Lambs to the slaughter (Lowpe (J) vs Jocke; BillBrown (A)) Finished

[Lowpe]

Hope springs eternal. Light Cruisers have poor AA suites, so I boosted the LRCAP, but then the Allies are flying from smaller air bases too.

Light a candle.

[Lowpe]

May 15th, 1943

May half gone, and the IJN continues missing by a day. Most of the upgraded KB is at Sorong, since Horn Island is undergoing bombing, and I suspect will be invaded shortly. Wondering if I show the KB over it...perhaps show it but not risk it.

The CL task force retreats to Rabaul after finding the bay empty once again. Always a day short.

The Allies bring up a heavy hitter fleet...they like their size 9 fleets stuffed to the gills, and I am more a small fleet proponent of 3-4 ships.

[Lowpe]

Found these Lightnings in China, where perhaps lack of supply has grounded them. Destroyed 2 outright on the ground, and damaged several more. I guess CAF was trying to surprise me, but for whatever reason missed.

[Lowpe]

In a pdu off game, anyone know the N1K1 eligible sentai? I thought there was at least two, but I cannot find them.

I have searched thru tracker, and only find reinforcements in late 1943.

Not a huge deal, but I though for sure there was two that were eligible (not like the Jack which starts production well before any eligible sentai.)

Thanks...

[Lowpe]

Finding several sentai with this upgrade path.

[Lowpe]

So mid Nov 1943 before the first George graces the air?

[Lowpe]

Mid October for the first Jack...but I knew that already.

[Lowpe]

In other plane news:

I changed the size 15 Tina factory, which has 70 in the pool, over to the Irving C recon now size 10.

There are only two sentai that fly Tina, and one of them can be upgraded along the Zeke line, and the second arrives in 2 weeks and upgrades to Betty L.

I simply need be careful about my Tina pools.

There are 3 Sentai, eventually, that fly the Irving-C. One upgrades to the Judy C, the other two to the Myrt. Never had the Myrt before.

[Lowpe]

Nick A factories have been upgraded to the Nick C. There isn't a lot of improvement, arguably none, but it does switch the engine from Ha35 to Ha31 (he Sonia engine and many FPs). And since the Ha35 is still providing a research bonus for the A6M5c and the Oscar IV I find I need to be frugal with my builds (especially since I have so many Lilly IIb divebomber squadrons.

I have 180 Nicks in the pool, and will leave some Sentai flying that A model until pools are depleted.

The Nicks role now is ground support in China (winding down), and rear Port defense outside of Allied fighter sweeps.

I like the idea of training Nicks to do low naval attacks, but that really flubbed last game, and I have given up on the idea for better port defenses. Many Japanese players swear by the Nick as a great Kamikaze...but two engines makes it rather expensive I think.

[Lowpe]

And still more changes:

One very small (size 8) Thalia factory switches over to the freshly arrived KAI Helen transport. Quite a few Army transports upgrade to the Helen (the two Thalia, one Sally, two Theresa, and several Topsy II.

Quite a few Topsy II are stuck that way for the game...

so the Army transports will eventually be KAI Helen and Topsy.

For Navy transports there are only three Tabby Sentai, and they come as reinforcements sized 18, 18, and 36 (very late). Best Japanese transport very limited. Sigh.

[DanSez]

Very happy to see the AAR posting.

Never played PDU Off - not even in practice mode. Sure looks like trying to run with both feet tided together. Keep up the good fight!

[Lowpe]

May 16th, 1943

I thought there might be a fight one hex south of Rabaul, but no joy.

Allied sub sinks a small tanker near Sorong, is attacked by Kates flying ASW. Only once so hopefully the KB is still dark.

[Lowpe]

Thanks Dan.[:)]

PDU off is a headache, but a good one.

I have been putting off a serious examination of float planes...no Jakes everywhere, and Petes will be around till the end.

[Lowpe]

Worked on my float planes somewhat. I have to create a Pete factory and start churning them out as I currently have less than a dozen.

Last game I used them extensively as night search, night cap, etc, but this game they are doing a ton of daytime Naval Search, especially the numerous Pete squadrons.

AVs' are placed at island bases to provide support and floats fly search from there trying to keep Allied subs down. Remember, I am not using Army planes to do ASW work (except for 3 Sonia squadrons). I thought about putting AV with tankers, but I think not.

I am thinking of making up a killer Betty ASW squadron staffed with excellent pilots and numerous planes and then flying them to focused ASW efforts. I am thinking of using my weaker CVE to aid in the ASW effort.

The Chinese forces on the road east of Paoshan have retreated, and tanks and artillery are moving in here to take this important base. Changsha will be attack soon, and forces and supply will hopefully flow into Burma before the Allies make it much farther...I hope.

[Lowpe]

May 17, 1943

Horn Island invaded. Constant bombing by heavies weakened the defense so Allied losses aren't staggering, but forts are intact and the KB is within range.

I doubt he sticks around for a second day unloading. But you never know. Allies used Sub Chasers, LCI and LST to unload. Escorted by the CL Perth.

I could make for a fight of it, flying in troops to the untouched runway, put the KB 7 hexes away....but I don't know.

[Lokasenna]

Do you think he has any kind of CAP there? If not, I don't see why you wouldn't sting him.

[Lowpe]

Working on beefing up my defenses...have to say the Hollywood adventure has put me behind here, but that is life.

Another nasty surprise, which I probably knew, was that all destroyed ground units are falling under new restricted commands in Tokyo and need to be bought out again. I buy them the moment they show up, and before rebuilding them.

I have 4 of thee B Mountain Divisions, and they are pretty air mobile. This unit was fighting in China, and is now at Saigon, having marched from Chungking to Canton, ferried by some nice xAPs to Haiphong, entrained to Saigon, and will now march to PhenomPenh to catch trains Bangkok from were they will slog across nasty terrain to Tavoy.

If they get bypassed, I can air evacuate them for the most part leaving only a few units behind.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Do you think he has any kind of CAP there? If not, I don't see why you wouldn't sting him.

He has swept with some Airacobras, and then been quiet. I had been putting together a cannon intensive interceptor LRCAP, but he moved to fast for me.

Not really much reward...if he lands more supply will that cause another shock attack? He is over the stacking limits by only 7100 to 6000.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Do you think he has any kind of CAP there? If not, I don't see why you wouldn't sting him.

He has swept with some Airacobras, and then been quiet. I had been putting together a cannon intensive interceptor LRCAP, but he moved to fast for me.

Not really much reward...if he lands more supply will that cause another shock attack? He is over the stacking limits by only 7100 to 6000.

No shock from landing supplies. LCU devices only.

[Lowpe]

I turned off all search in the area, but a very narrow window over Horn Island.

Will fly Betties, Lilly divebombers, and the KB if everything works.

Flying out a splinter of some of the super heavily disrupted troops, and flying in some supplies. Will asses flying in troops after a day.