Fabertong vs Speedy: The view from the Pole

[Mike Solli]

Yeah, that's the problem. With the destruction of the IJN, Speedy can apply force anywhere he wants to take whatever he wants. It'll just take time.

[fabertong]

He will take Wake.....that was never a doubt.....but when and where to make a fight as the Japs....after say fall/autumn 1942....that is the question....I could have let him have Wake with no fleet action....but then where ...Eniwetok...Kwaj...Saipan....the allies get stronger by the day...and by late '43 are unbeatable.....even the few Hellcats he now has have accounted for a large number of kills per sortie......I've lost the battle for Wake....but I would have lost the battle for any other place on the map with the force Speedy has employed........I'm now staring into the abyss.......but every Jap. player will get there by mid/late '43........or maybe I'm just a pea-brained penguin.

[DuckofTindalos]

ORIGINAL: fabertong

or maybe I'm just a pea-brained penguin.

That's a distinct possibility...[:D]

[fabertong]

It is the sad truth T. .......tooo true.....tooooo true.....

July 3rd 1943....


Confirmed sunk.......Musashi...Soryu....Nagato......

Poor old Mutsu...having been hit once by an allied sub......she's hit agian...twice...on her way home....she will try to creep to Iwo....10 hexes away...but may not make it.....

I had four seperate allied TFs...mostly his cripples parked over my subs this turn.......net result ....nada.......

Still more pain too come as my cripples limp home.......

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: fabertong

He will take Wake.....that was never a doubt.....but when and where to make a fight as the Japs....after say fall/autumn 1942....that is the question....I could have let him have Wake with no fleet action....but then where ...Eniwetok...Kwaj...Saipan....the allies get stronger by the day...and by late '43 are unbeatable.....even the few Hellcats he now has have accounted for a large number of kills per sortie......I've lost the battle for Wake....but I would have lost the battle for any other place on the map with the force Speedy has employed........I'm now staring into the abyss.......but every Jap. player will get there by mid/late '43........or maybe I'm just a pea-brained penguin.

Well, you DID predict pretty much what happened in your war games (or your admirals did)... and since it was they that made the accurate predictions, it is time to demand sepuko from each and every one of those incompetents![:'(]

[Sneer]

please give some details about
how many carriers were used?
what was exp for pilots ?
what was carrier TF composition ?

[fabertong]

Sneer....
The carrier battle of the 1st of July.........

Akagi, Hiyo, 1 CVL, 1BB, 2CA + escorts (6-8DD per TF + a CL)
Hiryu, Soryu, 1BB,2CA + escorts
Zuikaku, Shokaku, 1BB 2 CA + escorts....

All Travelling together.....
Zero pilot Av. Exp around 70
Kate Av. Exp around 60.......Vals about the same....
After my initial strike....the one which some got through.....the TFs launches several unescorted stikes.....20 Vals.....18 Kates.....14 Vals......needless to say they all died......

I'm sure Speedy has posted all his info as judging by his other AARs he posts more detail than I..........

Let me know if you'd like any more info....

[Sneer]

i wanted to kow as i was close to very similar battle recently in my PBEM vs Raverdave
what with Kaga , Junyo , rest of CVLs , CVEs ? - i looked more or less on your both aars but didn't notice earlier CV battle
about - unescorted small strikes - yes with current cap model they are all dead always
looks like puting inf div in crucial location is a key - not KB intervention

[DuckofTindalos]

The Kaga was torpedoed by the Bowfin just before the battle...

[Sneer]

yes - i remember but still Jap carrier force seem to be far from top strenght

[fabertong]

What T. said.......I lost the Junyo and 3 CVls in an earlier battle before the AAR began....and the CVEs are busy on troop escort missions as the spring of 1943 is a busy time for Jap. reinforcements.....esp. 4th fleet.....and I don't like losing troop transports to Speedys over active subs........Kaga BTW made it back to the HI...but with 89sys...she'll be gone for a long time.....still 90 days until Taiho,Unryu and her sister Chitose and her sister arrive....

Today I scuttled Furataka...she was making no headway 96sys 96flt......so I sent her down to give her 2xDDs a chance to get home.....Still 3BBs and 3CAs in danger of sinking trying to struggle to the nearest friendly port.....I think I'll save half and lose half.....but I could still lose all of them......

No new landings by Speedy today at Wake........but you can bet there will be more to come.......I seem to cut his troops up pretty badly......

Lost 2 more subs.....trying to pick off his cripples...no luck.....

Hiyo and escorts will return to HI for upgrades.......

[fabertong]

July 5th 1943......

I lost another sub off Wake today........
Speedy's carriers smacked Wake in a big way...........BUT

AND IT'S A BIG BUT (as it were)

Speedy appears to be pulling out of Wake........???????
If he is I'll let him go...and stay behind my lvl 9 forts.....
I knew he'd taken a bit of a pasting when landing....but was it that bad?
If he goes he won't be gone for long....he now has complete Sea Supremacy of the Pacific.......
Of coarse this could just be wishfull thinking on my part.......the next 2 turns will tell..........


Burma still slow jungle warfare.........on the 4th he tried a frontal assualt on Mytk.......and was thrown back with 4-1 losses....though he did take 2 lvls off my forts.....

[fabertong]

July 6th 1943......

Hiryu pulled into Saipan.....and promptly rolled over and sank.......the crews of the 4 ARs waiting for her wept openly, as did I............I knew she was dead really, but to get soooooo close...raises ones hopes.....

Wake Bombed into the stone age from Speedy's carriers.......240+ bombers.........
Lost another Sub...........
But he has no assualt points left on Wake.........why?

Mustu made Iwo...where 2 x ARs are attending her every need......fingers crossed.......

[Capt. Harlock]

But he has no assualt points left on Wake.........why?

Possibly not enough supply. Both of you scored some nasty hits with subs before the opposing fleets made contact. IIRC Speedy lost an AK or two, and then had problems with mines and CD guns. BTW, the combat report indicates you have northwards of 50,000 troops behind level 9 fortifications. Not too surprising he would go back and get a bigger stick.

[fabertong]

July 7th and 8th...........

Speedy continues to withdraw from Wake ....while pounding it from the air.......

Pennsylvania and Vincennes both confirmed sunk .......from the surface action......

[fabertong]

July 9th 1943.......

and so we wave goodbye to our recent visitors to Wake Is.......let's hope they don't come back soon.....they have made a h*ll of a mess.......

BTW what airgroups upgrade to Zeke 5Cs?.....I'm now building some........but can't find any airgroups that upgrade that way.......

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: fabertong

July 6th 1943......

Hiryu pulled into Saipan.....and promptly rolled over and sank.......

I'll swear that this is hard coded into the game. I have more ships sink at the mouth of a large repair port than at open sea. The developers seem to have a sick sense of humor.

[fabertong]

The good news is that some of my cripples are out of danger.

Mutsu is down to 7 flt....44 sys...and will leave for the HI next turn....
Fuso is down to 25 flt.....42 sys....and will stay at eniwetok till all the float damage is gone......
Hyuga and Ise are at Truk awaiting escort back to the HIs.......both 40 something sys.......
Yamashiro....is at Guam and almost Operational...on 19 sys........
The trick will now to get them to the HIs without Speed's evil subs hurting them.......

All will travel with 2x ASW TFs and 4 x DD escorts....and hopefully a escort CVE covering.........

Now is the time to try to figure out what Speedy will do next......

A ML snuck into Wake to lay 300 mines.....more to follow....if I have half a chance

[rtrapasso]

Ode to Speedy vs. Penguin:
(i'll leave it to the reader to try to figure out which song this is best sung/hummed to):

Hope’s dashed to the floor
Like shattered Penguin dreams
Invading Wake
Is never what it seems

(bridge 1)
That walk in the park can become a bad dream
Penguins are shooting and firing at me
This is the only escape from it all:
Bombing those penguins until they fall.

(chorus)
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
(Waiting for Speedy)
Oh, Wake Island is waiting

I don't need a bomber
I've got a ship of steel
Speedy shelled Wake Island
And stole the Penguin’s Kril

(bridge 2)
You’re bombing, you’re shelling, but nothing's for free
I never want this to happen to me
Don't try invading, you're wasting your time
Now we've got something much better in mind

Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
(Waiting for Speedy)
Oh, Wake Island is waiting

That walk in the park can become a bad dream
Penguins are shooting and firing at me
This is the only escape from it all:
Bombing those penguins until they fall.

[rtrapasso]

Ode to Wake Island Redux:

Hope’s dashed to the floor
And shattered Speedy's dreams
Invading Wake Island
Can make a player scream

(bridge 1)
That walk in the park can become a bad dream
Penguins are laughing and mocking my schemes
This is the only escape from it all:
Imitate the Leopard seal mating call!

(chorus)
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
(Waiting for Speedy)
Oh, Wake Island is waiting

We don't need a plan
We've got nerves of steel
Speedy's troops retreated
Tell us what’s deal.

(bridge 2)
You’re bombing, you’re shelling, a freefire spree
I never want this to happen to me
Don't try invading, you're wasting your time
Wake Island’s waters are heavily mined!

Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
Oh, Wake Island is waiting
Waiting for Speedy
(Waiting for Speedy)
Oh, Wake Island is waiting

That walk in the park can become a bad dream
Penguins are shooting and firing at me
This is the only escape from it all:
Bombing those penguins until they fall.