Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I feel so silly for getting the ships mixed up.[:(]

LOL, I was wondering how FoW would lead to confusion for your own ships! [:D]

Glad to see you're posting again I... will be watching (sounds threatening somewhat )

May 19th, 1943

Horn bombarded by Allied cruisers....but by dawn with 5 fleet carriers in range led by Shokaku the Allied shipping is gone, and we are spotted 3/3.

There really is very little defending this entire area with the exception of half the KB...the other half is undergoing upgrades. We have shown the flag and will retreat & continue building some speed bumps to the Allied offensives.

Allies are really good at getting away from invasions...I always am a day late.

ORIGINAL: jwolf

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I feel so silly for getting the ships mixed up.[:(]

LOL, I was wondering how FoW would lead to confusion for your own ships! [:D]

I get reports occasionally of Sallies attacking subs, and not one squadron is doing naval search or ASW work. So, it happens.

So, I turned tail and ran with TF Shokaku -- but I left the narrow naval search on and the Betties and Lillies on naval strike.

I had a few Rufes fly LRCAP over Horn, lost 3 to ops without destroying a bomber but they will cause Allies to fly LRCAP there or escort his bombers.

I fly out splinters of three defending units back to Manus.

The crack 24th Division from Manchuko and 3 motorized rapidfire AT units will arrive at Bangkok shortly bolstering the rear lines there.

Magwe is still pristine as is Rangoon. All my Tony squadrons, 2, are flying CAP there plus the Endo Sqdrn (2 Irving-s) are there too, plus some Tojo and Zekes. With the Allies getting closer air bases I suspect some pressure will arrive here...the Allies are currently marching around thru the Jungle from Akyab rather that force a river crossing.

IJAAF bombers are massing to attempt to catch ground units with little AA defenses. I have to be careful as they are so darn fragile. I am not using the Army bombers for ASW but against the Allied troops....will see how it works out.

May 20th, 1943

Horn Island still holds, but no fireworks there this turn. Will leave the Betties and Lillies on strike.

Perhaps some fireworks off Tavoy this turn, we shall see...I only normally succeed on one strike out of ten.

Future arriving planes:

June Planes:

61b Tony: Currently I have two squadrons flying 61a and they upgrade to the 61c. The 61b has several arriving squadrons as reinforcements starting 2/44. 61c arrives 9/43 with no research, the 61d arrives probably in July if I keep researching it (but I may move the r&d to the next version as you can't fly the D until the C arrives. Confusing, you betcha!

However, there are zero squadrons that upgrade to the 61b. Great plane eh?[:)] So, no production for this plane I think as the 61b all upgrade to another version of the Tony (KAI or D).

Irving S NF: Mid to late June: Two size 30 factories will produce this workhorse, or perhaps research the next version which is much better as it doesn't run out of ammo so fast and gets radar.

Fresh groups arrive thru the entire game, but to start with there is only the Endo Squadron (2 planes) and a 9 plane Jake Squadron that fly the Irving until 10/43 when the reinforcements start arriving.





Most upgrade to another NF, usually the Sa version, but also the Zero NF and one squadron to the Frances NF. Some don't upgrade at all, and I expect these are the squadrons that get withdrawn.

Rex: July, 1943: I get the Rex, float plane fighter. One Rufe squadron can upgrade to the Rex, and a whopping second squadron arrives in July of 1945. Just in time, I bet to tip the tide of the war.

August, 1943:

Feature these game changers: Norm FP, Judy model 2 (probably in July), Lilly IIc divebomber (features another defensive machine gun -- doesn't help any), Frances Navy medium bomber.

Frances...one squadron arrives but then it 3/44 for the second. Ultimately a half dozen squadrons fly this plane. No Betty squadrons upgrade to Frances.


Not mentioned the A6M5c zero. Armor and best firepower for dropping bombers. She will probably so up mid June and be very welcome.

May 20, 1943

Okay...we might be on.

Okay, for some stupid reason I spot Allied ships at the base south Buna, and a Betty squadron gets wiped out. No search there so how did I spot them?

But it looks okay for now on the western empire..just okay.



In watching the combat replay, the LRCAP didn't participate once that I could see in the actual fighting.

Pretty small ships, but really, I knew that already.

5 Hurricanes destroyed for the loss of one Oscar IIa.

Another 7 Betties show up and sink one more ship. No Hurricanes in the air...flak is pitifully weak, as the escorts are AMs.

The unexpected fight of the day...not holding out much hope here as I think the target is light cruisers and fletchers to the tune of 9 or 10 ships.

Olorin!!!! Why didn't you sink this ship? I mean taking Pearl is okay, but really get your priorities straight.[:D]

Hmm...

My torpedo accuracy isn't really that great.

A splinter makes a hit...

Seven Betties flew in unescorted and paid the price, but the Lillies want another crack...I bet the Allies are really afraid of those 100 kgs SAPs!

2nd time is the charm...

I sink a couple of 5 VP xaks, an xakl for 2 vp, and knock two guns out on a nasty CL.

Other than the goofy Betties flying in unescorted a pretty good day. I need to check why the Lillies didn't fly against the convoy, but it was 11 hex and that is there extreme range so hard to expect them to sortie.

Happy with how the fighter losses went. Would have been nice to get the sweeps in first, but first in the afternoon isn't too shabby either.

A closer look at the Army divebombers. This is one reason why the Army won't allocate any squadrons to ASW...what is that 7 divebombers sentai?

They pack the measly 100 kilo SAP, but it really does a good job at knocking out gun mounts and devices like radar even if the bombs bounce off the armor.

The 75th Sentai should have flown, it was at a good base, with good supplies, HQa present, and but more planes than AV support present. Two sweeps flew from the same base...

The best thing about the Lilly is she can fly from level 2 airbases, which is what Umboi is. The 45th Sentai lost 9 planes to flak, but scored with three hits two of them knocking out devices.

This was the first somewhat half decent attack by the Army divebombers. I hope for many more.