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About the command HQ....unfortunately it's prepping for Kunming cause i thought i would have reach it sooner... while i got stopped 1 hex east of it... I'll give a try without it and if it doesn't work we'll switch it back for Chengtu, but will mean wait some 3 more months.... [:o]

OK, then what are you using either the Southern Army or 5th Fleet (NE Fleet after renaming) for now?? One of them could be prepping for Chengtu.

Another idea like the possible bombing of Townsville would be to take Cocos Island out. With the newer Beta patches, LCUs with better than 50 experience levels can starting prepping for a new base (if they are already 100%) and get 25 to 33 prep level as soon as you change over. If not a direct attack then a series of increase bombing from Christmas Island, possible CV attacks, and then BB TF to hit the base hard. IMO, this base will come back to hurt you and you have the opportunity to take it now with you naval supremacy. The Southern Command HQ at Christmas (IO) would help this attack if you do invade.

Just some random thoughts from the General Staff in Tokyo. [;)]

At Chengtu we have 4000 AVs, facing its 1800 AVs.... i guess his forts are up to 3 and the base is a light urban...so a +2 defensive bonus... the first assault will go bad, no doubt,...he still has a lot of embedded supplies with his units...but, with a couple of attacks, that precious supply should exaust and my hope is to start fighting with his troops having the -50% malus due to lack of supplies. My best guys are there. I also have 2 full tank divisions in town....i expect a series of 1-3 at the beginning but it will be important to smash the forts first....once the forts are gone the +2 terrain bonus won't be enough for him.
 
 

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

He can't fight for 3-6 months. The DB and TB pools are just not that deep. Even if he repairs everything you won't see him until after Hellcats are available. How are your naval pilots and pools? Looks like you didn't take too big of a hit. Can you reload and take the KB on a trip? Something on your shopping list? Even if you don't you might want to cruise around the SW Pacific shipping lanes or dare I say between Hawaii and Pearl for a couple of months and just be a pain in the ass. He can't ambush you

true.. You have to think long and hard about it, you don't want to lose 100 pilots to a hit and run on a CAP nest, but you have naval superiority for a few months and you might want to hurt his preparations / convoys / logistic trains while you can ?

Of course this raises the question of Fuel expenditure and general economic situation.. But who knows, you might sink a couple of damaged CVs on their way to the west coast...

IF you were him, What would you do with your CVs, say 2 CVs with significant damage and 2 lightly damaged ? try to put yourself in his shoes and see what could be done...

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

About the command HQ....unfortunately it's prepping for Kunming cause i thought i would have reach it sooner... while i got stopped 1 hex east of it... I'll give a try without it and if it doesn't work we'll switch it back for Chengtu, but will mean wait some 3 more months.... [:o]

OK, then what are you using either the Southern Army or 5th Fleet (NE Fleet after renaming) for now?? One of them could be prepping for Chengtu.

Another idea like the possible bombing of Townsville would be to take Cocos Island out. With the newer Beta patches, LCUs with better than 50 experience levels can starting prepping for a new base (if they are already 100%) and get 25 to 33 prep level as soon as you change over. If not a direct attack then a series of increase bombing from Christmas Island, possible CV attacks, and then BB TF to hit the base hard. IMO, this base will come back to hurt you and you have the opportunity to take it now with you naval supremacy. The Southern Command HQ at Christmas (IO) would help this attack if you do invade.

Just some random thoughts from the General Staff in Tokyo. [;)]

I've been thinking about invading Cocos for a loooooong time. But i always regretted it. It's heavily fortified and, by now, his seabees must have brought the forts to a HUGE level. I may try to bomb it, but Christmas is already suppressed by the 4Es taking off from Cocos and the only viable solution would be to bomb it with my BBs, covered by the KB... risking to be hit by mines, subs and by PTs.... is it really worth the risk? I don't think i can take Cocos by now, not even with a full blockade (and it's hard to do it in 1943 without putting my ships at risk).
What do i risk if i leave it alive? Well, he can place there his 4Es...reaching Batavia, Sosarbaja and Palembang. But it's only a level 5 AF and those unescorted bombers aren't a real threat for our oilfields which are already guarded by Nicks and soon by Georges.
He can use it as a staging base for an invasion... sure, but it can guest only 15,000 troops (atoll) and so it would be more a LBA base than a real staging base. even without it in late 1943 the allies can load 10 divisions in India/Oz and land everywhere in the western perimeter without much trouble (i've done it starting from PH and landing in Hokkaido!).
I see it more as a nuiance than a real threat.

What i'll do is to use a strong SAG TF, screened by several subs and by a mini_KB to land at Christmas some more AA units and some engineers. Once i gain the air supremacy over it again, i'll be able to defend it and then i'll prevent any real offensive use of Cocos Island.

My main goal now is not to risk my assets. I need to have them fully at hand when the time will come. Won't risk my CVs (nor my BBs) in any offensive mission. To keep my defence as elastic and mobile as possible is my nr.1 priority!!!

Thanks again Micheal, you've been (and you are) very very important!!!

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

He can't fight for 3-6 months. The DB and TB pools are just not that deep. Even if he repairs everything you won't see him until after Hellcats are available. How are your naval pilots and pools? Looks like you didn't take too big of a hit. Can you reload and take the KB on a trip? Something on your shopping list? Even if you don't you might want to cruise around the SW Pacific shipping lanes or dare I say between Hawaii and Pearl for a couple of months and just be a pain in the ass. He can't ambush you

My pools are fine. The KB is intact in every aspect and the LBA never suffered much during this match.

The temptation of doing something now is BIG....but i won't. Fuel is precious as gold and i won't achieve anything even if i sink a 50 TKs convoy. I need my CVs to be ready in case he tries something in the DEI or in CENTPAC. moreover i need to upgrade them in april and need to upgrade all my DB and TB squadrons. I burnt something like 80,000 fuel in this trip from Truk to Townsville... it's A LOT for Japan, believe me.

No, let's remain focused. Let's get ready for another defensive battle. We need to be ready to smash him when he comes around. Seeking glory around the map is not what Japan needs to do in 1943

ORIGINAL: veji1

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

He can't fight for 3-6 months. The DB and TB pools are just not that deep. Even if he repairs everything you won't see him until after Hellcats are available. How are your naval pilots and pools? Looks like you didn't take too big of a hit. Can you reload and take the KB on a trip? Something on your shopping list? Even if you don't you might want to cruise around the SW Pacific shipping lanes or dare I say between Hawaii and Pearl for a couple of months and just be a pain in the ass. He can't ambush you

true.. You have to think long and hard about it, you don't want to lose 100 pilots to a hit and run on a CAP nest, but you have naval superiority for a few months and you might want to hurt his preparations / convoys / logistic trains while you can ?

Of course this raises the question of Fuel expenditure and general economic situation.. But who knows, you might sink a couple of damaged CVs on their way to the west coast...

IF you were him, What would you do with your CVs, say 2 CVs with significant damage and 2 lightly damaged ? try to put yourself in his shoes and see what could be done...

I'd leave the 2 lightly damaged to be repaired in Oz, while moving back the other 2 to PH.

But, mate, if i was him i'd prey to see the KB hunting around the pacific...as long as he knows where the KB is he can strike somehwere else. What do i gain if i sink a convoy full of supplies? He must be swimming with fuel and supplies everywhere...he simply doesn't need them.
The KB must be a deterrent. Now that it has gained a psycological bonus, i need the KB to remain unseen...powerfull and unseen.

If he strikes at Tabiutea or near Timor i need to be able to rush there i time

He can't repair anything big in Oz. Lex and Sara are too big. Not sure about Yorktown and Hornet, maybe only the Wasp will fit (i forget which is smaller, Wasp or Hornet). Can't really tell if you hit another big carrier or not could be FOW. He has flight decks I think or the SBD totals would have been higher (not that they are anything to sneeze at).

Brad is busy today, so no more turns till tonight...in the meanwhile i'm thinking a lot about my strategy
 
Micheal's right...i have at least a command HQ doing nothing in Java... will move it to China ASAP prepping for Chengtu
 
In the last battle we've been able to see the betties employed against CV covered targets...depressing results, even when they arrive untouched. The combination of low speed + DBB flak make them more or less unusable against CVs or BBs... that's why i'm really looking forward to the Frances. I believe that a 340 mhp plane, if well escorted, can cause a massive damage to an invading fleet.
I'm still unsure if it would be a good idea or not to keep on R&D the Frances line once the first model (the fastest one) becomes available.
I currently have 3x30 R&D factories and i'd like to convert them all to production... but i wonder if it's wise not to look for the second version (slower but equipped with H-6 radar)....mmmmm.... thoughts?

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

He can't repair anything big in Oz. Lex and Sara are too big. Not sure about Yorktown and Hornet, maybe only the Wasp will fit (i forget which is smaller, Wasp or Hornet). Can't really tell if you hit another big carrier or not could be FOW. He has flight decks I think or the SBD totals would have been higher (not that they are anything to sneeze at).

That's what I thought. Only the smallest CV can be repaired at Sydney. So it would have to be the 2 lightly damaged at PH and the moderatly damaged on the West Coast.

GreyJoy, it would be nice to get another round up of your state of preparation and your thoughts, we might be able to suggest/help out if you present how you see the situation per geographical theater.

cheers.

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

He can't repair anything big in Oz. Lex and Sara are too big. Not sure about Yorktown and Hornet, maybe only the Wasp will fit (i forget which is smaller, Wasp or Hornet). Can't really tell if you hit another big carrier or not could be FOW. He has flight decks I think or the SBD totals would have been higher (not that they are anything to sneeze at).

I think we damaged pretty well the Lex and the Hornet, while the Sara and the Yorky got out pretty unscatched. Probably he will need a big yard only for the Lex who ate two torps... the others may be in fighting conditions with few weeks in a big enough port

Honestly the experience is that long range naval bombers are only mildly efficient against soft targets. Against hard targets, whether Betty or Frances, they are cannon fodder used to tire the CAP out and seeing from afar through direct attack what is coming at you. Exactly like in this battle. having Betties and zeroes, even late in war and flown by crappy pilots is usefull because they attack from far and show you more precisely what's there.

A bit later in game they are also useful for small strike packages Chutaisize from bypassed smaller bases against unprotecte TFs...

But if I were you I would separate your naval offensive LBA into 2 tiers :
- the long range Zeroes and Betties with expendable pilots that are "offensive recon" and cannonfodder to tire a CAP
- Higher quality groups of higher quality Frances with better escorts (but not much, for escorts it is number that count) that should strike with or after the CV forces have struck and could actually do a bit of damage.

But what you want to avoid is throwing away those quality pilots from the second group on hard CAPPED targets. Just have those groups in a second echelon or with very short range so that they don't strike from too far and can be saved for when they are useful.

ORIGINAL: veji1

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

He can't repair anything big in Oz. Lex and Sara are too big. Not sure about Yorktown and Hornet, maybe only the Wasp will fit (i forget which is smaller, Wasp or Hornet). Can't really tell if you hit another big carrier or not could be FOW. He has flight decks I think or the SBD totals would have been higher (not that they are anything to sneeze at).

That's what I thought. Only the smallest CV can be repaired at Sydney. So it would have to be the 2 lightly damaged at PH and the moderatly damaged on the West Coast.

GreyJoy, it would be nice to get another round up of your state of preparation and your thoughts, we might be able to suggest/help out if you present how you see the situation per geographical theater.

cheers.

Sure...

BURMA: nothing changed from the latest maps we posted. We hold a line that runs from Akyab through the jungles south of Kalemyo, up to north of Katha and to Wazarup (north of Mitikyna). We have forts everywhere up and building but supply flow remains a problem at Akyab and everywhere up from Mandalay cause i decided not to build up any base in order not to give him something easy to bomb[;)]
Jungle and stacking limits are my friends here. I'mk trying to rotate my units up and down from the fighting line, so to give them some break after spending months in the jungle hexes.
My goal is to be able to bring in the next 6 months 2 more divisions to be used as reserves.

ADAMANS: We have garrisoned and built up Port Blair (Af lvl 5, with 2 regiments, 3 AA, 2 base forces and an Air HQ), Little Adaman (2 base forces, 1 mixed Bde and 1 AA) and the other base whose name now i don't remember (north of Sebang anyway). With forts everywhere up to 4> and with some more reinforcements coming, i do consider these places well garrisoned as long as Burma remains in my heands.
Sebang has a whole division, 4 forts, an arty unit with 320mm guns, 2 AA, 2 base forces with radars and an Air HQ. Moulmein is held and Victoria point will soon get a garrison and possibly an Air HQ in order to triangulate the air defence of the Adamans (Rangoon-Victoria-Port Blair-Sebang).

SUMATRA:

We've already spoken about Sebang. We have then garrisoned Padang (with a reinforced division, 2 base forces and some artillery) and Siberoet (a regiment with some engineers), then we have Ban-whatever (the base on the western coast exactly at the same latitude as Palembang) which is a level 7 AF, with engineers and a mixed regiment. Palembang has an air HQ, several base forces, lots of AA and 2 regiments. Oosthaven gets a base forces and some tanks. Another regiment is ready to be shipped, along with 4 AA units from Singapore.

JAVA:
We have 4 divisions here, along with 2 Air HQs (Sosarbaja and Batavia) and some SNLF and Militia units.
Christmas Island is held by a mixed Bde, 3 strong SNLF units and 2 base forces. Need more AA here and some engineers to repair the damages caused by his Liberators from Cocos.

SOUTHERN DEI:
Well, here the list is long... we have units spread over all the coastal dot bases from Bali to Timor. In some cases regiments, in other SNLF units. I'm not building any AF except for Ruteng and Dempassar...don't wanna give him any advantage if he decides to land here.
Makassar and Kendari are acting as backwater bases, with air HQs, Naval HQs, AKEs, ADs and ASs. My counterstrikes will start from here.
Timor is held by 2 Divisions and by a pletora of AA, Artillery, Army and Air HQs... the best i could do.
Ambon has an air HQ and we're building a series of nearby bases to guest fighters when his bombers will decide to arrive.
Babar, Saumlaki and Selroe are all defended by regiments with engineers building forts (everywhere up to 3 by now).
Taberfane and Dobo have combat engineers and parts of the 68th Inf Division.
We're now building Sorong area and Biak area, where i'll place air HQs.

Menado needs more attention...i'll strip some engineers from Solomons area and send them here cause i want to build it at lvl 9 AF ASAP.

NG-SOLOMONS... i'll go in details later tonight, now i need to work [:(]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
i'll go in details later tonight, now i need to work [:(]

THis is not acceptable.. I need to work to but I don't do it so that I can keep posting here !

Congratulations on a major victory, GJ!  Having bought so much time to attend to your defenses and put them in good order must feel like you've won the lottery.  You really are quite an amazing player.  You're like the Hobbit of AE!

Congrats on your recent victory! Certainly not a reversed Midway, but psychologically very import and with your recent successes in China just the time you may need to propel your defenses to another level.

I understand why you don't want to go after his damaged CV's. Not sure I would do the same but I think understand your reasons.

Having said that I suggest you go a little bit in his head though...

How about searching all Australian harbors for his CVs with Glen's - even the small ones. Rockhampton and the like, which may be usually ignored but are a good place to hide for quick patches. If necessary even go as far as Auckland and Melbourne. Make sure he knows you are looking for these CVs. You may never spot a single valuable target but you may make him move prematurely (even allied damage control is no 100% protection against the failing pump message) or even set up a few wolfpacks and try to get a lucky torpedo hit.

My 2 cents.

What a cracking result for the KB

Surely its tempting to go on a massive raid, as there isn't a lot he can do to stop you?

Thx Guys!

No, a part from some subs recon missions, i won't do anything special.
My ships are in good conditions but the runs at flank speed put sys damage of many major ships up to 10. Kaga and Akagi are in pretty bad conditions and need some days of R&D. Same goes for lots of my subs... those who weren't damaged during the battle have their sys up to 10/15 and their fuel tanks are completely empty. Several DDs suffered engine damages at various levels and many more need to attend their 12/42 upgrades.

So no, we need to use this time to get ready at 100% strenght.

Also fuel remains a problem. Rabaul only has 20k fuel, Truk 60k and one of my two oilers TFs (the one who is kept near Kusiae Is and that refueld part of the KB during the long run from the north) is down to 15k tons...
Luckly i had time to refuel the other Replenishment TF at Babeldolap (sp!?)

Feb 10, 1943

While the KB crawls back to Rabaul at cruise speed, we had a massive refuel operation at sea south of Rossell Island... if i'm arriving safely at Rabaul without ending in red for what concerns fuel i can call myself lucky! Only now i realize how much i risked... fuel was already below 40% when we seeked for battle and probably another day of fightings would have meant to be forced to leave behind several capital ships in order to save the KB...[8|]

Brad's subs are starting to appear around the KB... we are doing our best with the ASW (both aerial and naval).
His CVs and BBs must all be at Townsville licking their wounds by now

The massive air movements of the last 5/6 days are now showing their drawbacks... several Sentais of Betties, Nells and zeros are up to 40% fatigue, losing planes and pilots every day during the transfers... I had forced them to travel all the way from Java to Rabaul/Gasmata/Munda in a couple of days and then i ordered them to fly offensive and search missions... and that's the result. Now i need to rest them for a week at least.

We're unloading a huge convoy at Saipan. Many aux units will get their feet ashore and start preparing the ground for the 20th Division that will be bought out from Manchuria in few days (we now have 1900 PPs to spare!).

The enemy unknown TF remains south of Paramushiro Jima... doing what!?!?!?

The first group of N1K1 is almost ready at Singapore and will soon be transfered to Palembang.

An air HQ is now loading at Tokyo for Biak, while 3 Indipendent Eng Rgt will be moved to Sorong and start to build the base up.

I foresee an heavy bombardment of Lautem very soon. We're getting ready... mines are coming and a group of PT will be formed, while a flottilla of DDs will guard the harbour and the BB/CA TF, along with the Mini-KB will wait in the shade between Kendari and Ambon...17 subs are already in position to be spread around Lautem as soon as he gives me a sign...

I'm now tempted to divide the KB for the next month (untill the upgrades of 4/43). The idea is to send 2 CVLs and 2 small CVs to the DEI (where they could support the Christmas operation and keep him honest on southern DEI), while keeping a decent force in the pacific to counter the foreseen invasion of Tabiutea. If he spots my CVs near Java he may get too confortable in CENTPAC...

In China we're almost ready for the first attack on Chengtu... 4 days to go

Few considerations about NOPAC.
 
Winter will be over in a month from now... and it's been too quiet for a too long time. Not a single enemy recon mission. No more subs spotted...nothing (except that TF which is scouting, probably trying to see what forces i have there)...
 
I don't like this quiet. Not at all. I've already seen what a not-well-defended NOPAC may mean for Japan. So what to do?
 
Here's the plan. Another division will be coming (divided into 3 regiments) in the next 40 days. Some more base forces are getting there and i'm transfering the HI training groups to Shimushiri Jiima (where i have an Air HQ). These groups, if needed, will be able to attack. I'm also transfering a 42 Tojo training Sentai to Paramushiro (which can be reached by Attu by 4Es).
 
A SCTF composed by 1 modern CL and 6 DDs will be dockedt at Etorofu, where i already have several Naval support squads and some Aux ships (AD, AKE, AS).
 
Still unsure if to divert a sub flottilla up there. I need my subs to remain packed and don't believe they can be effective if not in big groups
 
 
 
 

Most of his CV's need repair yard, rest are too depleted or aircraft and men to oppose anything in near future. If there is time to counter invade now is.

Go somewhere strategically important, but where you could have clear advantage from LBA and KB, trash and capture few bases. Capturing north Australia will not only destroy some aircraft and ships but you will also secure major part of DEI so you will need less land forces to keep them safe.

Don't be afraid to sacrifice few divisions on capturing and holding Darwin + few bases when only oil is what you really need. For keeping Darwin open he will use best airframes he has and still loose. On your part you probably have too many old and obsolete aircraft that you'll replace anyway.

Ignore what i said and what i would do, play your game, i am just amazed how well u laid trap for his CV's. Considering how many planes you had on cap and what damage you did prior to attacking but also AA that you did put up, its normal that USN hit nothing and its exactly what we would expect in real life.

You made my day GJ...

Have you used PPs to buy out the Infantry Groups in Japan?? I used them to garrison the NoPac in the Kuriles. Later in the war which should be about now in your game you start to get more components that allows those Inf Grps to expand and become a division. The other thing is the ability for those components that are delayed to start prepping for a future base (click on "Unit Organization" to see when and what the other components are). I would use some of your Chinese bases "Ind Mixed Bde" that do the same thing for garrison duties in the Marianas Islands, as an example.

LCU Upgrades - Many of your BFs will be due about 555 days into the game. To find them easily, hit the "G" button to pull up all your ground units. Then "Show Soft" in the upper right hand corner. Finally, click on "TOE." Scroll down to see which units are due upgrades. If a "0" or "-1" show up (forget which one is what) that unit can be upgraded.

Fuel - Are you micro-managing your TKs and Resource convoys going to Japan?? I set them to "Do Not Refuel" when they leave Singapore and any other base in the SRA going to Japan and/or points in eastern Pacific like Truk. If they don't have enough organic fuel to make the trip back to the SRA, I then switch the Refueling Option on the TF screen to "Minimal Refuel" and use the Waypoint option. Finally, I hit the "Replenish from Port." This option will give the TF only enough fuel plus 10% to get back to the port in the SRA where all your fuel is generated.

If you see some of my TF returning to my main base in the USA as Allies, they get back home almost in the Red with maybe a few turns of fuel left. No sense in you transporting a large TF worth of Fuel back to Japan and then have the TF top off its fuel tanks from the supply of fuel you just dropped off unless needed.

I may have mentioned these before, but they are important things to remember and since your AAR get so many hits (some jealousy here [;)]). it is good knowledge to have.

Economic Minister Benoit