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Heya all don't get too worked up that I'm going to go all "try to invade everywhere and smash everything". Like I said, I'll strike if an opportunity presents itself, but if one doesn't, then I won't, and the aar will be boring.

I will be following this battle closely as two accomplished players and gentleman are involved.

Food for thought - if you for 100% certainty know that the KB and Mini-KB are in the DEI - what opportunities does that open for the Allies, elsewhere?

Yeah, its a question loaded with questions.[:D]

But... You have about 5-6 days from the PI for him to get back east. From the DEI about 7-8. So what mischief can you get to while the cats' away.[:'(]

One thing to keep in mind is he has one Nettie group in the area, but I think only Truk is a level 4 AF. That means torps only from that base, if he has a unit there that'll supply torps. I honestly forget. Check the area to be sure. Don't think his aircraft are trained in lowNav so any bombing will be from high level and its not that effective. With your CAP you should be able to push through without too much danger. In addition to that his fighter strength in the area is little to none, IIRC. It'll take him some days to hop anything down from Japan proper.

So where do you go? TBH I don't like the idea of going back to Pearl anyway, as Japan has a HUGE number of subs surrounding the base. With the gorilla looking elsewhere, you could probably stop the Wake invasion. Get your CV's together and head over there, but keep in mind his Nettie group is in range, so hang off a bit.

Another option if you fear not the Netties, is to head for the Marshall/Gilbert Island area. He's got some convoys headed that way for the expansion. These are weak and unsupported. If I were him I would withdraw all just in case my opponent got frisky. At any rate you'll delay his expansion.

Another option is to head to the Solomon Islands. You may even have the ability to defend Rabaul. From this area you may even have better support, don't know the fuel situation for the Allies in the region, so that's on you.

So, just a few ideas for you to mull about your brain basket. Hope you have fun.[:D]

Edit: TBH, now that I say all this out loud its the reason I prefer to go after Pearl in the first place.[:D]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

I will be following this battle closely as two accomplished players and gentleman are involved.

3 if you count CB twice.
Or 1 if deduct a point for CB's known proclivities. [:D]

Those, I don't know (and please don't tell me). Time to read anything and everything he's done

Good like in your fight against Poultry Lad. I'll keep an eye on this.

Any update on this - is it still in progress?

Thanks

Yes it's in progress - but still cranking through the first turn which, as you know, takes forever and a day.

Here's the disposition of forces on Dec 8th. The KB is a couple hexes east of Manila. The "Baby KB" (it will upgrade to the Mini-KB when it gets its full compliment of itty bitty CV's) is a few hexes east of Cebu. Boise and Houston are a few hexes West of Cebu. Force Z will make a run to Batavia to fuel up, optimize the ships and see to engage if the opportunity exists. I suspect the KB will rotate south to provide air cover, as anything north of Brunei can get air cover from Malaysia and Vietnam.

Manila got hit by everything Chickenboy could throw at it. HongKong and Rangoon were also hit. There were no airfield attacks, so most of my airforce across the map is pretty intact. 19 subs were lost at Manila. Here are the total ship losses.

DD Pope sinks in port
AM Quail sinks in port
xAKL Bisayas sinks in port
xAKL Princess of Negros sinks in port
xAK Chilka sinks in port
xAK Fatshan sinks in port
xAKL Joan Moller sinks in port
xAK Mundra sinks in port
xAK Nanning sinks in port
xAKL Soochow sinks in port
xAK Haraldsvang sinks in port
xAK Hai Lee sinks in port
PG Asheville sinks in port
AM Lark sinks in port
AV Langley sinks in port
xAKL Kanchow sinks in port
xAKL Montanes sinks in port
Loss of SS Porpoise on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Pickerel on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Salmon on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Seal on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Skipjack on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Snapper on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Stingray on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Sturgeon on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Saury on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Spearfish on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Sculpin on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Sailfish on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Swordfish on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Seadragon on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS Searaven on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS S-37 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS S-38 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS S-40 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of SS S-41 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted
Loss of PT-41 on Dec 07, 1941 is admitted

That is about 2 years worth of American Fleet submarine sinkings conventionally at sea. I bombed Manila with my land based bombers for 3-4 starting with 7 December and didn't sink more than 2 or 3. The challenge is are 2-4 BBs at PH worth 12-18 subs at Manila? Also, since his KB is here does that hearken a full blown attempt to take PI quickly or is just going to be to harvest the refugees trying to escape the cauldron?

I'll lose about another 10 ships or so that are heaving damaged - various minor stuff like AK's and things. The rest of my subs are undamaged so they'll get away. It's always a treat to try and get any of those surface ships away from Manila.... I usually just view them as already sunk, so anything that does get away is a treat. For my heavily damaged ships, I'll load them up with fuel before they sink, so that I can deny that fuel to my opponent.

Dec 8th turn is replayed...

Not much to add report except for sinking of most of my heavily damaged ships at Manila and HK. 4 DD's out of HK intercepted a 2 CA 2 CL 6 DD force, I lost a DD to no hits.

Tarawa was invaded.

Tarawa was invaded.

Another option if you fear not the Netties, is to head for the Marshall/Gilbert Island area. He's got some convoys headed that way for the expansion. These are weak and unsupported. If I were him I would withdraw all just in case my opponent got frisky. At any rate you'll delay his expansion.

[:D]


Just sayin'... [:'(]

Dec 9th turn is played. Japan is consolidating gains in upper Malaysia, no Mersing Gambit so that's cool.

In the PI, the KB has moved west and south of Manila. Very few ships left in Manila, most of them sunk, the remainders are scattered around dot-base-ports close to Manila, waiting for the time to escape.

I've vectored multiple subs to the Balikpapan straights, and have pulled Force Z, and the combined Boise/Houston TF behind this little speed bump.

The Airforce in the PI is toasted, as are my Buffs in Singapore. The Dutch af is still alive but it won't last more than a couple of dedicated sweeps.

I'm going to change HQ on 2 Dutch BF's and ship them to Perth for use in OZ. If time and PP permits, I may pull a couple of Dutch KNIL regiments to bolster the Ozzy home defense... but I really want those BF's most of all.

In the Pacific, Nauru and Ocean Island have fallen. I have all my AVD's, AV's and AVP's moving to dot bases to begin setting up an overlapping search coverage.

I'm going to change HQ on 2 Dutch BF's and ship them to Perth for use in OZ. If time and PP permits, I may pull a couple of Dutch KNIL regiments to bolster the Ozzy home defense... but I really want those BF's most of all.

You know if Japan wants NW Australia there's almost nothing to stop him. Besides that these units aren't going to accomplish much. PP's are precious and IMHO should be kept and accumulated to buy out west coast units. Again, just sayin'.

They aren't very expensive and I want the high Av Support in OZ, when I get home later I'll check and let you know. I want them for all those planes that weren't destroyed at PH on Dec 7th that may or may not be making their way to Oz I know there's really nothing I can do to stop him for quite a while, the goal is to make him pay more for each inch of land he takes, than he wants to take. But if he crosses that line below Brisbane iirc, I get emergency reinforcements

Looking over the OOB, granted my memory is of the RA mod, but I belive the Dutch get their inf squads upgraded in '43, but without any Dutch INF units, they would go to waste. I want to make use of those INF squads (as I can't recall where else they could be used) if possible, and perhaps these KNIL regiments would serve as a backwater garrison. I'll see if I can't post some screenies later.

Also, there's an RP element to me wanting some Dutch squads. IDK. I just want to say "haha the Dutch live in 1944 and they are in fowl mood" to ChickenBoy

Looking over the OOB, granted my memory is of the RA mod, but I belive the Dutch get their inf squads upgraded in '43, but without any Dutch INF units, they would go to waste.

Don't believe that's so in vanilla, but I would ask in the general forum as I'm not 100% sure.

Also, there's an RP element to me wanting some Dutch squads. IDK. I just want to say "haha the Dutch live in 1944 and they are in fowl mood" to ChickenBoy

OK, OK, fair enough.[:D]

Just be cautious with the PP's. I'm of the opinion that too many AFB's spend them like drunken sailors on shore leave and then cry foul when half their army is stuck on the WC. You may know better having gotten further into the war than I have though.

This bad boy will cost me 46 PP to change, for 100 AV support and some Enginerds.

ORIGINAL: AcePylut

This bad boy will cost me 46 PP to change, for 100 AV support and some Enginerds.

I'm of the opinion that this unit is worth it.