Tale of the Sheep! - JocMeister (A) vs. Lowpe (J)

[poodlebrain]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

You can use waypoints to confuse SigInt, if I remember correctly. IE, if a Japanese player sets Noumea as the target of a TF, but has a waypoint at Suva (which happens to be the real invasion destination), then SigInt will report the Noumea destination but won't pick up on Suva. I think that's how it works anyhow.

So there are ways to manipulate invaison target reports to confuse the Allied player.

Do you think Lowpe would give away free intel as to targeted bases this early? If so, why?

All of the SIGINT reports show northern destinations. Could that be part of a deception effort to conceal a target farther south? Factoring in speed of merchant shipping and unload rates, it seems the Japanese would have to come within air search range at least 2 days before a landing could be made. Depending on availability, that would give ample time to lay a few "emergency" minefields and deploy PT boats.

[rook749]

What kind of submarine picket can you extend off the Canadian Coast and Northwest US?

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: poodlebrain
All of the SIGINT reports show northern destinations. Could that be part of a deception effort to conceal a target farther south? Factoring in speed of merchant shipping and unload rates, it seems the Japanese would have to come within air search range at least 2 days before a landing could be made. Depending on availability, that would give ample time to lay a few "emergency" minefields and deploy PT boats.

I think its pretty likely that the actual target is something else. The 48th division have been prepping for Victoria for a very long time but its still sitting at Coal Harbor. If he was truly coming for it he would pick up the 48th.

2 day warning is what I´m hoping for!

ORIGINAL: rook749

What kind of submarine picket can you extend off the Canadian Coast and Northwest US?

I have a picket in place already. But its pretty thin with 5-6 hexes between the subs. So I need to be lucky to find something.

[BBfanboy]

Bear in mind that a unit can march from Coal Harbour to Victoria in about a month. The first couple of hexes are quite slow but then you hit a paved road ...

Try recon by bombing: Set a unit of bombers to "Ground attack" and pick one of the hexes between CH and Victoria as target. If there are enemy troops there it will accept the target, but if there are no enemy troops the target list will stay blank. Repeat for all the hexes between the two locations.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Bear in mind that a unit can march from Coal Harbour to Victoria in about a month. The first couple of hexes are quite slow but then you hit a paved road ...

Try recon by bombing: Set a unit of bombers to "Ground attack" and pick one of the hexes between CH and Victoria as target. If there are enemy troops there it will accept the target, but if there are no enemy troops the target list will stay blank. Repeat for all the hexes between the two locations.

I´ll try that to make sure. But I´m pretty certain he hasn´t moved any troops out. I have CH under constant recon and troops numbers have stayed the same!

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Shiplosses[/font]
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Japanese SSNs have by far caused the most significant losses to the allied fleet. I´m not bothered by the BBs lost at PH as I find the slow BBs of little use in the first 2 years. By the time the become useful their roles can be filled by other means.

Don´t like the CA losses but the losses will be replaced. I currently have 18 CAs operational and the Cleveland CLs have just started to roll in.

DD losses havn´t been too bad. 21 lost in total but only 4 of them have been modern US DDs. Majority of losses are old 4 pipers.

Overall the Allied fleet is strong but losing 50% of the fleet CVs to Japanese subs really sucks. I can make do without them but have to adjust accordingly. Due to PDU OFF the CVEs won´t be as potent as usual They will be stuck with old Kitten throughout the war with only a few able to upgrade to Hellcats.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Japanese shiplosses[/font]
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While the Japanese have suffered no capital ship losses they havn´t escaped damage. 1942 have been brutal on the Japanese DD fleet. No less then 36 Japanese DDs have been sunk during the year. Only 4 of them have been worth less then 6 VPs.

Other noteworthy losses are 4 AMCs and 2 big AOs. The PH landing was brutal on the Japanese merchant fleet and I´m still almost daily getting ships added to the list from that landing. I havn´t counted the exact number but its somewhere around 100 ships lost around Hawaii. Most of them to CD guns.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]January 1943[/font]
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A pretty good month coming up for the allies. Air wise the awesome Corsair kick into production. This will add a huge punch to the USMC. There is nothing in the Japanese arsenal that can deal with Corsairs.

Besides the Corsair the Kitthawk III also starts producing. A nice boost to the RAAF. The RAF finally gets some recon.

On the seas its not too much exciting. 2 Clevelands, 6 Fletchers and 1 Bristol DD and that is about it.

[ny59giants]

I hope you have one complete American BG (bomber group) of 64 planes (16 x 4) training in LowN for your B-25 attack bombers that come out in Feb. I've had good success with them myself. Add in your next gen B-24s and things are looking up. [:)]

In NW USA I would say that Seattle and Portland are the two bases you can least afford to be captured.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

[font="Verdana"]January 1943[/font]
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A pretty good month coming up for the allies. Air wise the awesome Corsair kick into production. This will add a huge punch to the USMC. There is nothing in the Japanese arsenal that can deal with Corsairs.

Besides the Corsair the Kitthawk III also starts producing. A nice boost to the RAAF. The RAF finally gets some recon.

On the seas its not too much exciting. 2 Clevelands, 6 Fletchers and 1 Bristol DD and that is about it.

Don't forget that the first Corsair model has less than stellar performance and is not carrier capable. I remember several AAR writers complaining how disappointed they were with their performance, even when they swapped out the pilots for veterans. Might be different with PDU OFF - no Georges to oppose them at first.

Those DD losses will begin to hurt the IJN when your subs get better torpedoes, which start improving in January!

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I hope you have one complete American BG (bomber group) of 64 planes (16 x 4) training in LowN for your B-25 attack bombers that come out in Feb. I've had good success with them myself. Add in your next gen B-24s and things are looking up. [:)]

In NW USA I would say that Seattle and Portland are the two bases you can least afford to be captured.

Sadly training is lagging behind. Being very active on 3 fronts have forced me to cut back on training and have more operational squadrons the usual.

Seattle and Portland should be well outside the realm of possibility for the Japanese. At least I hope so! [X(]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Don't forget that the first Corsair model has less than stellar performance and is not carrier capable. I remember several AAR writers complaining how disappointed they were with their performance, even when they swapped out the pilots for veterans. Might be different with PDU OFF - no Georges to oppose them at first.

Those DD losses will begin to hurt the IJN when your subs get better torpedoes, which start improving in January!

Whoever was disappointed with the Corsair should be staked to a cross and/or burned as a heathen!

Its an awesome plane. First model is held back a little by SR3 rating but besides that is just miles better then anything on the map.

For the USMC Its a 407 MPH plane replacing a 318 MPH plane. It has better guns, better range, better everything. How can you NOT love that? [:)]

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I hope you have one complete American BG (bomber group) of 64 planes (16 x 4) training in LowN for your B-25 attack bombers that come out in Feb. I've had good success with them myself. Add in your next gen B-24s and things are looking up. [:)]

In NW USA I would say that Seattle and Portland are the two bases you can least afford to be captured.

Sadly training is lagging behind. Being very active on 3 fronts have forced me to cut back on training and have more operational squadrons the usual.

Seattle and Portland should be well outside the realm of possibility for the Japanese. At least I hope so! [X(]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
Don't forget that the first Corsair model has less than stellar performance and is not carrier capable. I remember several AAR writers complaining how disappointed they were with their performance, even when they swapped out the pilots for veterans. Might be different with PDU OFF - no Georges to oppose them at first.

Those DD losses will begin to hurt the IJN when your subs get better torpedoes, which start improving in January!

Whoever was disappointed with the Corsair should be staked to a cross and/or burned as a heathen!

Its an awesome plane. First model is held back a little by SR3 rating but besides that is just miles better then anything on the map.

For the USMC Its a 407 MPH plane replacing a 318 MPH plane. It has better guns, better range, better everything. How can you NOT love that? [:)]

Pssstt.....

Attack at 100 feet and they use strafe, which your fighter pilots should be training/trained in. Plus, some of the B-25s have a lot of guns, so maybe decent Air skill will do something for them? Who knows.

I don't train on low naval and get hits just fine from strafing. I only use attack bombers for it.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
Pssstt.....

Attack at 100 feet and they use strafe, which your fighter pilots should be training/trained in. Plus, some of the B-25s have a lot of guns, so maybe decent Air skill will do something for them? Who knows.

I don't train on low naval and get hits just fine from strafing. I only use attack bombers for it.

That is brilliant. Can´t believe I didn´t think of that myself. [:)]

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]SIGINT[/font]
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More intel.

10/21st Division is planning for an attack on Vancouver.

[JocMeister]

[font="Verdana"]Japanese forces in NORPAC[/font]
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1st Division - On ships - Prepping Victoria - Adak
2nd Division - On ships - unknown prep - Pearl Harbor
4th Division - unkown prep -Pearl Harbor
5th Guards Division - unknown prep - Dutch Harbor
6th Guards Division -Prepping Noumea - Pearl Harbor
9th Division - On ships - unknown prep - Kodiak
12th Division - On ships - Prepping Victoria - Pearl Habor
16th Division - Prepping Victoria - Anchorage
21st Division - On ships - Prepping Vancouver - Pearl Harbor
24th Division - Prepping Victoria
33rd Division - Moving to Bangkok -unkowns prepp -Pearl Harbor-
48th Division - Prepping Prince Rupert - Coal Harbor

1st Tank Division - On ships - Pearl Harbor.
2nd Tank Division - On ships - Adak

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Total Japanese strength
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12 Divisions
2 Tank division
4 Tank RGTs
10+ Artillery units. Some of them siege guns from China.
1 Army HQ

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Japanese intentions
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Only thing that makes sense is an invasion of Canada and/or the West Coast. The Allies are prepared though and despite a huge Japanese commitment I don´t think the Japanese outnumber the allies if I factor in the Emergency reinforcements. I´ll make an updated OOB for the Allies on the West Coast if I find the time.

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Allied planning.
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This honestly doesn´t worry me that much. A full scale invasion might get a temporarily foothold on the WC but I feel confident I can defend the key locations. These are:

San Diego
San Francisco
Alameda
Seattle
Portland
Los Angeles
Tacoma

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
Pssstt.....

Attack at 100 feet and they use strafe, which your fighter pilots should be training/trained in. Plus, some of the B-25s have a lot of guns, so maybe decent Air skill will do something for them? Who knows.

I don't train on low naval and get hits just fine from strafing. I only use attack bombers for it.

That is brilliant. Can´t believe I didn´t think of that myself. [:)]

To be fair, they will lose some XP when they are put into the bomber group since they trained as a fighter pilot. But that's fine.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
To be fair, they will lose some XP when they are put into the bomber group since they trained as a fighter pilot. But that's fine.

I can live with that. [:)]

[Lokasenna]

I feel I should point out, since I just thought of it when seeing your thread title again, that my forum avatar is the artwork from a Magic card called Ovinomancer. He turns other creatures into sheep/kills them and replaces them with sheep.

[JocMeister]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I feel I should point out, since I just thought of it when seeing your thread title again, that my forum avatar is the artwork from a Magic card called Ovinomancer. He turns other creatures into sheep/kills them and replaces them with sheep.

That sounds like an awesome card!

Fear the sheep! [:D]

[JocMeister]

PS.

Lack of updates are due to lack of turns. Jeff has been busy over the weekend but I hope to get one tonight.