Yes way... (GBL vs Dixie)

[goodboyladdie]

Here are some pieces of information from the latest file. I do not believe any of the BBs are sunk, btw. For Portland, read Houston.

There was a gap, so I used a 1933 photograph to fill the space - That makes it appropriate, not inappropriate Mr Moderator, honest...

[Ketza]

Wow a Random hottie pic in the middle of all that data.

Subscribed!

[goodboyladdie]

ORIGINAL: Ketza

Wow a Random hottie pic in the middle of all that data.

Subscribed!

I will have to find more then!

[goodboyladdie]

Central Pacific

I have a few subs off the western seaboard of the US. They have done nothing. I have PH surrounded, taking advantage of the fact that the early ASW is pants. I have sunk a DMS and the damaged California took another torpedo. I am trying to frustrate Martin - if he is anything like me, he really wants to get his damaged ships stateside to clear the forward repair yards at PH. It keeps his CVs either out and about or in the US too. I reckon they are all out as one hit me in the South Pacific a few turns back (to be mentioned in the appropriate post).

I used the Tarawa invasion force to beef up the Wake attack. I captured Wake quickly. 2 damaged AKs got away from there last turn; a heavily damaged DD will be on the move this turn. I now have three invasion tfs heading for Tabiteuea, Tarawa and Canton Island. No extra troops will be committed here unless an opportunity presents itself after I have achieved my main objective. In the meantime I will keep active just to keep him focussed away from where I am concentrating.

[Mike Solli]

Hi GBL. It's about time you got this AAR going. [:D]

I tend to have pretty good luck with a line of subs (north-south) about every third hex east of Hawaii. Put them ten hexes or so east. They find TFs pretty frequently and whatever they hit has a hard time making port.

The occasional sub on the west coast of the US is nice too. It'll encourage him to escort those TFs or take it in the shorts there. The more escorts out there, the fewer there are where it really matters.

A few subs to the SW & W of Hawaii will give you early warning of something headed your way as well.

[Mike Solli]

You can probably do all that with half of the subs seen on the screen shot leaving the rest for other duties.

[goodboyladdie]

Thanks Major Mike. That'll be phase two. I just want to piss Martin off, then make him happy when the subs leave at the end of December, only to redeploy them a little further out. Thanks for the tips. I really need your economic advice too, so I am glad you popped in.

[goodboyladdie]

South Pacific

I want Rabaul and the invasion is going in now. I lost some transports to a CV attack a few turns back at Tulagi. I saw a strange sighting report so pulled the covering force north out of the way, so at least I did not lose a valuable CA. The southern push is just a demonstration, with a view to having the right bases to push off from if I need to later and being able to interdict his SLOC. Kavieng is being developed to provide cover for Rabaul. I will eventually want Port Moresby, just to keep the AF out of his hands and close the Torres Strait. His CV turning up forced me to detach 2 CVs from the KB, which I really did not want to do, but best safe than sorry. I do not like leaving two CVs exposed to a potential 2 on 2 or even worse a 3 on 2, so will get them away as soon as I can get some LBA in. I have an Air Flotilla and some engineers on the way to Truk for use in this area.

[Chickenboy]

I also would recommend moving the Pearl subs a little farther out. Their high DLs from PH-based naval search will impede their good work. Further out, along incoming (or egressing) PH routes is preferential.

[goodboyladdie]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

I also would recommend moving the Pearl subs a little farther out. Their high DLs from PH-based naval search will impede their good work. Further out, along incoming (or egressing) PH routes is preferential.

I want them seen at the moment. I want him desperate to get those damaged ships out. I have the fuel to stay on station a while and was planning to be seen to pull away in a few turns time, around the turn of the year. Maybe in light of the respected advice, I will deliver the "present" on the 25th. Don't let me forget - it can be a while between turns...

[PaxMondo]

Keep it going!!!

[goodboyladdie]

Eastern DEI and Southern PI

I have a badly damaged CVE in Ternate. She will have flooding reduced to major only in a couple of turns so I may move her. She was hit by a Dutch sub a few turns back. Her air group is still aboard - I can't seem to remove them at the moment. I had a CVL hit the same turn, but she just took a few points of damage. I have been very lucky with my CVLs - one ran into Boise about turn three and the only damage from two 6 inch shells was the visual search capability! Boise had only got that close because I had failed to spot that the air group was on port attack for the first five days. Doh!

I have an air fleet landing at Manado to give me sea control with Netties. I have just started to land on Mindanao and have a Naval Guard unit shocking across the river into Tarakan. I am not sure I have enough assault points there, but figured I may as well try while I am waiting for the assigned assault Division to arrive. I have also been running surface combat and bombardment tfs through the area. The baby KB is trying to find somewhere to get more torpedoes and my one fit CVE is providing direct cover for the Rabaul operation.

[goodboyladdie]

The KB

I have the main force running through the Java Sea on their way to be in a position to support the hail Mary. They sank some British AKs at sea and some support vessels including a USN AD at Soerabaya. I may have exhausted my torpedo stock though (just actually looked at the screenie and saw how many I have - sorry - writing this while looking after a three and a one year old), so I am hoping Martin has run away with any heavy metal. If not, I could be in trouble...

One thing these screen shots have shown me is that I need to move my recon planes forward to see where he is running all his escapees from Singapore to.

I took Kuching a while ago, but had to fashion a quick invasion force for Singkawang to get the extra AF and cut off his troops in Samba. I forced the retreat from Singkawang into Samba, so can reduce all the cut off troops now while I push south with light forces to clean up the rest of Eastern Borneo. I have an Air Fotilla at Kuching, but may move it forward to Singkawang. I have to weigh up the bigger AF against the increased bombardment risk...

Oh and the hail Mary is a Division and support troops from Hong Kong running directly into Palembang. It is at least a week away and the KB will stay in the area to support it. The Singkawang covering force will be providing close support, but I think I might have switched Mutsu to a different task this turn - can't remember.

[goodboyladdie]

Malaya

It is a slog here. No real resistance, but most of my units are in strategic mode waiting for the railway to be cleared while I creep down the routes to Singapore. He is doing a Sir Robin, so it's a bit frustrating to be so slow in pursuit. With this in mind, I have switched the 21st Division convoy from Singora to Mersing to take advantage of the fact that the KB is in the area. I cannot remember if it is an amphibious convoy or not - will have to check and maybe adjust my plan. I will unload at Singora if it is in strategic mode and ship a Brigade south to cut the track and take Johore Bharu. Mutsu will join as a magnet for any aircraft that can operate from Singers after I have stepped up the attacks on the AF there. I have been running Zero and Oscar sweeps since the start of the war to grind down his fighters. I am now assaulting the AF with any bombers I can get into range to try to drive his LBA away from the area. I will have to deal with what I find on Sumatra when I get there...

On Northern Borneo I took Miri early doors and apart from a 4E raid it has remained untouched by Martin since. I am shipping in supply to repair the oil centres. I fat fingered the refinery and managed to double it's already considerable size in error, so repairs will remain off there.

[goodboyladdie]

Luzon

You can see from the map that its just a slow grind. I am moving forces into Iba. When they take it all forces there and in San Fernando will move to Clark. I have forces waiting to enter Manila, but they are waiting for the 4th Division to move up. That last thing I want is to have a retreat out of a hex forced upon me. I am not sure I have enough forces committed to the PI. I know how sticky it can be as a long time AFB. Time will tell and other areas are more important to me. I have vigorously swept Clark and Manila with Zeroes and am now bombing Clark and Manila daily. I had one disaster when a Betty group flew, but their escorts didn't as I ran out of supply/drop tanks - OUCH! Lesson learned the hard way...

Day 1 port strikes were a disappointment. The few ships/subs I hit still seem to be in Manila.

[goodboyladdie]

Southern China

The name of the game here is just to push him back, cause casualties and make a buffer zone so that B-24s cannot hit Japan or anywhere important in 1943. I have increased HI in Hong Kong. This is where the hail Mary is launching from, with other tfs merging along the way. Some damaged AKs are now in the shipyard and I have 6 Fubuki I's there or on the way for the 1/42 upgrade. Some damaged ships from earlier operations South of the PI are on their way to Shanghai.

I forgot to mention that I have converted a few AS/AKEs and I have some PBs and many ACMs due for completion shortly.

[sprior]

What's the game date?

[goodboyladdie]

Northern China

Same as before. Just pushing him back and causing casualties where I can. I will clear my railways and then decide how far I want to go. If it is causing a distraction to Martin at little cost to me I'll consider it...

[goodboyladdie]

ORIGINAL: sprior

What's the game date?

23rd December 1941 Simon.

[sprior]

Thanks. I shall follow with interest.