Westerley Wind, Fine NJP72 (J) vs Lowpe (A) DBB Sce 30

[njp72]

Whilst most things went the Empire's way there were a few shockers.

Houston despite being ambushed managed to account for the most under performing CL in the IJN navy Oi!

Never done any good with that ship.

Anyway Houston got hit with a torp from a kate from Zuhio and will soon be overwhelmed- next day.

Another shocker was detaching Shokaku's Vals to shut down the Malacca Strait. Lowpe promptly buzz sawed them with his Buffaloes once the escort refused to fly for the Imperial Eagles. [:@]

Aiming to account for 150 to 200 Allied ships in the first 7 days. Should be achieveable.

[RangerJoe]

There are bacteria in the environment that eat oil. There are some in the Gulf of Mexico. I am sure that there are others in places where there is natural oil coming up. Nature hates waste and that is an energy source so something will use it.

They even found an insect larva that will eat plastic as in plastic grocery bags.

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

There are bacteria in the environment that eat oil. There are some in the Gulf of Mexico. I am sure that there are others in places where there is natural oil coming up. Nature hates waste and that is an energy source so something will use it.

They even found an insect larva that will eat plastic as in plastic grocery bags.

Good to know, now I won't feel so bad sinking all these digital Dutch ships [:)]

[njp72]

Another day of broadening the beach head on Java and seeing off some fairly reasonably sized airstrikes from a motley assortment of Dutch/ British aircraft.

[njp72]

The butchers bill for the day- not too bad for only a few paint scratches.

Glad to see some of the Brits going down- they can actually hit with their ordnance.

[njp72]

I sense good opportunities here. I know how to break this front wide open and the first piece of the puzzle was accomplished this turn up north.

[njp72]

I have to say I am already really enjoying this game. Impossible not to when you have an opponent the calibre of Lowpe to play against. I am enjoying the time between turns to learn more things/ study this monster of a game.

In the air I am racking my usual horrendous op losses. I am not gentle with the IJN or IJA air arms- like to run them hard and I pay the consequences. Also in the air thus far not a single Zero has been lost in A2A combat which is weird. Lost plenty thanks to ops accidents.

The leading light below- a 28 to 0 kill ratio. I will enjoy it for as long as I can.

[njp72]

Ouch, even I winced at that turn.

By surface action, aircraft, sub and whatever about 40 to 50 Allied ships were either sunk or severely damaged in one turn.

Mostly Dutch rubbish but a few decent British/ US ships thrown in as well. Good to see that PoW and Repulse were also sighted this turn heavily damaged and hanging around Singapore. PoW took another torp (4 now) but is still chugging along.

What to do? Active resistance appears to be crumbling now in the DEI and hopefully his mental state has taken a big hit as well. Tempted to accelerate everything and take more risk. The USN is out there some where with a couple of CVs but they are just as likely to run into one of my Iboats as they are a hgh value amphib taskforce.

The Empire will accelerate its plans and push on !!! [:D]

[njp72]

The slaughter around Java continues......

Probably one more day of fun left before what is left escapes or is sank. [;)]

[njp72]

Good fortune continues to favour the Empire.

Last couple of turns has seen Lowpe resume his usual aggressiveness but thus far more by luck than design, he has ended up punching thin air and paying the consequences.

Key Summary last two turns:

1, PoW finally sunk Malacca Straits- 7 torps eventually
2. Boise crippled after a daring convoy raid which just narrowly missed. She is out of fuel and been hit by numerous 250 kilo bombs. Will sink next turn (though I did say that about the Houston!)
3. Java cut into two.
4. Mersing captured
5. US CVs emerge looking for prey around Saipan- still working out a strategy to deal with them but they are a long way home. A big move here from Lowpe [:D]
6. Apart from a lot of Betty bombers being shot up, overall casualties are minimal to very light.

[njp72]

Crippled Boise location- just narrowly missed the troop laden convoys.

Close but no cigar!

[njp72]

Scoreboard after the first week.

Fairly certain his shipping losses are close to 200 ships in the first 7 turns. The Dutch and Brits have been smashed. [:D]

[njp72]

What are they up to!!!!

Long way from home and very chancey at this stage of the game- bold.

[JoV]

I'm reading both sides so don't want to say too much.

But rest assured I will be secretly cheering on your good guys [:D]

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: JoV

I'm reading both sides so don't want to say too much.

But rest assured I will be secretly cheering on your good guys [:D]

Absolutely, I am the good guys! History aside, the Japanese make better beer [:)]

[RADM.Yamaguchi]

ORIGINAL: njp72

What are they up to!!!!

Long way from home and very chancey at this stage of the game- bold.

when you get recon reports like these showing 9 CVs and only 55F/136B do you always discount the number of CVs and focus just on the planes. I mean this early in the game it can't be 9 CVs. What about later on?

[njp72]

ORIGINAL: RADM.Yamaguchi

ORIGINAL: njp72

What are they up to!!!!

Long way from home and very chancey at this stage of the game- bold.

when you get recon reports like these showing 9 CVs and only 55F/136B do you always discount the number of CVs and focus just on the planes. I mean this early in the game it can't be 9 CVs. What about later on?

Yep good comment- I think some wiser heads could add some good feedback here but that is pretty much what I try to concentrate on - the a/c numbers. Clearly in this situation there can only be 2 or possibly 3 CVs here. I was trying to calculate whether Saratoga could have got this far this early but it all got too hard after a couple of beers so I gave up.

In these situations always plan for the worst scenario (planning on 3) and then there can't be too many surprises [:)]

His taking some big risks here. If I manage to damage one of these CVs this far from home I will swarm him with every surface combatant I have. KB will stay focused on its objectives.

[njp72]

Snap shot of about 60K Empire troops headed for glory.

Remnants of the Allied surface raiders escaping down below after narrowly missing the convoys. Hopefully we can nail a few more DDs over the next turn.

[njp72]

And another near miss below with Marblehead and friends.

I don't hang around the beaches after the initial assault which is probably saving me a fair bit of grief.

When I have a sense the Allies are targeting an invasion hex I swap the amphibs out with the surface ships to give me a nice welcome.

Still it is costing a me a few days as I have to reroute major convoys to keep them out of harms way. Sooner or later he will get a bit luckier and run into one of them.

Launched about 25 torps at Marblehead from Betties for o hits!

[njp72]

Despite his very hectic social schedule this weekend, Lowpe has reappeared on his AAR and jumped ahead of me again. We can't have that![:-]

I'll just whack up a picture of China- all going okay here, no way he holds Sian. Pretty obvious what I am up to in the North.