the KB there if it happens.

The problem with Belep island is that he doesn´t have a tender but a BF. So there is no tender to kill and I can´t attack the AF as there is none. So to my knowledge his Float Patrols are completely immune to attacks?

All I can do is try and suppress the BF enough that it can no longer support them. Or?

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

The problem with Belep island is that he doesn´t have a tender but a BF. So there is no tender to kill and I can´t attack the AF as there is none. So to my knowledge his Float Patrols are completely immune to attacks?

All I can do is try and suppress the BF enough that it can no longer support them. Or?

A BF makes it a bit more difficult. You could use ground attacks. If that is all he has there it may work. If there is other things, your bombs will probably target them. So a direct attack is probably not the best idea. Can you LRCAP his base? That will increase his losses, possibly to the intolerable point. Otherwise just put some CAP at his estimated altitude (6k is the default for search planes, but he can change that - good place to start though) somewhere in their search pattern. Flak in his search arc helps as well. Seems to work even better if you have something for him to "see", say a few transports or DDs at Noumea (though this is just an anecdotal observation on my part).