Tocaff vs bigred

[tocaff]

Don't despair as the VP spread can and in all likelyhood swing rapidly in the Allied favor.

Allied intel and or recon is something skectchy at best.  That regiment at PM was a speed bump at about 2/3 strength.  The other troops on PNG, well when you fight them you'll see.  [8D]

As the Japanese get pushed back their biggest problem is supply.  Now that PM will be up and running I dread the thought of trying to send ships to virtually anywhere on the map.

[bigred]

No dispair here, just cold hard thinking.

[tocaff]

Well I have to admit that my brilliant battle plan, 123243, is working so far as BR attempts to consolidate his recently gained bases before pressing on.  His losses in shipping must be causing a squeeze as the supply lines lengthen.  Time and space are the Empire of Japan's only friends now.

In the future only lowly enlisted ranks will convey the Imperial HQ assessment reports to Tojo's offices.  It seems that they haven't been well received of late and officer corps messengers will no longer be placed at risk.

[tocaff]

May 30, 1943

The news from the front is all bad for our illustrious Imperial forces of the Empire of Japan.  Air attacks are being vrushed aside by the dreaded Allied Corsairs and our pilots struggle in vain to deal with this problem.  Tulagi & Guadalcanal are cut off and Shortlands is now being pounded.  The Allies are literally bombing day and night now.

There will be no report to Tojo's office unless they send the mssenger to pick it up at Imperial HQs.

[tocaff]

May 30, 1943

Secret report to Imperial Japanese HQs from Truk Island

As ordered our report will be submitted directly to HQ by hand until further notice.

The situation continues to deteriorate rapidly.  The Solomon Island bases at Tulagi and Guadalcanal are cut off and all other bases SE of Shortlands are under attack, have been taken or are cut off.  Shortlands is being subjected to daily air attacks on a very large scale.  Our bases in PNG are under increasing pressure from daily air attacks.  It has become suicidal to send any shipping south of Rabul as Allied air is on the prowl everywhere.  Our fighter aircraft seem to be useless against all Allied bombers except for the Hudsons and are no match for the new Allied fighter that they call the Corsair.

To date we estimate Allied ships lost to be as follows.

CV   6
BB   1
CA   8
CL   5
DD  56
PG   4
APD 10
AV   1
DMS  3
DM   3
MSW 14
AO   7
SS  17
PT  48
SC  19
TK   2
LST  5
LCI 12
AP & AK 65

Allied planes believed to have been lost to date, all types 3300

Victory Points 15361/10900

In closing we believe that plan 123143, though put into action early enough, will not achieve it's stated goals unless more capital ships are released to Truk immediately along with more aircraft and pilots.  The supply situation is good, though the distribution to forward areas, which were rear areas a month ago, is almost impossible as things stand now.  The IJA will have to speed up it's replacement arrivals and send fresh units if we are to meet the general attack with any hope of success.

[bigred]

6-2-43: Halsey awaits news of another landing. Munda was taken w/ minimal minefield resistance. Air recon of Rabaul indicated a large pool of IJA planes, close to 400 of all types. The Imperial forces are coiled like a Western Rattlesnake at Rabaul, waiting for me to make a mistake.
Early allied shipping losses have caused me to delay major invasions(lunga) until later in the game. The continued buildup of planes and ships should insure easier victories. Soon I expect to have 3x 200 plane airbases w/in 480 miles of Rabaul. I wonder what will happen if the Japs continue to sit on their rear in Rabaul? Can the allies bomb Rabaul into the stone age? Does a 9 fort hex become impervious to a 400 plane air raid? Over time, can total allied air superiority cause the IJA to starve in their bases?
Cause the fatigue index to skyrocket? Drive the morale into the ditch? We will seeeee.

[bigbaba]

@tocaf:

the situation seems to be very bad, but at least you sunk a lot of allied transport-capacity. maybe that slows down them a little bit.

by the way: how high is the VP-difference at the moment?

[bigred]

6-3-43: Last look is a 4500 point spread. Map looks like a barge convention at Buin. Staff intel guesses that IJA is using barge traffic to reinforce his weaker secondary garrisons.

6th Marines just landed at Vila last night. Opposed by medium minefield, 2 infantry units and a Coast AA battery.
8th Marines landed at Munga 3 days ago unapposed. Now it is time to tighten the nut one more notch. My early blood baths have given Todd an even game. My only regret is the Truk raid, but it sure did feel good!!!

[tocaff]

Yes a 9 fort base can be bombed to the stone age by the Allies.  Any base can be leveled by Allied LBA at this point in time.

VPs swing rapidly in '43 as the Allies advance.

As one of my esteemed opponents put it-Space for time and hope that it works out. 

[tocaff]

A curious situation is happening.  BR's Allied forces are going for all of the small, lightly or undefended bases and leaving the big ones isolated.   The Imperial HQs is baffled by this strategy as the air offensive has already made resupply virtually impossible.  An Ensign, who normally runs errands and is supposed to be silent and invisible, suggests, after his coughing interrupts a staff meeting, that it's possible that shipping is in short supply due to sunk and damaged ships.  He goes on to elaborate that it's also possible that due to previous battles there is a shortage of LCUs in the Allied camp.  He reasons that a dug in IJA regiment causes the Allies to engage with at least a division.  This has been a very risky day for the young, nameless, Ensign and now Admirals are aware of him as a young & bright man with a future in the IJN.

I can only hope that this assessment is correct as the Imperial Japanese forces are getting their heads handed to them whenever they crawl out of their shelters.

[bigred]

The young ensign is half correct.

6-6-43: 6th marines have reduced Vila to a 0 fort level. Started as a level 7 and has put up a good fight. Must be defended by a SNLF battalion. Paratroops from the 503rd dropped at Kirawina two days ago. 500 planes at Rabaul must be respected. What does 125 auxilary mean? I figure recon.

Tokyo Rose reported a minelayer hit a mine at Truk. Imperial propaganda blamed the allies and stated "you can't sink ships at Truk with a mine". If it had been a real allied mine then the ship would have sunk. So we all can see it must have been a Jap mine run over by a Jap Minelayer. Can't believe anything Japan reports anymore.[:'(]

[tocaff]

Laying mines at Truk is a time consuming effort for little, if any gain.  If a ship hits a mine there it's at the biggest Japanese port in the game and just has to disband.  Did I mention that it can be teleported back to Japan then? 

That lowly Ensign was promoted to the rank of Lt and promptly shipped off to Gasmata.  It is generally thought that his immediate commanding officer didn't appreciate having had an underling go over his head.  One can only wonder if an Admiral will ask about the young man, doubtful.

HQs realizes that things are indeed grim as the USN suffers damaged ships by mines now as it's the primary threat, for the moment.  A raging debate between the IJA & IJN about using LBA is still unsettled.  The IJA is contending that the IJN is leaving army troops to starve without support and the IJN claims that the army is pulling the covers over their heads like children instead of facing reality.

[bigred]

But, it is amusing that a Jap Minelayer hit a mine at Truk.[:D] Mabe it will go to Tokyo.

[tocaff]

The mine was a MK10 if you must know, left by a pesky USN sub.

[bigred]

Come on, you know you ran over your own sea [:D]mine.

[tocaff]

Mines are the Japanese player's friends and the bane of the Allies.  [:'(]

[bigred]

6-8-43: IJA air out of Rabaul broke thru allied CAP over Vila but the 3 bombers sent were ineffective in the delivery of their weapons. This was the first time in 4 months the Japs have beaten our CAP. Ghormley wonders what happened.

[bigred]

6-14-43: Allies continue consolidation efforts in central Solomans. Intel report from previous day showed one Jap ML with 10+ AK's docked at Kavieg.
Resent improvements of thePM complex allowed for a 450 plan base. 96 P38s, 130 b25js and 30 B17s sent on a deep raid to catch the ships in port. All except 2 b25 sqn's set to 100 feet for the attack.. 2xB26j sqn's set at 5000ft and b17s@15000ft. Not sure if it was a good Idea to place the b25j at 100ft. Results pending after next turn.

Point differential +3900 Japan.

[Miller]

ORIGINAL: tocaff

A young & bright man with a future in the IJN.

A very short future, no doubt[:D]

[tocaff]

BR has a new nickname in our game.  As of now, to me at least, he's no longer Big Red.  I humbly will call him Bomber Red.  Anything that moves is now a target and his boys are plastering every target they find.  Nothing is slipping by them

On a lighter note our favorite scapegoat is being reassingned yet again with this move to Rabul.  Rumor has it that somebody in Tokyo has mentioned to a freind that our young lt. would make a good commander of a barge.  Talk about a death sentence............