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Concur on Brit CAs. [&o] American CAs are for CV TFs. Leave the modern CLs to fight the naval battles. 4 Clevelands and 8 Fletchers is my favorite SC TF to create.

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Concur on Brit CAs. [&o] American CAs are for CV TFs. Leave the modern CLs to fight the naval battles. 4 Clevelands and 8 Fletchers is my favorite SC TF to create.

I use them for high speed bombardment purposes too. Paired with a DD of equal speed they scale up nicely.

[font="Verdana"]28th August 1942[/font]
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NORPAC/WC
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Very little happening here. Jeff bombs Bremerton from time to time but thats about it.

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SOPAC
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Allies are very busy down here. The fleet is refitting while a lone CA TF keep on guard. After Belep was secured no Japanese patrols have been seen in the area.

A reinforcement TF for Luganville is inbound while small TFs shuttle troops around. Another 160k fuel started unloading at Auckland. More is incoming.

I decided to swap out Wasps TBs for some Marine fighters. I really need more TB training squadrons and Allied TBs are usually pretty "meh" to begin with.

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China
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With supply complete gone its just seal clubbing. Jeff will be in Chungking in 3-4 weeks.

[font="Verdana"]VP score[/font]
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I had a nice graph going but Tracker went bonkers a few turns ago and I had to start over. Score is now 31073:9533 or 3,260:1. The ratio has been slowly dropping over the last few month from a peak of around 3,7:1.

Even though China will soon topple over I don´t think it will be enough for AV. I have still to expand Noumea which will give me around 500 more VPs.

Given the current situation I don´t think Jeff can manage AV in 43. Not unless something drastically changes like a huge naval battle where the allies lose most of the navy.

[font="Verdana"]Naval losses[/font]
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Losses have been very light on both sides. Allies lost 7 slow BBs at PH and Lady Lex was sunk on the strike at Java. The allied Navy is in very good shape and getting stronger for each turn. This lull won´t last though. Both Jeff and I have been pretty defensive with the Navies. That will change before 42 is up I´m sure. At least the allies will be a lot more offensive. Especially in SOPAC and the IO.

BB Washington just arrived at Balboa. In contrast to the slow BB the fast ones are extremely useful. [:)]

Concur on Brit CAs. American CAs are for CV TFs. Leave the modern CLs to fight the naval battles. 4 Clevelands and 8 Fletchers is my favorite SC TF to create.

Can you elaborate a bit? I have had very little luck with British CAs in naval battles. And their gun has less range (32 vs 31), effect (260 vs 256), and penetration (275 vs 180) than the US 8". I consistently saw some variation of "armor hit" against Japanese CLs and CAs (so penetration seems important). They do typically have better experience and the accuracy is much better (33 vs 50), so they hit a lot more... but I can't ever seem to get them to penetrate (especially the critical hull).

US CLs on the other hand are beasts. There guns have less range and effect, but more accuracy and even more penetration than the British CA guns. I'll purposely put them up against anything but a BB. Fletchers are worth their weight in gold.

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

Concur on Brit CAs. American CAs are for CV TFs. Leave the modern CLs to fight the naval battles. 4 Clevelands and 8 Fletchers is my favorite SC TF to create.

Can you elaborate a bit? I have had very little luck with British CAs in naval battles. And their gun has less range (32 vs 31), effect (260 vs 256), and penetration (275 vs 180) than the US 8". I consistently saw some variation of "armor hit" against Japanese CLs and CAs (so penetration seems important). They do typically have better experience and the accuracy is much better (33 vs 50), so they hit a lot more... but I can't ever seem to get them to penetrate (especially the critical hull).

US CLs on the other hand are beasts. There guns have less range and effect, but more accuracy and even more penetration than the British CA guns. I'll purposely put them up against anything but a BB. Fletchers are worth their weight in gold.

Might be just a coincident but for me its been the other way around. Even modern CAs like Baltimores have been chewed up and then spit out but Japanese CAs even late in the war. British CAs have been doing very well for me though. Especially when backed up by US DDs. Preferably Fletchers!

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: tiemanj

Concur on Brit CAs. American CAs are for CV TFs. Leave the modern CLs to fight the naval battles. 4 Clevelands and 8 Fletchers is my favorite SC TF to create.

Can you elaborate a bit? I have had very little luck with British CAs in naval battles. And their gun has less range (32 vs 31), effect (260 vs 256), and penetration (275 vs 180) than the US 8". I consistently saw some variation of "armor hit" against Japanese CLs and CAs (so penetration seems important). They do typically have better experience and the accuracy is much better (33 vs 50), so they hit a lot more... but I can't ever seem to get them to penetrate (especially the critical hull).

US CLs on the other hand are beasts. There guns have less range and effect, but more accuracy and even more penetration than the British CA guns. I'll purposely put them up against anything but a BB. Fletchers are worth their weight in gold.

Might be just a coincident but for me its been the other way around. Even modern CAs like Baltimores have been chewed up and then spit out but Japanese CAs even late in the war. British CAs have been doing very well for me though. Especially when backed up by US DDs. Preferably Fletchers!

I mean, the numbers for the device stats don't lie, to me... There are other factors:

Weather
TF commander
Ship commander
Ship experience
Damage levels on firing ship as well as target ship


The penetration point is a good one. I barely use the British CAs myself. I find them to be mostly relegated to AA duty, while I will typically bombard with USN CAs.

IJN ships all have high experience levels compared to USN ships. The British ships sometimes have good experience levels, but it depends. I think this accounts for much of the observed discrepancy. Once you take care of your USN ships on experience, they will perform as their device stats indicate.

[font="Verdana"]30th August 1942[/font]
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India continues to be the place where everything happens.

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NORPAC/WC
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Nothing. Allied slow BBs depart EC for the WC.

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SOPAC
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Another fuel convoy reaches Auckland with 100k of fuel. Using mostly xAKs for this. I have a TF with 3 AOs arriving shortly. They will help keep the fleet refueled during operations.

Allies are spreading out in New Caledonia and the New Hebrides. A USN CA TF will cover a reinforcement convoy for Luganville. Mostly using short range xAKLs for hauling. Stacking limits make things a bit complicated here. Noumea is already maxed out at 35k so everything has to be hauled directly from OZ.

I´m topping off Hiva Oa, Tahiti and Pago Pago. I´ll also pull the engineers from Vavau. I havn´t really been using this base anyway. More engineers departed Balboa together with 2 CAT squadrons.

I decided to send Washington to the EC straight away for the 10/42 refit. I already have the North Carolina and South Dakota in SOPAC. Not sure a 3rd fast BB is really needed there at the moment. I´ll probably send Washington to CT to do the refits there and then reinforce Force Z.

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India
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I decided to sortie what is left of the RAF bombers to get some intel on the Japanese forces in Northern India. Only the 56th ID and parts of the 18th. This turned out to be moot as the Japanese are running away. After this is sent the bombers back to Madras. All squadrons are understrength and pools are non existant. Can´t afford another "bad day".

I´ve been sweeping a lot trying to capture Japanese LRCAP but no luck. Stood the fighters down to recover FAT. I´ll try some sweeps again in the south when they have recovered.

The 254th decided it was a good idea to not follow the rest of the troops into Dacca. Instead they went SE... [8|] They are now paying the price for leaving the AA cover while trying to get back. Luckily so far only 3 Stuarts are lost but most of the support is gone. They should shift hex next turn.

Ordered a bombardment of Dacca tomorrow. Fingers crossed I´ve estimated troops strength here correctly. More then 2000 AV here and I´ll have to rethink.

In the North we are in pursuit of fleeing Japanese forces. The race is on for Tezpur. My Northern and Center force will join up there giving my a total AV of around 2500. Most of the US armor and TDs are here which allows me to race ahead hopefully cutting the rail.

Still no sign of a Japanese withdrawal from India. This could indicate Jeff is confident he can hold Dacca. That in turn would be very bad news for the Allies as I have already committed my reserves for the area. I have some reserves at Bombay but I don´t dare release them for the East front. At least not yet.

[font="Verdana"]PM area[/font]
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As for the rest of SOPAC Jeff hasn´t really done much (if anything) here. PM is very lightly garrisoned as is Milne Bay. I like going straight for PM rather then muck around in the Solomons. Especially true in this game as the Solomons are not even garrisoned.

If things remain stable here I´m looking at a PM invasion in late 42. Forces are already prepped and ready but I´m really dragging behind on base expansion. Engineers just arrived at Townsville, Cairns and Cooktown. Forts are already up but I need to get the port at Townsville ready and airfield at Cooktown and Cairns. Once that is done I can (hopefully) start moving stuff by sea rather then the slow walk.

I need a fighter strip at Portland Roads and preferably a 4E ready airfield at Cairns. 1st Australian division and 27th US division provides security at Townsville. Cairns and Cooktown have some armor, a brigade and CD guns.

As for the rest of SOPAC I could move a lot faster here but at the moment there is no rush. Japanese AV is still 10k VPs away.

[font="Verdana"]Dacca[/font]
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Got the replay and the CR. Look at this... [:)]

Ground combat at Dacca (56,38)

Allied Bombardment attack

Attacking force 84363 troops, 1527 guns, 922 vehicles, Assault Value = 2563

Defending force 48405 troops, 569 guns, 234 vehicles, Assault Value = 1298

Japanese ground losses:
240 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
230 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled)

Assaulting units:
70th British Division
7th Australian Division
6th Australian Division
32nd Infantry Division
18th British Division
2nd British Division
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
24th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
IV Indian Corps
25th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
2/9th Field Regiment
95th Heavy AA Regiment
21st Light AA Regiment
2/11th Field Regiment
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment

Defending units:
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
5th Division
38th Division
4th Guards Division
3rd Mortar Battalion
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Bn /5
16th AA Regiment
91st JAAF AF Bn
15th JAAF Base Force
20th AA Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
1st RF Gun Bn /1

Dacca is a clear hex so no defensive multiplier. Bombardment shows good results which means forts cannot be high at all. The 4th Guards division is a mediocre one while the 5th and 38th are good ones.

This is certainly doable. I´ll order an attack immediately. [:)]

I´ll hold the update until tomorrow as Jeff will be unavailable. Working on the next turn right now. It will be bloody...hopefully not so much of mine! [:D]

Not really sure what happened. Jeff is away today but said he would send me the turn during the day. Didn´t get one though which means I won´t get it until tomorrow. [:(]

I did two ground attacks (Dacca + North) and a 400 plane sweep of CH. Had hoped I could have done an extensive update today when Jeff is away. But I can´t really do that without the turn.

[font="Verdana"]31st August -42[/font]
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Only got the replay and CR so you will have to make due without screens for now.

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NORPAC/WC
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Sometimes the game just conspires against you. This was certainly such a day. [:(]

I have 440 Fighters set to sweep Coal Harbor. Due to range and stacking issues I couldn´t send them from the same airfield as the bombers flying from Seattle. So to minimize the risk of sweeps raining in while bombers flew...I divided my fighters to 3 different airfields. Vancouver, Oak Harbor and Bremerton (if memory serves me right). Of course they ALL 3 rain in except Seattle. [8|]

As I havn´t the turn file its hard to predict the damage but its not looking good.

Morning Air attack on Coal Harbour , at 204,49

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
A6M5 Zero x 8
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 30

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 50
B-26 Marauder x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed on ground
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed on ground
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 destroyed, 22 damaged
B-26 Marauder: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged

This was followed by 4 smaller raids. Hard to predict losses but it will be ugly.

Do I need to mention weather forecast was "clear"... [8|] Not a happy camper right now. Yuck.

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China
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Bad news continue to pile on here. I really don´t know why I even try to defend. I´m probably better off just running back to Chungking or the mountains.

Ground combat at 75,50 (near Kweiyang)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 37412 troops, 509 guns, 1096 vehicles, Assault Value = 1205

Defending force 28794 troops, 165 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 417

Japanese adjusted assault: 941

Allied adjusted defense: 307

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
178 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 14 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 22 (1 destroyed, 21 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
11326 casualties reported
Squads: 378 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 280 destroyed, 39 disabled
Engineers: 26 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 23 (20 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Units retreated 5

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India
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Good news here though. [:)]

Ground combat at Dacca (56,38)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 84252 troops, 1526 guns, 923 vehicles, Assault Value = 2546

Defending force 48012 troops, 569 guns, 234 vehicles, Assault Value = 1271

Allied adjusted assault: 1160

Japanese adjusted defense: 1535

Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
2226 casualties reported
Squads: 7 destroyed, 207 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 64 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 36 disabled
Guns lost 77 (5 destroyed, 72 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
957 casualties reported
Squads: 10 destroyed, 213 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled
Guns lost 44 (1 destroyed, 43 disabled)
Vehicles lost 7 (1 destroyed, 6 disabled)

My guys were pretty high FAT/DIS before the attack. So this is an excellent result considering Japanese troops were well rested and dug in behind forts. Have to wait for the turn until I know if another attack is doable.

Jeff is trying to get the hell out so this was probably my only chance. But with the abandonment of Dacca the Japanese Indian expedition is over. [:)]

[font="Verdana"]Airlosses[/font]
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Got the turn. Losses was much lighter then I feared! We almost got away with a 1:1.

EDIT: The P38s were the only fighters with the range to reach CH from Seattle and they luckily flew before the bombers. These were permarestricted units arriving at 50% strength. I will have to pull them out and use them as trainers from now on though. Won´t allow them to take replacements as they "disband" rather then "withdraw".

[font="Verdana"]Dacca[/font]
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Troops are pretty beat up. Thoughts on making another attack next turn? I´m leaning towards no as the disruption is too high for my liking.

Definitely rest those troops.

How did you get 70th Brit Division up to 379 AV? In my game (Stock scenario 1) it arrives with only engineers and support and the TOE says that is all it gets. The text for seeing the Unit Composition is grayed out. I have never been able to find units that match with it to fill out the division.

70th Brit Div is full strength in DBB mods versus stock.

[font="Verdana"]Bay of Bengal[/font]
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Hmm....now what do we have here? KB? Or something else?

Bay of Bengal "KB" - that's something else. You likely don't have good DL on them. What's telling is the "CVE" sighting. It's some kind of baby KB with the 21-knot CVE(s) IMO.

Dacca - don't attack with those numbers. Forts are still too high for you to take the base. I'd only attack with fatigue/disruption numbers like that if it was my only chance to wreck units before they fled the hex. You don't have a realistic chance of doing so.