Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[koniu]

2 June 1944

It start to be serious.
Docup start simultaneous operations in 3 different places. Bengal Bay, Salomon's and Marshal Islands.

Maps lower

Burma
Quiet here. Allied ships hold position but they look most dangerous of all 3 invasions.
BB, CA, CVB and huge CAP above carriers etc.

Plus suddenly 10+ subs show up in Strait of Mallaca (we sunk probably 3 of them last turn), and i found minefields north of Singapore.

Salomon's.
I am sure this is not major offensive. But probably enough to achieve Docup goals.
I was so close to intercept CVE TF during night ride

Night Time Surface Combat, near Woodlark Island at 104,133, Range 30,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya
DD Akatsuki
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma
DD Hayate

Allied Ships
CVE Sangamon
CVE Chenango
CVE Suwannee
CVE Santee
CVE Corregidor
CVE Anzio
CVE Battler
DD Aylwin
DE Stewart
DE Decoy
DE Express
DE Levy
DE McConnell

Instead i have battle with New Zealand and British fleet. I lost DD and allied CLs took some damage from 20cm hits.

---------------------------------------------

Night Time Surface Combat, near Woodlark Island at 104,133, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 2
DD Akatsuki
DD Ikazuchi, Shell hits 1
DD Inazuma, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Hayate

Allied Ships
CL Gambia, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Achilles, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Sigsbee
DD Wadsworth
DD Frazier
DD Gillespie
DD Kalk, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Baldwin


---------------------------------------------

Night Time Surface Combat, near Woodlark Island at 104,133, Range 6,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Suzuya, Shell hits 1
DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 1
DD Ikazuchi
DD Inazuma, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Hayate, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Allied Ships
CL Gambia
CL Achilles, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Sigsbee
DD Wadsworth
DD Frazier, Shell hits 1
DD Gillespie
DD Kalk
DD Baldwin

What i know. No Fleet Carriers, no modern ships(No Cleavland CL, no Fletcher, no Battleships, CVE escorted by DE)


At morning bombers from Rabaul engage enemy ships in range

Morning Air attack on TF, near Torokina at 109,130

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 32,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N2 Jill x 52
N1K2-J George x 36
Ki-44-IIc Tojo x 98

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 15
P-40N5 Warhawk x 10
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 12
P-47D25 Thunderbolt x 12
F4U-1A Corsair x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N2 Jill: 9 destroyed, 2 damaged
N1K2-J George: 2 destroyed
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
xAKL William McArthur, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Pelton Bank, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Oorama, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Yarra, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
39 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

At morning BB TF enter Rabaul hex(undetected). Cruisers are undamaged ammo is low but enough to fight and they should rearm during next phase. DDs are also combat ready. I can only wait.

Marshal Islands
Fleet that lloks like invasion popup. But again it still look like CVE TF plus SAG. DL is low i have inly one small search group there.


They all holding position, probably waiting for KB showing in one place.
From 3 Invasion most serious is probably that in Bengal Bay not sure about that in Marshals.
One is sure KB can be in Bengal bay in 48-72h. Salomon and Marshals are one week trip.

[koniu]

Bengal Bay

[koniu]

Marshals

[koniu]

Salomons

[koniu]

What to do??

I cant be everywhere
I must decide.

When i go to Bengal Bay probably i will lost Marshals and 50/50 i will lost Salomons
When i go or Salomon's/Marshals i will be probably to late to do something (at lest week trip) and there is risk that Allies will land unopposed in Malaya coast or Sumatra.

Marshals are lost arleady. I retret from there moths ago. Salomons - i am holding only Rabaul.
But in Burma I have over 6000AV that can be cut. Decisions, decisions.
What i afriad going To Bengal Bay is that Entire Pacific will be open to Docup.

I also can stay in shadows and maybe Docup will be so undecided he will make bad decision and maybe LBA will have some luck

KB - all CV and CVL (except Hiyo - refit) are 9 hexes East from Singapore

I think i will daley turn to trethink my options.

[JocMeister]

Its mid 44 for gods sake. [:)]

Let him have the Solomons and Marshalls. He can do nothing from there to hurt you. If he lands within B29 range of the DEI on the other hand...

[koniu]

I forgot about b-29.

Still i need to sleep first. If i go to Bengal and i lose You will own me KB[:D]

Allies have 2000 CV capicity. Docup have confirmed 210 CV planes in Salomons. Let say equal number in Marshals. Pesymistyc math telling that in IO he can have 16O0-1700 carrier planes. KB have 1150 plus depending of situation 0-600 LBA. Also i can have only small SAG for protection. For sure it will be last KB battle

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: koniu

I forgot about b-29.

Not a good thing to forget! He should have 40+ now at least.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: koniu

I forgot about b-29.

Not a good thing to forget! He should have 40+ now at least.

156 exactly (so far he lost 14 from ops losses)

[obvert]

Go for the Brits if you're close enough. Forget the Marshals. He'll now need another month to make the next step so get what you can and then come back to the Pacific. [:)]

[koniu]

90% chance that i will go for IO

I have first overall plan.
Tomorrow KB will arrive to Singer. I will refuel and next day move to Georgetown.
There i will meet Yamato TF and fleet that is fleeing sooth from Rangoon.
Damaged ships will continue south, 2 undamaged CA, one CL and BB and two DD will join KB.

I have 12 subs in north Sumatra. Tomorrow they will flank toward enemy Fleet. they should engage in 48-72h. Maybe we will remove CV or BB from battle.

Here my plan ends. Next move will depend where and if Docup decide to land.
I will only fight if KB can have support of LBA. If enemy stay so deep in Bengal Bay i will not engage.

Tomorrow i will send suicidal bomber group against enemy forces. They will all die but i should get Intel about his forces. CAP numbers, fighter units names etc so i will be able to confirm presence of Fleet Carriers.

Meanwhile over 200 bombers and 20 Es and 10 PB will try to clear Malacca strait from enemy subs and minesweepers will clear all those minefields

[JocMeister]

Think of it this way. Sooner or later you will have to risk the KB and DOCUP gets stronger while you don´t. Just make sure you have LBA support...Either you risk the KB now when he can get to the DEI oil or wait until the OP will bring him into B29 range of the HI.

[koniu]

You guys know that if i decide to attack,watching that turn will require to have few drinks before and few more after.

[PaxMondo]

I disagree completely here ...

I put the KB into play only when the empire is at risk. It is 6/44. There is nothing in the IO that can put the empire at risk. It is bait for a trap to kill the KB, don't take it.

I would want my MLR to be at Haiphong going north. There is nothing west of Hanoi/Hiaphong that I need any more. I will fight a delaying action, but I won't risk any units beyond those that I have decided to lose at Singers.

The allies don't have the DEI, yet, but with the B29's in play it is only for a couple of more months. DEI is VERY hard to defend. Only a couple of players have done it successfully. Once the oil has been bombed off the map, I have to ask myself is it worth defending? No one has held Burma/Malaysia though. Mr Kane did make Singers into a fortress, but again, a high risk option IMHO

Just my thoughts ...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

I disagree completely here ...

I put the KB into play only when the empire is at risk. It is 6/44. There is nothing in the IO that can put the empire at risk. It is bait for a trap to kill the KB, don't take it.


Just my thoughts ...

And good thoughts. You are channeling Captain Cruft.[:)] Or he was channeling you!

You really have to step back and think carefully here. Japan has done so well, it is easy to suffer from Victory Disease and be far too aggressive on your defense.

The pace of Allied aggressiveness can really pick up steam, especially if there is no IJN to counter. Recently here, the IJN has taken a lot of damage and once in drydock your fleet in being defense is gone...

[JocMeister]

If the allies land on Sumatra all oil will be gone in a matter of months. How can that not be a fatal blow to the empire? [&:] Not only can he reach every oil well in the DEI with B29s but many will be even within B24 range.

Another thing to consider is that the allies will only get stronger. He has 6 CVs now. How many in 12 months? 12? 15? 20? (Can´t remember and I´m writing from the phone). And he will be flying 425 MPH Corsair by then instead of Hellcats.

The decision will be yours of course but I´m not sure you will get a better chance. By doing 3 simultaneous operations he has also spread out his forces.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

If the allies land on Sumatra all oil will be gone in a matter of months. How can that not be a fatal blow to the empire? [&:] Not only can he reach every oil well in the DEI with B29s but many will be even within B24 range.

Another thing to consider is that the allies will only get stronger. He has 6 CVs now. How many in 12 months? 12? 15? 20? (Can´t remember and I´m writing from the phone). And he will be flying 425 MPH Corsair by then instead of Hellcats.

The decision will be yours of course but I´m not sure you will get a better chance. By doing 3 simultaneous operations he has also spread out his forces.

Better to be fighting there with land based air than lose or disable the KB and have no deterrent for the Marianas and Bonins and PI. Japan has a strong air force...

Right now I think the allies are nibbling at the perimeter looking to attrit Japan's navy...especially the funky moves in the Solomons.

If the KB gets spotted on one edge of the map, make sure the other edge is ready to rumble!

[koniu]

3 June 1944

Just fast update

In Salomons after last turn naval engagements it looks that allies decide that it is time to back south. All ships move back to Oz.

In Marshals allied ships enter Wotje hex. One SAG , CVE TF and some cargo ships.

Both ops, especially that in Salomons look fake.


Bengal Bay
It looks that it is probably invasion on Andaman Islands or Malaya coast.
Today two SAG enter close to Rangoon waters (under weak CVE CAP). It looks that they have orders to bombard Rangoon and Saumlaki. TF closes will probably go for Saumlaki. TF more West for Rangoon.

I have 200 bombers in Bangkok set to torpedo attack but weather hold them on ground.[:(]
It could be huge punch to allies. TF closest to Rangoon have confirmed BB Alabama. only 18 B6N2 attack them and still two mange to get trough weak 20 plane CAP

Main allied fleet is holding Position ~15 hexes West of Port Blair

KB not manage to get to Singer, they are still 1 hex from Port.

[koniu]

Tomorrow will be very important day.

Rangoon and Moulmain AFs are empty and waiting for naval bombardment tomorrow.
All planes eventuated to inland airfields.

200 TB bombers and 200 fighters is waiting to launch against allied BBs. I hope they will stuck in Rangoon area tomorrow.

Probably i will lose CA Furutaka tomorrow. Cruiser was crippled after last Naval battle. I sending her to sea tomorrow. I don`t want her to be sunk in port. She will try to move south but 5knt speed don`t helping .

KB will try to cross Malacca strait tomorrow. At lest 3 allied subs are in area, also one confirmed minefield. I hope Docup will not detect KB.

Evacuation of Burma start, in ~ week i will not have troops north of Rangoon and Pegu.

[koniu]

KB manage successfully cross south part of Malacca Strait.
On morning ships enter Georgetown hex and somehow remain undetected.[:D]
From today i am officially in strike range

Today i will refuel and will wait. Still not sure what Docup is doing.
No naval bombardment. Allied BBs retreat under CV CAP.

I am almost sure that Docup must be scared to do something. From 3 Years every time he try something He was punished by KB, it must be hard to Him to risk again. Docup is great opponent. Most of players will resign long time ago.


Other two invasions area static nothing change since last turn