Hairy Asian Experiences - GreyJoy (J) vs. Q-Ball (A)

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: paullus99

Very historical at this point with your losses to CAP & AA - just check out what the BB South Dakota did during the Battle of Santa Cruz......it doesn't get any easier, you're sending air units into what constitutes a buzz saw now....

Very true. I love this aspect of DBB. In my previous stock game, my naval flak was completely useless. Now it's a wonder weapon, much more as it should be!

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Well if it is any consolation to you. I think that for the Allies to take Rabaul once they possess Manus is a total waste of time and Allied assets. He has no real need to own it since Manus can be built up to a level 7 port. I just bypassed Rabaul and never looked back...

I agree. He could have taken Kavieng (which is almost empty) and get a base as usefull as Rabaul... Now he has 2 Divisions and a Marine Corp HQ at Rabaul... and it will take him some time in order to conquer it... forts level 5, 300 AVs and plenty of supplies...

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: obvert

At first, on the 29th, we moved 140 Judys and 60 fighters to Taberfane, trying to get his CVs that were lingering 6 hexes south of it.... all went uncoordinated and we lost 200 planes and 180 pilots for not a single hit ...we didn't even pass through the CAP. Ouch!

The other way around works better for me. If you have 140 fighters and 60 DB, a good number of those DB might get through.

Against a CAP of 100+ Hellcats I sent 90 Georges, 15 A6M5 and 21 Judys at some CVEs last turn. It was not a spectacular success, but half the DBs made runs and 3 x 500 kg hits landed on two CVE. The George and the Jack punch through much better than the A6M. Of course uncoordinated nothing will help much.

Erik, don't know. I think the best way is to have 200 Ablative Armour Fighters es escort...but if the bombers do not link with the escort, it doesn't really matter.... My bombers recently have shown a horrible habit of forgetting to link with the escort and proceed alone.... Very often i have 100 fighters escorting 6 bombers and then the bulk of the bombers arriving alone[8|]

[GreyJoy]

Oct 8, 1943
 
Think i can make it in Burma. After the breakthrough at Bahmo and the abbandoning of Wazrup, we're now leaving Mitikyna in good order. Think we should get to Katha well ahead the allied dogs. A new division has arrived at Rangoon and will deployed on my right flank.
 
Several APA/AKAs are gathering to Darwin from the Solomons, while Brad is stuck at Rabaul... I'm pretty sure he's gonna try again at Saumlaki. My KB will be ready and positioned at Sorong...so to be able to get to Biak area if needed or to move to Saumlaki at Flank speed in a day. Now Akagi is at Saipan...a couple more days and we'll be ready

[JohnDillworth]

GJ, you might consider alternative angles of attack for the KB. Your opponent is smart and you have some at him the same way a few times. Perhaps it plays to your strengths, but if you have become predictable to a good player the temptation is to set a trap. my 2 cents

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: JohnDillworth

GJ, you might consider alternative angles of attack for the KB. Your opponent is smart and you have some at him the same way a few times. Perhaps it plays to your strengths, but if you have become predictable to a good player the temptation is to set a trap. my 2 cents

You're surely right John. The last time near Darwin Brad has made a big feint, attracting my KB down there in order to get his invasion at Manus/Hansa Bay. At the same time i cannot hold off my major asset simply waiting for some more favourable situations...parity time is running up and the more i wait the more Brad becomes stronger.

However yes, i'll try to be less predictable.

Oct 8, 1943

In Burma he's bombing my 21st Army retreating from Mitikyna, in order to slow it down, while his units are marching down from Wazrup. I think i can make to Katha however. Once Katha is secured i should be able to re-estabilish a secure perimeter.
We've had a huge furball yesterday over Mitikyna and Bahmo. We exchanged blows but, at the end of the day, i had lost 80 planes against his 90 and 25 pilots. Not bad i'd say

[GreyJoy]

While we're approaching the end of 1943, the R&D situation looks really good.
By the first half of 1944 i will have the D4Y4, the J2M5, the KI-67T and the KI-84r. Pretty good i'd say.
I hope for 6/1944 to be able to field at least 200 Army pilots trained in naval-T skill. This should boost my defensive abilities for the upcoming Mariannas campaign.
 
In Burma, as long as we manage to mantain the ability to fight back in the air i think we're fine. I don't see how he can conquer the airspace over the Irradaway valley with these results. The combo KI-44c + KI-84a + N1K is really a good one. We are able to fight on equal terms with P-47s and Corsairs. The pilots belonging to the 5th Air Division stationed at Mandalay are really crack ones. 

[GreyJoy]

Oct 12, 1943
 
The allies aren't doing any progress at Rabaul. One Aus Division and one US Division do not seem to be able to crack my defences there, while a reinforced US Division just conquered Aitape. Now they're very close to Hollandia/Vanimo.
I'm moving my CVs back to Sorong. Wanna be closer to the front.
At Darwin everything is still... Brad is sending barges to resupply Molu...he must be running out of supplies there...
 
In Burma we exctracted from Mitikyna most of the 21st Army. Only the 5th Guards Division is left there, holding back the allied armadas as long as possible, gaining time for the rest of the 21st army to reposition at Katha. We also swept Wazrup, killing some 30 allied planes and losing 7 Tojos. Not bad. In Burma, so far, we are obtaining an average of a 2-1 in our favour since the beginning of 1943. Very very good. Things should get even better as soon as we can field the N1K2 and the KI-84r.
 
Biak keeps on growing. Now forts at level 6. 30,000 men, well supplied (100k supplies) and composed around a very good mix of troops (47mm AT guns, 150mm field guns, combat engineers and plenty of AA guns(12cm, 8cm and 20mm). Won't be easy for him to pass through here.
 
The Grace started to be researched. 3x30 R&D factories + engine bonus. Should be available by march 44.
 
What else? 300k supplies are moving to Singapore/Batavia, while my big TK convoy is getting back to Singapore. 550k fuel will be loaded there and brought back to Japan

[GreyJoy]

situation in Burma. Estabilishing a new perimeter

[GreyJoy]

southern DEI

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

southern DEI

That Samluki bit is a severe and painful example of incursio interruptus.

How big a base is Molu?

Also, do you note a proportional increase in intercepts with a very dense nest of subs like that...or is there some kind of degradation in efficacy?

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

southern DEI

Just curious why you're not bombing the trapped 25th ID daily? Great way to train up pilots, increase his disruption and fatigue too. He would have to LRCAP the airfield too, so he'd be prone to getting greased by a sweep / counter-LRCAP operation at range.

Just a thought.

[PaxMondo]

Edited ... wrong thread! [8D]

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

southern DEI


That Samluki bit is a severe and painful example of incursio interruptus.

How big a base is Molu?

Also, do you note a proportional increase in intercepts with a very dense nest of subs like that...or is there some kind of degradation in efficacy?

Molu is already maxed out. a level 6 AF and 3 port, with a division and several more support units in it.
Now, not really. You just get more dice and rolls per hex and that should be the max you can count on. However it's better than nothing

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

southern DEI

Just curious why you're not bombing the trapped 25th ID daily? Great way to train up pilots, increase his disruption and fatigue too. He would have to LRCAP the airfield too, so he'd be prone to getting greased by a sweep / counter-LRCAP operation at range.

Just a thought.

Because i've learnt the hard way that in DBB (where the effectiveness of the japanese 250kg bomb has been halved) the japanese ground bombing capabilities make a straving campaign more or less useless against anything but the chinese. Even the embedded flak can ruin your day and with Molu so close he could easily lay traps against my poor Helens... it would be a waste of good pilots and good assets. I prefer to sacrifice my pilots against objectives that are really worth (ships) instead that against enemy infantry units. He can easily send barges to saumlaki to feed his units there and there isn't really much i can do (i've already lost 7 DDs and got the Fuso in yards for 120 days trying to interdict the enemy shippings at Saumlaki-Molu).
Now that 1944 is approaching i really need to focus on how to use my assets. IMHO, the best way here at Saumlaki is to delay him as long as possible...and he's gonna have some hard times conquering that base (500 AVs behind 4 forts in jungle). I've already bought some six months here... not bad.

Oct 13, 1943

Today we managed to extract the 5th Division from Mitikina. Our last big units is now marching towards Katha, leaving Mitikyna base in the allied gods' hands. We swept again Wazrup, achieving a 20-0 result against Spits and P-40[8D].

Economy:
Oil: 890,000 (falling)
fuel: 4,750,000 (falling-negative outlook)
supplies: 4,500,00 (stable)
Arm: 130,000 (raising-positive outlook)
Veh: 24,000 (raising-positive outlook)
HI: 2,300,000 (raising-positive outlook)

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


Economy:
Oil: 890,000 (falling)
fuel: 4,750,000 (falling-negative outlook)
supplies: 4,500,00 (stable)
Arm: 130,000 (raising-positive outlook)
Veh: 24,000 (raising-positive outlook)
HI: 2,300,000 (raising-positive outlook)

Is this after You add those missing fuel,oil, supplies etc?

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


Economy:
Oil: 890,000 (falling)
fuel: 4,750,000 (falling-negative outlook)
supplies: 4,500,00 (stable)
Arm: 130,000 (raising-positive outlook)
Veh: 24,000 (raising-positive outlook)
HI: 2,300,000 (raising-positive outlook)

Is this after You add those missing fuel,oil, supplies etc?

Yes, michealm added 1800k fuel and 2000k supplies ( no oil) few months ago.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy


Economy:
Oil: 890,000 (falling)
fuel: 4,750,000 (falling-negative outlook)
supplies: 4,500,00 (stable)
Arm: 130,000 (raising-positive outlook)
Veh: 24,000 (raising-positive outlook)
HI: 2,300,000 (raising-positive outlook)

Is this after You add those missing fuel,oil, supplies etc?

Yes, michealm added 1800k fuel and 2000k supplies ( no oil) few months ago.

That is looking good. Happy to hear michealm do his magic.

[GreyJoy]

Ok, i managed to solve the problem with a fresh re-install (after few more attempts).... I loaded the turn for the 16th October with great expectations.... i have planned for one month for this turn... planned a lot...

....aaaaaand.....?

Well, all i can say is that I AM PISSED OFF!!![:@]

This is the third time my CVs fail to deliver a great blow because of the damned weather!!! [:@][:@][:@]

Here's the story:

I've been monitoring Colombo and Tricomalae for months now. Not a single fighter based at Colombo... but a HUGE number of ships, coming and going...and staying.
I've did a deep review of the naval search sightings i've had in the last months.
2 CAs (maybe 3)
3 CLs (maybe 4)
several DDs and DEs
Not less than 4 LSI(L)s.... and several several more ships (TKs, AOs, xAPs etc....)

A HUGE port, full of activity!...with a very juicy target in terms of warships...

A port...UNDEFENDED...

I left 3 CVs, 3 CSs(often misjudged as CVs) and 2 CVEs at Sorong...in plain view...., while the rest of the KB moved slowly to Singapore...unseen.
Then i moved, at 19 hexes from Colombo...near Sebang...unseen. Here i created my attacking force: 9 CVs, 4 CVLs and several warships.
nearly 800 planes. TOP pilots... everything.... unseen...

Well, i waited for a day of forecasted good weather... for 2 days there were storms over Colombo...i waited... usually the weather does a cycle, right? so after 2 days of truly bad weather i thought it was good to go.

Run at flank speed. Perfect positioning. 6 Hexes south of Colombo.
The morning came... clear over Colombo and STORMS over my CVs (now detected)
I thought...well, in the afternoon i still have a chance...right?

Well, in the PM phase the weather was good over my ships...BUT STORMS over Colombo!!!!

COM'on!?!?!?!?!?[:o][:o][:o][:o][:o][:o]

Another good plan trashed by bad luck.... and now he knows where my CVs are not... so i have to run back to the DEI...ASAP!


The only good news of the day is the torpedoing of CVL Hermes.
That ship was moving eastwards somewhere SW of Cocos... what was she doing there? Escorting a fighter squadron to Cocos? Or something more tricky? However, a sub put 3 fishes in her belly and i really hope she's now a goner! Finger crossed

Over Sarmi we ambushed the usual 4Es run. 33 Liberators are shot down for 5 Georges. Not bad. Not bad at all.

But i cannot really think of what this turn could have been with 200 Jills and 250 Judys attacking those ships at Colombo....[8|]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Oct 16, 43
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Cocos Islands at 15,114

Japanese Ships
SS I-9

Allied Ships
CVL Hermes, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
DD Sims


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submarine attack near Trivandrum at 27,44

Japanese Ships
SS I-165

Allied Ships
LSI(L) Glenorchy, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

LSI(L) Glenorchy is sighted by SS I-165
SS I-165 launches 2 torpedoes at LSI(L) Glenorchy


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Cocos Islands at 15,114

Japanese Ships
SS I-9, hits 3

Allied Ships
CVL Hermes, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Sims

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Sarmi , at 91,114

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 13
N1K1-J George x 51
Ki-84a Frank x 17

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 3
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 35

Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 4 destroyed, 14 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Sarmi , at 91,114

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
J2M3 Jack x 4
N1K1-J George x 19
Ki-84a Frank x 7

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 4
B-24J Liberator x 5
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
B-24J Liberator: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
PB4Y-1 Liberator: 1 destroyed by flak

Airbase hits 1

[GreyJoy]

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