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Here's the situation down by Noumea, Jan 5th turn. I have an Ozzie Cav Regiment (it has tanks) headed to Noumea. It's covered by a 2 CA, 2 CL, 6 DD fleet. As you can see, the Cat's I moved to Noumea spotted some IJ ships right in the "weak spot" of my search coverage from last turn.

For Jan 6th, I've tweaked my search coverage yet again for this fluid situation.



On this turn, as expected, Wenchow gets swept by a very large force of Oscars... but my AVG groups have been extracted to Changsa and Hengyang (2 hexes W/SW of Changsa).

Various locales around China were bombed, as was Manila and Singapore (daily, fyi). I'm launching a cap trap to target my units 2 hexes W/NW of Ichang in hopes of augering a chunk of bombers that have been harassing my troops in the open terrain.

CB, in an "odd" move, sent (2) AMc's into PM (the Seki Maru #3 and the Fumi Maru #2). They didn't do anything, except draw an attack of A-24's. I love seeing the phrase "1000lb bomb obliterates ship" scroll across the screen, as one of these nuisance ships - well it didn't sink as much as got obliterated lol.


Multiple TF's continue to unload at Palembang. Of note, the CL Kinu and xAK Kaiko Maru struck mines at Palembang but I didn't hear the glug glug glug sinking sound.


In ground combat - the IJ attack and take Chuhsien. Wherever that is.

Another IJ deliberate attack at Canton fails to win. 1424 IJ Cas (mostly disablements) happen to 342 Chinese casualties (mostly disablements). I'm flying in supplies daily with my Chinese transport squadron.

At Palembang, the IJ attacked, scored a 3-1, but did not take the base. I thought a 3-1 attack takes the base, I guess I was wrong.

At Taraken, an IJ attack came off at 1-2.

His TFs are a lot closer to Noumea than yours, so if he is headed there you've already lost out. If he's sending them to Koumac you might have a chance to sneak your troops in.

Have you identified what he has in the way of troops at Koumac?

I agree. If that's an inbound invasion to Noumea - and I'll know next turn - then I've already lost and I'll probably send my troops elsewhere, since they are now unrestricted. Hopefully another turn of search will also give me better DL on the fleet so I know what it is.

The IJ CV fleet up by Townsville got more DL on it this turn, I believe it's the Mini-KB or a partial KB.

The unit at Koumac is the 52nd Naval Guard Unit.

ORIGINAL: AcePylut

At Palembang, the IJ attacked, scored a 3-1, but did not take the base. I thought a 3-1 attack takes the base, I guess I was wrong.

You need to factor in the fort level. 2:1 with 0 forts does it. Level 3 forts require 5:1. (Fort level +2 = required odds to take a base)

Ah ok, I did not know that at all. Learn something new every day.

Next turn is in.... I don't think ChickenBoy was kidding around about Noumea [:)]

Outside of the previously shown image of the South Pacific...

Palembang and Tarakan both fell. Chengchow falls.

My LRCAP trap of my troops in the open by Ichang nets me about 15 IJ bombers.

The CL Kinu, which hit a mine yesterday at Palembang, made it about 3 hexes NE, where it encountered the SS-KIX, which planted a torp right into it's side.

My troops that were headed to Noumea will divert to either Suva or Norfolk.


Also, long range cats out of the base S of Tab, sighted at least 5 cargo ships at Narau (sp) island. I'm going to move a small tf of 5DD (at Canton Island) up to Tab, and if these cargo ships are still at Naura for a couple more turns, then will encounter my DD fleet and there will be fireworks.

I say get everything that you can to Suva/Nadi as quickly as possible. Norfolk can be easily isolated by carrier forces - meaning that he'll have the advantage for the next six months to a year and then you will. Do you want to lose a lot of ships trying to reinforce/supply Norfolk Island - or do you want to turn it into a place where his forces go to die?

If you don't let him kick you out of Waipapakauri and Auckland, then you will be able to control the skies over Norfolk Island in the latter half of '42.

Jan 7th, 1942:

I heard a mine explosion and ship sinking sounds. This doesn’t show up in the Combat Replay, but in the txt file of the combat report, it was the DMS W-5 that hit a mine.

Another angry “where did you go American planes?” sweep occurred at Wenchow, along with an “I’m gonna git you sucka” bombardment by BB. But nothing was there neener neener neener.

My units in the open NE of Ichang undergo another air attack, but my Flying Tigers stood down anticipating a sweep that never came. As the flyboys fatigue will drop to zero, they will LRCAP that hex again.

The usual massed bombings of Manila and Singapore occur. Other minor bombings around China occur.

Last turn, CB bombed some troops at Pegu. I set a squad of Buffs to LRCAP Pegu out of Rangoon. CB switched his bombers over to a Brit unit currently blocking the rail line going to that IJ base to the east of Pegu. He will either direct his bombers to Rangoon, Pegu, or the Brit unit, so I’ve LRCAP’ed the Brit unit and Pegu. Lets see if this nets any results.

My A-24’s at PM bomb a Jap transport fleet off of Lae. 1 enemy Zero was available for Cap. I put 2 bombs into two separate xAK’s, but lost 1 A-24 and 2 were damaged. In the PM turn, no hits, 3 A-24’s damaged. This unit is now down to 6 operational aircraft, and 3 damaged. Time to pull it back to Townsville. I’m bringing up the other A-24 to continue to harass the unescorted enemy ships in the region.

Japan Shock Attacks at Canton, scores a 3-1, but doesn’t eliminate the Chinese units. The IJ suffer 2x as many destroyed squads (43) as China does.

The IJ 4th Division landed at Noumea. She will fall to the first attack.

Here’s what I would do if I were CB. I would hold the 4th ID at Noumea until the garrison troops arrive. Say – 1 week or so of time. Then, I would load up the 4th and move right to Suva and invade it. So I would guess that Suva is going to be invaded in 2 weeks. I can get an US Inf Regiment into Suva before then (unless the KB decides to park it’s hairy butt next to Suva and blockade it)- this regiment is slated for Tabiteuea and would divert en-route. I can get the Ozzie Cav regiment there in about 3 weeks.

I don’t have anything else close-by to defend Suva, except I could generate some PT boats. I do have combat ships in the region, but these are CA’s, not BB’s, and there is no air cover and no bombers available.

I’m taking the Lex and Ent and driving them around the S side of Oz. These ships will refuel at Perth and head into the DEI seeking opportunity. I’m hoping that my apparent abandonment of the DEI will lull CB to sleep, and he may send some invasion fleets into the region with inadequate air cover. If I can bag either an invasion fleet, or a CA sctf, I’ll be happy. Either way, I will flash my CV’s to CB in a very obvious manner…. once this journey is over, OZ should be able to stand on it’s own with air cover (approximately 15-20 air groups inbound from CONUS and Aden) and ground troops. I will then make a bee-line for Pearl with these two carriers (and the Hermes). There, I will link up with the Saratoga and Yorktown, and get up into the Northern Pacific *hopefully* at the same time the winter months are over. This is the traditional time for the IJ to pursue expansion into the Aleuts and I’ve had pretty good results, in the past, taking on the the Mini-KB up in the Aleutians. I rarely see the IJ commit the KB up here. To help “convince” CB that “all he needs to use is the Mini-KB” is the entire reason for flashing my CV’s in the DEI. I may even unload some CV planes in the DEI, and “flash” them a couple times, just to continue the deception that the CV’s are toying around the DEI.

Sneaky, sneaky AFB. [:-] [:D]

t Tarakan, my Dutchie CD unit has laser cannons… over multiple Amphib Assaults, the following mixed bag of 75mm and 120mm hits were recorded: xAK Tamon Maru (2 shell hits), xAK Hakusika Maru (13 hits, heavy fires), xAP Kongo Maru (1 hit), xAK Kinryu Maru (11 hits, heavy fires), xAK Hakodate Maru (7 hits, on fire), xAP Hikawa Maru (2 hits, on fire), APD Tsuta (6 hits). Some of these ships should sink. CB should attack tomorrow and take the base – lets hope he left more units to land at the base, so I can get in more CD hits 😊

All nice, but TBH it looks like he'll accept some of this to make his gains, here and elsewhere. Not a bad tactic on his part. The only real big drawback I see here (for CB) is that these ground units will probably be in no condition for another invasion any time soon. Based on what you've indicated. This may present some difficulties to him as he has a limited number of units to continue his advance.

The first bit of Major news is the invasion of Palembang. Multiple TF’s landed troops here (at least 2 inf regiments, 4-5 aviation units, about 15 AA units among others). During the invasion, the CA Mikuma struck a mine. She didn’t sink, but she’s burning pretty well. She’ll be out of the war for a couple of months. Palembang should fall on the first attack, if I’m lucky, the second attack.

Nice that the Mikuma is seemingly out of action here as it looks as if most of his forces are concentrating elsewhere... Noumea. May make it a good hunting ground for those CV's you intend to send. May be a real chance to disrupt his expansion into this vital area. Make sure you can resup those CV's for possible extended disruption in the region. An AKE or two behind 'em may extend their usefulness here.

At PM, my A-24’s sortied against the ships at GG/Milne Bay. The xAK Tenryu Maru eats 1000 pounds of explosive, as does the xAK Yuzan Maru.

Nice.

My units in the open near Iachang continue to get pounded by IJ bombers

Cover!!!![:D]

My units in Canton, China take their first deliberate attack and hold. It came off at a 1 to 1 though. I also notice that CB cut off those troops in Canton, so I’m going to march a unit down a large road and try and open a supply path.

Chinese units against IJA at this time, good luck. If he has anything there that's substantial (say an ID) you'll likely lose.

I’m also going to use my transports to try and transport some supply into them

If you're getting away with it, it can only help.

IJ Carriers! At least 2 IJ carriers show up in the PM phase, about 3 hexes NE of Townsville.

A distraction for Noumea? Don't know.

My air ambush at Wenchow worked. (2) AVG groups intercepted a host of incoming Sonia’s and Lily’s and splashed 16 of them

My LRCAP trap of my troops in the open by Ichang nets me about 15 IJ bombers.

He either needs to escort, or stop repeating the same op to stop setting you up.[:D] Nice job. You should be getting some decent pilot experience gains.

The IJ 4th Division landed at Noumea. She will fall to the first attack.

Obviously he was really serious about Noumea. I thought about possibility of the 4th ID here as it was last seen at Rabaul, but didn't think he'd do it. With two pretty close landings in 'broken' terrain though the unit should have a lot of disablement's and may be in need of rest. Hopefully.[:D]

This unit is now down to 6 operational aircraft, and 3 damaged. Time to pull it back to Townsville. I’m bringing up the other A-24 to continue to harass the unescorted enemy ships in the region.

Sounds good, but just be careful as he may be trying to get some air cover up in the area.

Japan Shock Attacks at Canton, scores a 3-1, but doesn’t eliminate the Chinese units. The IJ suffer 2x as many destroyed squads (43) as China does.

Good, let him keep pounding and exhausting his forces.[;)]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

I say get everything that you can to Suva/Nadi as quickly as possible. Norfolk can be easily isolated by carrier forces - meaning that he'll have the advantage for the next six months to a year and then you will. Do you want to lose a lot of ships trying to reinforce/supply Norfolk Island - or do you want to turn it into a place where his forces go to die?

If you don't let him kick you out of Waipapakauri and Auckland, then you will be able to control the skies over Norfolk Island in the latter half of '42.

I tend to agree with this approach.

I don’t have anything else close-by to defend Suva

Don't know what to say. Its an area I would want to hold.

ORIGINAL: rustysi

My air ambush at Wenchow worked. (2) AVG groups intercepted a host of incoming Sonia’s and Lily’s and splashed 16 of them

My LRCAP trap of my troops in the open by Ichang nets me about 15 IJ bombers.

He either needs to escort, or stop repeating the same op to stop setting you up.[:D] Nice job. You should be getting some decent pilot experience gains.

My spidey senses are tingling that CB may be setting up an ambush for the AVG based on this pattern we’ve fallen into. To be fair, I have been switching who I’ve capped quite a bit, such that it’s (hopefully) been difficult to draw a bead on them with his fighters – but he should have enough evidence that I usually CAP a hex or two that just went through an unescorted bomber attack…. So… now may be the time for me to start sweeping some of his bases to change things up. But I sent the turn off already, LRCAPing the units in the open by Ichang… so that will have to wait till next turn or two (I’ll need to stand down and recover fatigue for the next turn or two). I need to stay unpredictable, and lately, with the AVG, I haven’t been unpredictable.

Here’s what I would do if I were CB. I would hold the 4th ID at Noumea until the garrison troops arrive. Say – 1 week or so of time. Then, I would load up the 4th and move right to Suva and invade it. So I would guess that Suva is going to be invaded in 2 weeks. I can get an US Inf Regiment into Suva before then (unless the KB decides to park it’s hairy butt next to Suva and blockade it)- this regiment is slated for Tabiteuea and would divert en-route. I can get the Ozzie Cav regiment there in about 3 weeks.

Sounds like a possibility. I'd try it, but that's me.

I do have combat ships in the region, but these are CA’s

Maybe get behind him and into his SLOC, but the KB is in the hood. Could keep him from using it to isolate Suva. Iffy.

I’m taking the Lex and Ent and driving them around the S side of Oz. These ships will refuel at Perth and head into the DEI seeking opportunity.

Like this idea. Could wreak some havoc with him occupied elsewhere. May even be worth an extended stay if opportunity exists.

I need to stay unpredictable

Absolutely.