Howlin' At The Moon - DBB Vettim(A) vs Greasylake (J)

[AcePylut]

Looks like you got at least 2 CV's (or their airgroups at least) - based on the Zero and Val losses.

[vettim89]

16 September 1942

More carriers????? I do not know how I missed this group. Is this a group left behind to raid my lines? Could it possibly the group nursing Ryuho and Zuiho home? Hmm. I have 56 4E at Suva with another 36 to arrive in one or two turns. Still no IJN ships listed as lost in this battle yet. Have to wonder about that as Junyo, Zuiho, and Ryuho all took a lot of damage.

Larry took Ndeni. No sub attacks this turn. Still more in the pathway the IJN is expected to take

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: AcePylut

Looks like you got at least 2 CV's (or their airgroups at least) - based on the Zero and Val losses.

Not so sure of that but in two raids on Colombo and the two big CV battles here are the Japanese air losses. I think the Elite pilot corps of KB has been well whittled down. Larry's success in the two CV battles has been a matter of quantity not quality

[vettim89]

17 September 1942

As Nemo would say, every problem has a solution. Also CA Chokai took a TT in almost the same hex. Also had a Fleet Boat shoot some duds at another CVL. On the other side of the map, Dutch resistance has almost collapsed on Java, but they are giving Larry fits.

My 4E have all arrived at Suva. One turn to rest and repair then I'll turn them loose. I think I have lost almost ten airframes from Ops losses just in moving these sqaudrons. Odd that the beasts that are very difficult for the Japanese to bring down fall like leaves if you just try to move them

[vettim89]

18 September 1942

Had a Fleet Boat hit junyo again but with dud torpedoes this time. SHe is now just NNE of Luganville. I released the Kraken and nearly 60 4E will fly for the first time gainst enemy shipping with Port strike at Luganville as a secondary mission just in case some crippled ships fled there.

I am in the process of reorienting my fighter squadrons. For now all P-38s will be tasked to the SoPac. That would now be about 3three squadrons of combined E/F models. The P-40 squadrons are all getting the -K upgrades. In addition half the Army fighter strength from both PH and Oz will eventually be dedicated to SoPac. I am also moving two A-24 sq out of Exmouth to go to the SoPac. They will be replaced with A-20 Sq

[vettim89]

Forgot to mention, even though USN submarines are still trying to sink her, the Intel Report seems to think she sank two turns ago. FOW for the win

[vettim89]

19 September 1942

Well, the IJN came back. Now this puzzles me. They launched a LR raid at the TF unloading at Tanna for no hits by bomb carrying Kates. I am surprised Larry was able to replenish his sorties as no Port down here is built up. He could have used an AKE or AE. I wonder how well he could have replenished his Air Groups. Even though he didn't lose any Fleet Carriers in the big battle, his air groups took a pounding.

I pulled the the TF back to Noumea. I got a USMC Tank BTN plus 1/3 of the 1st Mariens unloaded. Only a fragment of an ARTY BTN remains aboard. Forts are to level three now with 350 AS behind them. I will start building the AF next. Then I have to sneak in some AV Support. I pulled 4 FS, a VMF, a A-20 sq, a VMSB, and the recon unit out of PH. I have two P-38 sq at Brisbane polus one at Noumea. I am unloading an additional 120+ AV Support at Noumea. La Foy AB should go to 3 next turn. I am thinking about building up one of the small islands off New Caledonia to provide a fighter base to help move stuff into Tanna.

This game has really taken an interesting turn and will be fought in the New Hebrides for the foreseeable future.

I beleive there is a Chinese curse that goes somethign like, "May you live in interesting times."

[vettim89]

20-23 September 1942

Things slow down a bit. I was able to finish unloading the combat units at Tanna. There is now 27k of supply there. AV Support is coming north now. I have 100+ AV support at La Foa (not La Foy). One squadron of P-38s is there with another on the way. There is also a P-38 sq at Noumea along with a newly arrived P-39 sq that is due to upgrade to P-38G when the become availabel next month. With the paltry 20 air frames a month, it will be November before they upgrade.

The Blenheims tried to hit Ramree Island but were finally met but Tojo Cap. Lost 9 a/c. Will have to turn my attention to closer points where escorts will fly with them.

Gave Larry a little wake up call to let him know his carriers are not 100% safe up off Luganville. Why only four B-17s out of nearly 60 chose to fly? Because, just because.

[vettim89]

24-25 September 1942

IJN CV raid up North. I suspect this is CVE based. The might not want to drift too far East here. I lost a KV in the one raid of the day

[witpqs]

Be on the lookout too for when strikes generate messages like "Turned back due to weather or range." or "Unable to locate target." and possibly others. Those strike packages do not produce animations and only show up as messages. I think the messages are in the message box (lower left of screen) during reply, but definitely appear in the operations report.

Not suggesting that such would account for all the bombers that might have flown, often many don't get into the air at all for whatever reason.

[vettim89]

26-29 September 1942

Previously spotted IJN carriers were Akagi and Kaga. There were one hex shy of being in P-40 range the next turn. My two BS with 4E went after them. No hits but 4 A6M2 shot down vs 3 4E. I cannot live long term with those results, but I hope it planted a seed of doubt in Larry's mind about approaching US bases.

Otherwise not much to report over these turns. The IJ is slowly trickling into Merak where the brave Dutch are making their last stand. Would be kind of neat if they could hold until 1 October just so I can say I contested Java until October.

La Foa is a Level 4 AB with 3 P-38 sq now. I rearranged my AV support in Fiji so Suva is no longer overstacked.

Lastly, working torpedoes again. I am a mere 63 turns away from the first drop in dud rate.

[vettim89]

30 September 1942

Merak fell today and the Dutch all surrendered. One day short of my October goal. [:'(]

[vettim89]

1-3 October 1942

I continued to fortify New Caledonia and Tanna. Moving some additional AV support to Tanna this turn.

Miss Nell came calling at Chittagon. CAP ripped them apart. No hits

[vettim89]

1-3 October 1942

Just moving stuff

Miss Nell came calling at Chittagong. Not many made it home. No hits

Edit: note direction of attack. Came all the way from Port Blair

[vettim89]

4 October 1942

I have almost all my convoys escorted now as the SCs have come online. Sure enough an I-Boat found one of the few unescorted convoys and sinks two xAK with supplies on board. That was just dump luck

IJAAF sweep Chittagong in revenge for the Nell massacre of last turn. Air losses were 23 Ki-44 offset by 13 P-40E, 6 Hurricane IIb, and 2 Hurricane IIc. Wonder if this is just a one off raid or the beginning of a compaign

[vettim89]

5-6 October

Bettys with A6M2 escort attack a small convoy at COx's Bazaar. I lost an xAKL. Not good odds for the Japanese in this attack.

[vettim89]

7 October 1942

Repeat of yesterdays raid with great variance in results. I had more a/c participate in the intercept but none got past the Escorts. Lost two xAKL and an AM. This was offset by the loss of another 9 A6M2 for no Allied plans lost. The CAP routine is a fickle beast.

[vettim89]

8 October 1942

MUWAHAHAHAHAHA! Three hits, all three do crtical damage, and a FUEL STORAGE EXPLOSION. Howevere, no a/c listed as lost on the ground this turn. Perhaps she is not as wounded as FOW would have me believe.

The IJA has arrived two hexes south fo Hengyang where I had a small blocking force in place. Tose two units will likely be displaced next turn. IJA is also one hex West of Myitkyina. I have the LRP BTn moving to Ledo but they may not make it in time.

IJN lands troops at Tacoban

Engineers and the 2nd Brit Div leave Chittagon for Cox's Bazaar.

[vettim89]

9-12 October 1942

Turns are incredibly slow. There was one turn (the 10th I beleive) where there was a single combat event in the entire replay: Tacoban fell to the Japanese. The a/c I broght out of the WC and PH have arrived or will arrive next turn at Auckland. The Marine paras are inbound to Noumea. Just gobs of BF, CB, and AV support rolling in now. Just need to get it to the right spots.

Then this unit arrived a few turns ago. I think I want to take it to Noumea. For those of you not playing DBB, this is what is called a Lion. GRRRRRRRRR

[vettim89]

13 October 1942

Hmmm, whats this? I had notice a little recon activity over northern Oz but not over Exmouth. Also, SigInt says a unit is aboard an AP heading for Broome.

Well there is 330 AS behind level 3 and growing Forts at Exmouth. I wonder if Larry was randomly checking northern Oz Bases hiding his intent to hit Exmouth. Perhaps he assumed that because all the other bases were very lightly defended that this base was also. I had my air untis on rest. I have two fully NavAttack trained A-24 Sq plus a Wirriway sq with high skills in Nav Attack. Also a SCTF on the way but that will take a few days. No Carriers spotted yet.