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Ok guys, this is probably my last post for the next 8 days (if i don't find a decent internet connection in Afrika)...

So i leave you with a statle mate situation...which will surely be altered in the next 20 days when the allies will be able ready to start their offensives

The problem with such raiding forces is that they can refuel from an xAK as well. Just put them in the same TF and 'refuel at sea'. Not sure if you've got any HRs against that.

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

An IJ DD at the Panama Canal Zone portal entrance? Man, that stinks to me. He's taking advantage of the fact that he can calculate the exact hex of entry, knowing that you (as a relatively new player) won't expect this. To me it's akin to the land march across the Owen Stanleys to recpature Port Moresby. Okay, the game allows it, but it stinks to do it, especially against a newcomer.

No CR, i don't agree with you here. The move is a bold one imho. It wasn't exactly on the exit point...close but not there...and he managed to get there with a good plan obviously....moving AOs where i could not spot him...
These moves help me to keep my focus and my attention high...i can never relax, not even in my backyard! and that's a good thing imho

I agree, you get plenty of escort type ships coming in from the East Coast and Balboa. No need to send ships out of the canal zone without escort. Just wait for a few DDs and then send then in a big group. Besides, you can send your ships to different locations-say Tahiti, and they will enter the board in different locations. A good move by Rader as just a little caution would have countered this. The Allied get a million escort carriers. That is really what these ships were for.

I will say that there is some method to Rader's madness. He is doing an excellent job of sinking your APA and AKA type ships. (or are you doing and excellent job of losing them? [;)]) You really can't afford to lose any more as without them your offensive in 44 and 45 is going to be severly hampered-if not already. You need to start treating any and all amphibious capable ships like pure gold and start thinking about how you are going to protect them.

Indeed, his raids hit the prime targets - the assualt shipping. Treat the surviving assault ships like gold, escorting them heavily.

On a personal note, good to see I guessed right, but cold comfort for you, GJ.

Perhaps the single best time to invade Thousands is the day AFTER Rader launches his next sheer numbers aerial attack. Can't really see what strategic imperative he's fulfilling here as his air force is bleeding dry. Obvious caveat to my suggestion here is to be aware of KB's location and remaining a/c. If they're still in the game like they are right now, it could hurt. Then again, perhaps getting him to respond to what appears to be an amphib covered only by CVEs is the perfect time to wheel in your CVs for the kill (or at least the favorable exchange).

Think carefully on your next moves as you dodge malaria in Zanzibar!

ORIGINAL: JeffK

As a vast percentage of shipping out of the Canal Zone is headed to Pearl it would be a good bet to sit opposite the channel on the map.

There isn't a fixed route from the Canal Zone to Pearl. There's maybe 15-ish hexes you can enter on that are all 107 hex routes, and more if you don't mind a slightly longer trip. Every TF could enter differently.

Not that I generally would bother absent an impetus. But if my opponent was camping on the "obvious" path I'd just go around with future TFs.

CR's point was obviously that a newer guy would not be expected to pick up on this and would just be using the 'return to home port' route from the Canal to get to Pearl.

ORIGINAL: witpqs

CR's point was obviously that a newer guy would not be expected to pick up on this and would just be using the 'return to home port' route from the Canal to get to Pearl.

Which is what I do most of the time. However, I don't send valuable ships without escort anywhere on the map. I think GJ understands this now. It is a learning process.

Hi GJ; am enjoying your AAR.

I thought I would mention, in case you weren't aware, that LSIs are the British equivalent of APAs. The following ships can be converted to LSIs: AMCs: Westralia, Prince Henry,
Manoora, Kanimlba, Monowai. xAPs: Glenstrae, Glenorchy, Glenartney, Empire Battleax, Empire Star, Empire Pride, Australia Star, Dunedin Star. There may be others that I missed.

Also, how is your recon of India, especially the coast? If you can get a PB4Y-1P Liberator group to Karachi you can reach all the way to Calcutta.

Enjoy your vacation. [:)]

Manage to steal a wi-fi connection from a Masai market...pretty odd![:D]...this damned Hotel has the internet connection broken and here the telecoms are bad to say the least...however managed to send another turn to Rader...

don't have time to do a proper update but...we managed to catch and sink 2 AOs and the CVE Hosho near Christmas Island ...this is my first clash of carriers...a single CVL againts a single CVE...[:D][:D][:D] The battle was won only because we had 12 Hellcats while he had only 18 Kates....but was close [:)]

More news starting on Wedsnday...

Thanks for the support guys!

PS: Zanzibar is a damned cool place...the ocean has colours that i never saw in my life and the sand is purely white!
Really a wonderfull place...too bad on the second day i got the typical african diarrhea attack and i litteralry **itted my stomache off!!!....and i still feel very weak...my GF isn't clearly proud nor happy of my performances so far[:-][:o][:D]

ORIGINAL: SBD

Hi GJ; am enjoying your AAR.

I thought I would mention, in case you weren't aware, that LSIs are the British equivalent of APAs. The following ships can be converted to LSIs: AMCs: Westralia, Prince Henry,
Manoora, Kanimlba, Monowai. xAPs: Glenstrae, Glenorchy, Glenartney, Empire Battleax, Empire Star, Empire Pride, Australia Star, Dunedin Star. There may be others that I missed.

Also, how is your recon of India, especially the coast? If you can get a PB4Y-1P Liberator group to Karachi you can reach all the way to Calcutta.

Enjoy your vacation. [:)]

Welcome aboard SDB!!! Glad to have u here!

Yes, upgraded what i could (what wasn't sunk) and bout those recon liberators.... i don't need them right now...i'll tell you in details when i'll return but i can already tell you that we have already enumerated 15 japanese divisions newly arrived in India...he's massing his troops...and the coast is well defended from Surat to Bombay...

More at my return...

bye!

Congrats, it's not quite a real CV that you sunk, but every flight deck counts.

Ok, stormy weather here in Zanzibar so i have time for an update.

Sep 14, 15 1943



The turn begins with the first action of my night fighters. Rader sent 15 Helens to bomb Karachi at night. We scrambled 7 beaufighters Vif...despite my crews are all CRACK ones the helens defended very well...but did no harm to karachi AF...
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Night Air attack on Karachi , at 40,8

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 87 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 27 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 15



Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIf x 7


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 damaged
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses



Aircraft Attacking:
8 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 10000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
No.176 Sqn RAF with Beaufighter VIf (0 airborne, 4 on standby, 2 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 10000 and 14000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 53 minutes



Then my Eastern Army marching towards Multan was attacked by 100 Helens, escorted by 80 Tojos and preceded by 250 fighters on sweep...again my 90mm american AA guns did their job and destroyed the Helens formation flying at 32k feet...not a single bomb hit my troops. Again my fighters weren't sent to LRCAP...i keep my air army united at Karachi and it grows stronger every day!

65 4Es bombed the concentration of enemy troops at Dehli...more for recon pourposes than for any hurting attempt...now we know that he has at least the following troops:




Also attacking 54th Division ...
Also attacking 39th Division ...
Also attacking 37th Division ...
Also attacking 18th Division ...
Also attacking 24th Division ...
Also attacking 33rd Division ...
Also attacking 2nd Guards Division ...
Also attacking 7th Division ...
Also attacking 39th Division ...
Also attacking 36th Division ...
Also attacking 54th Division ...
Also attacking 24th Division ...
Also attacking 53rd Division ...
Also attacking 52nd Division ...
Also attacking 32nd Division ...
Also attacking 18th Division ...
Also attacking 33rd Division ...
Also attacking Guards Tank Division ...
Also attacking 2nd Guards Division ...
Also attacking 54th Division ...
Also attacking 24th Division ...
Also attacking 53rd Division ...
Also attacking 15th Division ...
Also attacking 39th Division ...
Also attacking 21st Division ...


We'll keep on bombing his LCUs (that are strat moving towards Multan) so we'll have a better estimate of what we're going to face at Multan...lot of stuff anyway!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And then, south west of Christmas Island, there's the first carrier encounter of the war.... we moved our CVL there in order to close the exit way of the Hosho (i was pretty sure he would come down south and east in order to get back to his lines...)...our Avengers spotted and attacked on the morning of the 14th the enemy replenishement TF...

Morning Air attack on TF, near Eiao at 194,151

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 19 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 7
TBF-1 Avenger x 13


No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
AO Erimo, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AO Iro, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
13 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo

Carrier support unable to supply air cover..


In the Afternoon the Hosho did react and moved closer to our CVL, launching 15 kates on bombing mission.... We had 5 Hellcats on CAP and we mauled the enemy formation that arrived very depressed over our CVL and, with only bombs, the enemy bombers weren't able to score a single hit...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Eiao at 196,147

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 43 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 15



Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 5


Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
CVL Cowpens



Aircraft Attacking:
8 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 6000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 250 kg SAP Bomb


And then we striked back...and our attack was deep and efficient...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Eiao at 194,151

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 37 minutes


Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 7
TBF-1 Avenger x 11


Allied aircraft losses
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Tone
CVE Hosho, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk



Aircraft Attacking:
11 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo

Carrier support unable to supply air cover..
Ammo storage explosion on CVE Hosho


The Tone went away without a scracth, but the Hosho ate 3 torps and sunk beneath the waves immediately[:)]

The next day our search continued but the Tone, now alone, managed to slip away unseen....

We won't chase her down anymore...hopefully she'll be out of fuel before reaching Kwalajein...[&o]


Nothing much more happened on the 15th...his KB and BBs are at Rabaul, while we ordered anothe little bombing raid with 4 DDs at Rekata Bay...things in Sopac and Swpac are taking shape. In 15 days we'll be ready to strike...

We'll first hit Thousands and Russell with a couple of BB bombing raids, followed by our 4Es...i'd like to run his supply dry before the D-Day...next week things will become really hot...

Good job. Hopefully the weather in Zanzibar wont be better the next days [;)]

Well done, Mr. Vacation. I hope my next job is with a European company. [;)]

Cheers,
CC

Ok, Mr. Vacation is back[:D]

Sep 18,19 1943

The whole combined fleet is moving back from Rabaul to Truk, while we naval bombed Auki and Munda and while few CAs of his keep on moving from Shortland to Thousands...

Soon we'll make a comprehensive update...got some internet problems right now at home and i'm trying to solve them...

"Bout time you dragged yer greasy butt back home.



(That's the way we would've welcomed back a friend on Third Floor Center, Myers Hall, University of Georgia in the early 1980s. So...it's crass, but it's friendly.)

thanx CR!

Zanzibar and Tanzania are really cool, even if i have to admit Africa is not really my best dream...

Tomorrow i'll try to upload some good picture...

Today, coming back, we stopped at Mombasa and i immediately thought "hey, this is an "off map" base!"

Oh, say, what's this lads? Its my old bub, Reek, back from safari and all (slaps Greyjoy firmly on his sunburned back). Okay, then, let's do count those fingers.....all 7 there I see. My, the picture of health and sweet smelling after laying about in the sun, or we? Well, we'll have to see about fixing that. Back to the old grindstone and all, me old seadragon. So happy to have you back. Go give those LYBs grief and more.

princep Bolton.

It's nice to be back home here at DreadFort my Lord. The southern warmth doesn't fit your Reek.
Your Reek still needs his seven remaining fingers to hit the japs...so please, let them be for few more months...and i promise you will satisfied.


Sept 20,21 1943

He positioned the KB and the BBs north of Kavieng...he's planning something again...
While a DD division of mine (4 fletchers leaded by DD Chevalier) hunts every night in the slot (sinking 2 PBs tonight and bombing Munda 2 nights ago), we're planning a new tactical offensive towards his first defensive line in the Solomons, while waiting for the last units to arrive in theatre (3 CVs+4 CVLs+1 Fast BB). Thousands, Russell and Auki will be bombed in the next days, hopefully draining more japanese air attacks towards my fortified positions at TLT.

In India my Eastern Army is assembling 6 hexes east of Hyderabad. He keeps on sending every day 200 fighters on sweep followed by 120 Helens at 30,000 feet...tomorrow we'll try to LRCAP with 70 planes and see what happens....

September is being a month of troops movements and organization...October will be the month of action...