BACK IN BUSINESS - PzB goes East again(st) Andy Mac

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: PzB

But you've probably also noticed that my LBA sweeps and bomber missions don't have those 2-3-4 ac tailing behind the main attacks?
In general I'm experiencing less problems with this than you do CT. Would be interesting to hear about other players experiences for comparison!

my opponent and Andy for example seem to have the same happening. I refuse to use pp to change squadrons to an air HQ in range because it has never shown any effect for me, everything else is so perfect, the Japanese can never reach such a state with up to 5-700 aviation support, several air HQ and hundreds of thousand supplies at a base. I´ve got several such level 9 airfields and it just isn´t any different from a level 2 jungle base with a single USAAF base force with the next HQ being a dozen hexes away. [:(]

[Cribtop]

A good start PzB. Take care with pickets or some other early warning device so that his CVs don't interrupt your landings and perhaps Waingapoe will be re-taken. You have achieved air and sea superiority indeed. Keep it up!

[PzB74]

Have you checked that you have good air leaders in your Air HQs CT?

Good advice Cribtop; I actually sent out 2 AVs with 9 Jakes aboard today to scout areas I don't want to contain surprises!
Still struggling to close Waingapoe but our air strikes are becoming more effective and frequent.

A sub hit the Colorado today; 114 enemy ships spotted at Port Hedland.

We now got the first non-restricted George unit. Giving it elite pilots and prepping for action.
Little action elsewhere, the Allied Luganville invasion is a total FUBAR.
- Some ships at PH, CVEs included. Quiet in Burma as well!


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Sep 29, 43

Sub Attacks

Yeah! The Colorado was still around, hopefully this will send her down.
Huge armadas spotted at Port Hedland.

Sub attack near Exmouth at 50,128

Japanese Ships
SS I-168

Allied Ships
BB Colorado, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Saufley

SS I-168 launches 4 torpedoes at BB Colorado
I-168 diving deep ....
DD Saufley fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Saufley fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Saufley fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Saufley fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Saufley fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ASW attack near Port Hedland at 57,129

Japanese Ships
SS I-154, hits 6

Allied Ships
KV Commandant Duboc
BB Resolution
CL Concord
CL Raleigh
DE Sutlej
AM Tumult
APA Fayette
APA Doyen
APA Joseph T. Dickman
APA Leonard Wood
LSI(L) Empire Pride
APD Herbert
AKA Aquarius
xAP Rangitiki
xAP Maui
xAP Santa Paula
xAK Clan Macdonald
DD Vampire
DD Schley
DD Chew
DD Alden

Captain of SS I-154 elects not to launch torpedoes at this target
I-154 bottoming out ....
DD Vampire fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Schley fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Chew fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Alden fails to find sub and abandons search
DD Chew fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Chew fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Chew attacking submerged sub ....
DD Chew fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Exmouth at 50,128

Japanese Ships
SS I-168

Allied Ships
DD Saufley

SS I-168 launches 4 torpedoes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bombardments

We've had high detection levels at Waingapoe all the time but after yet another dissappointing
bombardment run I ordered 3 Dinah III units to start daily recon runs to assist our slant-eyed friends...

Night Naval bombardment of Waingapoe at 63,113

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
BB Nagato
CA Aoba
DD Hatakaze
DD Amagiri
DD Usugumo
DD Urakaze

Allied ground losses:
15 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 1
Port supply hits 1

E8N2 Dave acting as spotter for BB Ise
BB Ise firing at 33rd Infantry Division
BB Nagato firing at 33rd Infantry Division
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for CA Aoba
CA Aoba firing at 7th Infantry Division
DD Hatakaze firing at 7th Infantry Division
DD Amagiri firing at Waingapoe
DD Usugumo firing at 33rd Infantry Division
DD Urakaze firing at 7th Infantry Division
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

Morning Air attack on Waingapoe , at 63,113
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 36 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 15
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 58
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 25
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 82

Allied aircraft
P-38H Lightning x 2
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 2
F4U-1 Corsair x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-38H Lightning: 2 damaged
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed on ground
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 damaged
B-25D1 Mitchell: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 35
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Waingapoe , at 63,113
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 30,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 10
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 54
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 36
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 32
Ki-61-Ib Tony x 15

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x Ki-44-IIb Tojo sweeping at 30000 feet
15 x Ki-61-Ib Tony sweeping at 30000 feet
6 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 30000 feet
36 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 30000 feet
26 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
12 x Ki-44-IIb Tojo sweeping at 6000 feet
20 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Waingapoe , at 63,113
Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 42 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 31
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 54
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 20
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 34

Allied aircraft
no flights

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed on ground
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Pentecost Island at 120,151
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 49 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 27

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 3

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
27 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 15000 feet *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Pentecost Island at 120,151
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M3 Nell x 15
G4M1 Betty x 18

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 4 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Gwin
DE Arrow
DD Russell
DD Thanet
DD Gansevoort

Aircraft Attacking:
15 x G3M3 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
17 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Thanet dead in the water ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ground Combat

Ground combat at Nookanbah (66,130)
Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 122 troops, 5 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2
Defending force 322 troops, 0 guns, 52 vehicles, Assault Value = 31

Allied adjusted assault: 0

Japanese adjusted defense: 34
Allied assault odds: 1 to 99 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), preparation(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)

Allied ground losses:
16 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
3rd RAN Base Force /1

Defending units:
11th Tank Regiment
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hunting grounds

[Hortlund]

ORIGINAL: PzB
Looking at reinforcements coming in I see that in addition to the forces already in place at Memboro we can insert a further 4 divisions, 1 regiment and a tank regiment within a week or so.
7 divisions is enough to smash Waingapo!

This isnt Stalingrad, and you are not Hitler.

Stop obsessing over that base. It is lost, live with that. You are seriously contemplating putting all your eggs in one basket here, and have that one basket defended by the KB. What happens if you put 7 divisions on that island and then lose air superiority in the region? What happens if you lose the ability to move units by sea?

Do you remember how you reasoned when you pulled out of Darwin? "It cannot be held in face of allied airpower, and the bases makes it too easy to trap units there".

Take two steps back and think about what you are doing and why.

[PzB74]

This was the turn we really hammered Waingapo; no further enemy air activity as the base is hit hard in clear weather.

By now we have all but completed the buildup of the region.
Air reinforcements have arrived and battle weary units have been rotated to the rear for R&R.
- Need to keep an eye open for Andy's next move. I would under no circumstances advice him to return to Waingapo [;)]

It's possible he will change focus to another area but it takes 3 months to prep invasions forces so any ad-hoc operation won't stand
much chance of success.

Enter October....

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Sep 30, 43

Bombardments

After increasing recon activity bombardment results improved markedly.

Night Naval bombardment of Waingapoe at 63,113

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu
BB Kongo
CA Ashigara
CA Takao
CL Kinu
DD Natsugumo
DD Kazegumo
DD Akigumo
DD Yugumo

Allied ground losses:
179 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 26
Port hits 7
Port supply hits 1

BB Mutsu firing at 7th Infantry Division
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Kongo
BB Kongo firing at 33rd Infantry Division
CA Ashigara firing at 33rd Infantry Division
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for CA Takao
CA Takao firing at Waingapoe
CL Kinu firing at 33rd Infantry Division
DD Natsugumo firing at 33rd Infantry Division
DD Kazegumo firing at 33rd Infantry Division
DD Akigumo firing at 33rd Infantry Division
DD Yugumo firing at 7th Australian Division
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

Over 170 Helens hit Waingapore in clear weather!
Oh bliss...

Morning Air attack on Waingapoe , at 63,113
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 11
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 61
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 50

Allied aircraft
P-38H Lightning x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-38H Lightning: 1 damaged
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed on ground
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 2 destroyed on ground
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 49

Aircraft Attacking:
23 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
1 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
4 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 30000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Waingapoe , at 63,113
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 46 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 11
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 60
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 30
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 91

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-38F Lightning: 1 destroyed on ground
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 30
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
33 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
31 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
1 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
4 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 30000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Waingapoe , at 63,113
Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 27
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 60
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 36

Allied aircraft
no flights

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 3 destroyed on ground
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane XIIb: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 28

Aircraft Attacking:
36 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
7 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
1 x Ki-43-IIb Oscar sweeping at 6000 feet
4 x A6M5 Zero sweeping at 30000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Losses

In total 107 T-bolts have been destroyed.
If I'm not completely off the T-bolts start arriving in July 43 at a rate of 55 ac.
We should therefore have destroyed 2 months of reinforcements.

[PzB74]

PzjgH; I appreciate your concerns but I fail to see the situation with quite the same pair of eyes as you do!

1. We have reclaimed air superiority in the region and Andy can only temporarily contest it if he sends in all his carriers.
2. We're not putting all the eggs in one basket; all other bases and regions have their garrisons and defenses prepared.
- By gathering the reserve divisions we now have the opportunity of destroying a large Allied force.

What else do you suggest I do with these divisions?
- Let them continue training at Rabaul, Singapore, Soerabaja and Makassar?
- Send them to 3-4 other bases and hope that Andy invade them under the mantra that the only way to defeat an invasion is to defeat it during landing?
The odds for putting them at the exact base Andy plan to invade next can be compared to winning in the lotteries [:'(]

Our defenses and bases in the "Prosperity Line" is something quite different than Darwin; in Northern Oz the Allies had many advantages!
1. The opportunity of using restricted LCUs against our un-restricted
2. Heavy tank units in open terrain
3. The ability to constantly outflank our forces
4. Already established bases with large number of 4Es in inland bases that we couldn't touch
We also didn't have enough troops to cover both Northern Oz and builp up our forces and reserves in the SRA region.

As things have played out now the advantages are mostly ours.
By threatening with the destruction of an Allied Army we may force Andy to act rashly and fight a battle over our own prepared turf.
What else can we beg for in late 43? [:)]

But again, I'll keep my eyes open and try to rat out what Andy's next moves will be.

[Mynok]

Well, I'm sorry my comment didn't get in timely enough to save your bombers. In my 2x2 game, I was kinda forced into keeping my Vals on anti-naval configuration (15k) and boy did they get hurt. Probably should have not even sent them in but we had to close the airfield to make the landings we were doing at Darwin.

C'est la guerre.

[PzB74]

Well that's ok Mynok, so many minute details in this game that it's impossible to remember them all; will not forget this lesson anytime soon [;)]
- Would have been kewl to be able to set different altitudes with the main and secondary attack targets for airgroups!

More of the same and this was the last turn for the weekend.

I'm fairly certain that Allied TFs are still around Perth - Port Hedland region.
The question is whether they're loading up for another round; guess Andy got more targets he wish to hit.


AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Oct 01, 43

Bombardments

Bombardment TFs should also have a priority target list...90% of the shells are aimed at dug in ground units!
Well, it's a slow but safe way to inflict attrition.

Night Naval bombardment of Waingapoe at 63,113

Japanese Ships
BB Musashi
BB Yamato
BB Haruna
CL Ninaru

Allied ground losses:
114 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Musashi
BB Musashi firing at 33rd Infantry Division
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Yamato
BB Yamato firing at 7th Infantry Division
BB Haruna firing at 33rd Infantry Division
CL Ninaru firing at 7th Infantry Division
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Air Combat

The Luganville invasion TF just hangs around south of the target and absorbs damage.
The Gwin was hit today and the magazine went up.

A lone AM was also spotted west of Timor and sunk.

Airfields and port facilities at Waingapoe are all but wrecked.

Morning Air attack on Waingapoe , at 63,113
Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 139

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane XIIb: 1 destroyed on ground
F4U-1 Corsair: 2 destroyed on ground
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 11
Runway hits 74
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:
22 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
32 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet *
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
31 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet *
Port Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb
27 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Waingapoe , at 63,113
Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 24 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 16
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 36

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-38H Lightning: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane XIIb: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 26

Aircraft Attacking:
35 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Waingapoe at 62,117
Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 22 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N1 Jill x 22

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
AM Kelowna, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
22 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

Kelowna dead in the water ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambrym at 121,152
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 33 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 14

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
12 x A6M3a Zero sweeping at 15000 feet *
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Ambrym at 121,152
Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M3 Nell x 19
G4M1 Betty x 18

Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 4 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied Ships
DD Gansevoort
DD Thanet
DD Russell
DE Arrow
DD Gwin, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
19 x G3M3 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo
17 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Type 91 Torpedo

CAP engaged:
18th FG/44th FS with P-39D Airacobra (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 24000 , scrambling fighters to 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 6 minutes

Thanet dead in the water ...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stand off

[inqistor]

Remember, that you can bombard at day, with better results. That would require to set cruise speed, and begin turn at certain range from target, probably.
Also, it would be useful to send radars onto possible targets for 4Es, and keeping CAP nearby. That way, CAP will be sucked onto attacked base.
What is the unloading rate of tanks in 0lvl port? Sending Armor Division from Java could be last chance for them, to fight against non-AT-killer enemy.

[PzB74]

Yes, I know but not too keen on letting the TFs hang around during daylight hours.
As we do now we don't expose our capital ships to enemy CAG in case they sprint in.
- The Helens will have to handle daylight operations; 140 of them should be more than adequate.

The plan is to rotate from Helens to naval bombers if the enemy comes back.
Having 300 fighters to escort them together with KB should provide enough mass to punch through the enemy CAP.

Well, in 1 turn 2/3rds of a tank regiment was unloaded at Waingapoe together with 2/3rds of an inf regiment.
The Port unit with 50 naval support certainly helps.

I really don't plan to send the tank divisions out of Java, there are other units that can be used instead.
Moving out a few tank regiments from Burma, mostly sending these to Sumatra; want more reserves there.

Another question is whether Andy is going to care for the Solomons - New Britain are at all.
I'm quite confident that we can slowly trickle troops out of that region, first into Central and Northern New Guinea and later on to the DEI.

I've used the absence of US ships and subs to transport more fuel to Christmas Island.
This is a great place to operate our Central Pacific subs from. Been repairing and holding back 15 subs there now and is planning to release them, just have to
find the best place to operate.

[SqzMyLemon]

Has something changed from a patch regarding shore bombardments? The manual specifically states in section 6.4.3 that "Naval bombardment gunfire is MORE likely to target airfields, base structures, enemy ships at anchor, and coast defense units than it is to target other ground units." So what gives with these bombardments concentrating on the ground units? I feel your pain PzB and if this is now WAD...well [8|]. It's a shame if bombardments no longer reflect what was previously stated in the manual. From what I've learned reading AAR's players seem to have two main reasons for shore bombardment, disruption of CD guns and closing airfields down, actual disruption or casualties on defending troops seems to be much lower on the list of target priorities. I believe one patch increased the amount of gunfire directed against CD guns, perhaps they tweaked it too much in that regard and included concentrating on ground troops.

[Xxzard]

It seems in this case the best thing to do (if possible ofc) would be to allow the player to designate the main target of the bombardment attack.

Sometimes, we want to target ground troops and CD emplacements, that is really vitally important for some bombardments.

But other cases, such as this example here, attacking the airfield is 10x more important than attacking the large stack of ground troops.


This would be a useful feature to implement. I know that the debate on the subject goes back a long way. There has always been discussions over whether the current "bombardment" tf model, of the "dash in dash out" variety should be changed/another type of tf added to more directly assist in ground support operations.

[LoBaron]

ORIGINAL: Panzerjaeger Hortlund

ORIGINAL: PzB
Looking at reinforcements coming in I see that in addition to the forces already in place at Memboro we can insert a further 4 divisions, 1 regiment and a tank regiment within a week or so.
7 divisions is enough to smash Waingapo!

This isnt Stalingrad, and you are not Hitler.

Stop obsessing over that base. It is lost, live with that. You are seriously contemplating putting all your eggs in one basket here, and have that one basket defended by the KB. What happens if you put 7 divisions on that island and then lose air superiority in the region? What happens if you lose the ability to move units by sea?

Do you remember how you reasoned when you pulled out of Darwin? "It cannot be held in face of allied airpower, and the bases makes it too easy to trap units there".

Take two steps back and think about what you are doing and why.

Panzerjaeger Hortlund, on this I tend to see it similar to PzB.

What else should he do?

Soemba has a function similar to Timor. It is a part of the southern defensive perimeter for the DEIs.
This is not northern Australia, if Andy can hold his position at Waingapoe this means attrition warfare
in range of the southern DEIs with the high danger of losing the war here. From Soemba Andy has
a staging area nearly as good as Timor for moving into the valuable ressource regions, after some time even without
carrier support.
And this means losing the war right at this island.

The only option is to close the gap in the defensiver barrier again, at least if PzB wants to see 1945 and I guess
that is part of the plan. And the longer PzB waits with a counter, the higher the forts grow.

Falling back is an alternative only if there is an option to isolate Soemba, which means re-invading Australia,
not really something that promises success this late. Do you see any other possible moves I am missing?

[pat.casey]

Its a bridgehead, not a breakout. Both reducing it and containing it are equally viable tactical options.

[castor troy]

yeah, had the three leaders with the best rating in my test. No difference to what I´ve got in my PBEM where I don´t care at all. [:(] Both players in my PBEM have tried all sorts of things but it has resulted in exactly nothing...

[castor troy]

The way this starts to turn out I really get the feeling Andy can be kicked around at will. Sorry, but what on Earth is he doing? If I´m going with such an operation I´ve got this base running within two or three days at the latest and have got hundreds of fighters in the air, so many engineers that the base increases in size every couple of days and enough flak to at least keep you from bombing at 6000ft. Let alone he should have taken three or four appropriate bases within the first two or three days, heck, he had twice the time to do so when KB was completely out of position. Mmm, this all turns out to be very poorly performed and I can only wonder as it´s not his first game. How can one mount such a major operation and perform that bad in exectuing it? He´s got one base he can build up to level 8 but not level 9 (failure number 1), takes this base on an island with another Japanese base on the Northern part and doesn´t immediately take this base too (failure number 2), he comes in without adequate support at Waingapoe (failure number 3), he´s got Darwin but isn´t able to make use of it (failure number 4) and now he isn´t able to defend his single base let alone build it up (failure number 5).

I have been with PzJH in terms of the strategic situation but the way Andy is acting it seems he can be defeated at every stage of the war in every theatre. [:(] If he has got 9 or 12 divisions he should have been able to land at 3 or 4 places and take at least 2 or 3 and start building them up. At every place 250+ av support plus 3 AA rgts plus 4 eng units wouldn´t be a problem at all. That´s how he should have done it, not going in, taking one base and not being able to defend it, not even when KB is a week long out of position. What more than a major, uncontested invasion do you need? [:(] He failed so far and he soon is going to do more things wrong, how this is going I soon expect him to lose a couple of carriers, his units being out of supply and everything running away. Unbelievable but possible the way he´s acting. Like I´ve said earlier, Andy is a "nice" opponent for you to smack.

[Speedysteve]

Not going to be too harsh since don't know all the facts but it does seem that Andy has bungled this Op so far....in terms of asset timing, placement, scheduling etc.

[bigbaba]

PzB is in a very good situation to cause some heavy loses for the allied here. this isnt guadalcanal because PzB has a good number of bases with LBA on them right around the corner. i realy would like to know what andys next steps are.

best thing would be to evacuate unit fragments and to try it elswhere in ew months with better preperation.

[inqistor]

ORIGINAL: PzB
Another question is whether Andy is going to care for the Solomons - New Britain are at all.
I'm quite confident that we can slowly trickle troops out of that region, first into Central and Northern New Guinea and later on to the DEI.

Considering, what just happened at Luganville it would be better to still keep there troops, as local reinforcements. In case of Port Moresby invasion, it will be good to have troops for quick transport.

ORIGINAL: bigbaba
PzB is in a very good situation to cause some heavy loses for the allied here. this isnt guadalcanal because PzB has a good number of bases with LBA on them right around the corner.

Well, it actually is, but Allies are on the wrong side.

i realy would like to know what andys next steps are.

best thing would be to evacuate unit fragments and to try it elswhere in ew months with better preperation.

This is not Japan. Allies have limited number of all devices. IIRC US/AIF squads are produced at 70 per month, so giving ground now, will cost Allies 5 months of replacements per Division.
I even checked those Combat Engineers. US produce 24 per month, Australia 8, and the rest (NZ, Brit, SAfrica, and India) 4 in most cases. If there is British Division there, Allies can kiss it goodbye, with 18(?) Brit squads per month.

[castor troy]

you may not forget all those commonwealth equpiment/squads arriving with convoys but I agree that losing complete divisions would be a mess for the Allied, not a disaster to lose three of them but a mess.