At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Disco Duck

You really need to do something about the plane to plane ratio in the air. That should help your losses

You are absolutely correct, of course, but the problem is the pace of operations has consumed a lot of aircraft. Also, there isn't enough ground support in Luzon to repair the planes quickly enough. I might be able to fly in a couple of Air HQ from new Guinea via Mindanao to help. Also there is the Del Monico Aviation unit that was evacuated from the PI sitting in Midway. Might try to ship them back on small AP's. It's worth the losses to grind down whole Jap divisions there.

At what point do you write off the PI? If JJ makes a big effort there, everything (well almost everything) you put in will be lost. Does grinding down the LYBs there outweigh the need to reinforce other areas? [&:]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: Disco Duck

You really need to do something about the plane to plane ratio in the air. That should help your losses

You are absolutely correct, of course, but the problem is the pace of operations has consumed a lot of aircraft. Also, there isn't enough ground support in Luzon to repair the planes quickly enough. I might be able to fly in a couple of Air HQ from new Guinea via Mindanao to help. Also there is the Del Monico Aviation unit that was evacuated from the PI sitting in Midway. Might try to ship them back on small AP's. It's worth the losses to grind down whole Jap divisions there.

At what point do you write off the PI? If JJ makes a big effort there, everything (well almost everything) you put in will be lost. Does grinding down the LYBs there outweigh the need to reinforce other areas? [&:]

My opinion is that Cap should feed the PI beast as much as he possibly can for as long as he possibly can.

That will-if nothing else-take the pressure off of other areas, such as SoPac. JJ has overextended their reach and failed to capitalize on their expansive tendrils. Looks like CBI is Kaput for them in late 1942. So's Australia.

If the Allies can capture some ports on the South China Sea (e.g., Vietnam or coastal China), they can reinforce the PI from there too.

Cap: When do you get USMC squadrons aplenty? Could those be fast tracked to the Philippines?

Any other Philippine island groups that you could also take (e.g., Leyte, Cebu, Samar, Mindanao) to solidify the approaches to Luzon per se? Maybe diversify your Philippine portfolio a little? What about Puerto Princessa-wouldn't that be within air transport range of both Luzon and Vietnam?

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Zorch

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake



You are absolutely correct, of course, but the problem is the pace of operations has consumed a lot of aircraft. Also, there isn't enough ground support in Luzon to repair the planes quickly enough. I might be able to fly in a couple of Air HQ from new Guinea via Mindanao to help. Also there is the Del Monico Aviation unit that was evacuated from the PI sitting in Midway. Might try to ship them back on small AP's. It's worth the losses to grind down whole Jap divisions there.

At what point do you write off the PI? If JJ makes a big effort there, everything (well almost everything) you put in will be lost. Does grinding down the LYBs there outweigh the need to reinforce other areas? [&:]

My opinion is that Cap should feed the PI beast as much as he possibly can for as long as he possibly can.

That will-if nothing else-take the pressure off of other areas, such as SoPac. JJ has overextended their reach and failed to capitalize on their expansive tendrils. Looks like CBI is Kaput for them in late 1942. So's Australia.

If the Allies can capture some ports on the South China Sea (e.g., Vietnam or coastal China), they can reinforce the PI from there too.

Cap: When do you get USMC squadrons aplenty? Could those be fast tracked to the Philippines?

Any other Philippine island groups that you could also take (e.g., Leyte, Cebu, Samar, Mindanao) to solidify the approaches to Luzon per se? Maybe diversify your Philippine portfolio a little? What about Puerto Princessa-wouldn't that be within air transport range of both Luzon and Vietnam?

As someone who's never gotten past Turn 1, I bow to your far greater wisdom (NOT!).

[anarchyintheuk]

Someone mentioned that it's almost time for National Corsair day (not celebrated in Japan). It will take close to a month to form up a Marine squadron. Hope Cap's staff has one in the Phillipines. Probably won't help his overworked ground support tho.

[Cap Mandrake]

No need to recapture Panay or Leyte or Puerto Princessa or Mindanao because arr our bases berong to us.

Only Busuanga and Southern and Eastern Luzon have and Jolo been captured by invasion. A few ungarrisoned islands have flipped over

[Cap Mandrake]

Southern Luzon is reachable by C-47 from NW New Guinea. We are sending some engineers to Sansipor (east of Sorong) to build up as it out of zeke escort range from friggin' Kendari.

Corsairs and F4F's can reach Luzon with a ferry stop in Mindanao. Most US Army fighters can reach Luzon or Mindanao from New Guinea or the Sundas.

P-38's can reach Clark all the way from Darwin with drop tanks.

[Cap Mandrake]

Early game reinforcements to Luzon were 3 M-10 Bn, 2 Bn Stuarts, 1 FA Bn and on AAA Bn. That's it.They make a big difference.


We are trading 1st line Jap divisions for Philippino infantry at this point..at a ration 6-10 to 1. Hard to beat that. That's why it is worth the plane losses.

[Cap Mandrake]

Air losses yesterday. We shot down 13 Rirries yestahday ovah Ruzon but the Little Yellow Bastards brought down 8 C-47's (0ver China I think)

Jap raid N of Kirakira. Enemy surface forces about 440 nm out. Small CV and CVL 120 nm behind them.

This seems dangerous to send such a weak carrier force. It might well be bait. We have two ready CVs at Sydney but their escorts have to join up and the air group are engaged. Fortuantely, I sensed it was about time for this kind of thing so I pulled all the ships back from Rekata Bay yesterday and send a bunch to the South from Tulagi and Kirakira over the last two days.

[Cap Mandrake]

Meanwhile JJ have over 150 bombers at Rabaul and 100 fighters. These appear to be most of the Zekes and Netties from Kendari, whcih is not well protected now. [:)]

I suspend all the landing operations at Terapo because it's not safe with all those Netties at Rabaul.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Meanwhile JJ have over 150 bombers at Rabaul and 100 fighters. These appear to be most of the Zekes and Netties from Kendari, whcih is not well protected now. [:)]

I suspend all the landing operations at Terapo because it's not safe with all those Netties at Rabaul.

Vee haff vays uff making you answer - "Is it safe?"

[Cap Mandrake]

Siam/Vietnam/Laos.

Small paradrop at Vientiene today. Perhaps Luongshalong tomorrow. Then we fly in some engineers and start an air bridge-road route to the coast until we clear out central Siam.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Meanwhile JJ have over 150 bombers at Rabaul and 100 fighters. These appear to be most of the Zekes and Netties from Kendari, whcih is not well protected now. [:)]

I suspend all the landing operations at Terapo because it's not safe with all those Netties at Rabaul.

Vee haff vays uff making you answer - "Is it safe?"

It is vvery, vvery safe on ze Russian Front.

[Cap Mandrake]

I thought of something funny earlier but I forgot it..

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I thought of something funny earlier but I forgot it..

On the tip of your tongue?

[Cap Mandrake]

*******************January 1, 1942(e)*********************

Siam and Malaya: putting a minefield where the AI doesn't expect it seems to work better.

TF 54 encounters mine field at Batu Pahat (49,82)

Japanese Ships
DD Murakumo, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

[Cap Mandrake]

Lousy bombardment..poor intel.

Night Naval bombardment of Tavoy at 54,60

Allied Ships
CA Cornwall
CA Devonshire
CL Birmingham
CL De Ruyter
CL Sumatra
CL Java
CLAA Van Heemskerck
DD Norman
DD Nestor
DD Arunta

Japanese ground losses:
46 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 8
Port hits 6
Port fuel hits 3
Port supply hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

PI: Hehe. Now we have to send them back to the pool and they can't rearm with torps.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Naga at 81,81, Range 10,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Myoken Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Maebasi Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
xAK Toyooka Maru, Torpedo hits 1

Allied Ships
PT-68
PT-142
PT-143
PT-150
PT-157
PT-158

[Cap Mandrake]

Mindanao...

Morning Air attack on Malaybalay , at 80,90

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 12
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 10

Allied aircraft
Hurricane XIIb x 4
Kittyhawk III x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

[Cap Mandrake]

Huh? Betty at Buin. The field can't handle the aircraft.

Morning Air attack on Buin , at 109,131

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
B-17F Fortress x 8

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed on ground
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 9

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

*******************January 1, 1942(e)*********************

Siam and Malaya: putting a minefield where the AI doesn't expect it seems to work better.

TF 54 encounters mine field at Batu Pahat (49,82)

Japanese Ships
DD Murakumo, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

Um, have we entered a time warp?