Thinz2 vs Zuluhour

[zuluhour]

The score card: I'll provide some detail later. The mishandling of the early airwar and lack of an aggressive naval surface doctrine led to these dismal results.

[zuluhour]

June 26th 1942
Mandalay: RAF continues small night raids; over 80 IJA fighters at the field. One RAF Sqdn will sweep and the AVG will sweep tomorrow.

Port Morseby: 26 Zeros sweep, down some from last time, but they get the better scoring three to one kills on very tired crews. Relief formations flown in as the field is now 100% with engineers and flak due to arrive shortly.

IJN cruiser TF spotted in the southern Solomons by Cats from Ndeni. B26s on naval attack and Saratoga recalled from SW of Noumea. Saratoga has two Wildcat squadrons and two Dauntless squadrons. One of the F4Fs is carrier training.

Wasp makes Pearl and is delayed reorganizing her air complement.

China: IJA units cross the Yangtze and appear to be concentrating. 20th Group Army less 18th corp are entraining for the AO.

[DOCUP]

Do you have the P38s out of those restricted sqds yet.  What does your pilot exp look like.

[zuluhour]

June 27th 1942
IJN spotted steaming in the Solomos.

[zuluhour]

SigInt: IJA planning attacks at multiple points. 13th Army is prepping for Hengyang (took me fifteen minutes to find) and engineers are reported to be prepping for Kukong. The Chinese 14th Army group begins ten day march to railhead. They take an arty unit from central reserve with them. IJA units are moving south of the Pearl river west of Hong Kong and have begun assaulting there. I am bringing reinforcements, the rail system will help me here.

Burma: The AVG will make its last sortie today over Mandalay, weather permitting.

West Coast: The Tennesse will be ready in two weeks.

India: Triple A is receiving upgrades and replacments in Ceylon. 2-3 will move to the mainland when complete to support Dacca and Imphal.

[zuluhour]

I only have one squadron equiped with P38s. They are on the west coast and only have 35+ experience. The pools for the USAF are stronger now with some 60+ and alot of high 50s. I have eight aces now and climbing. I have a P39 squadron with 38 kills flying bottom cover.

[zuluhour]

June 28th 1942: Solmons: IJN carrier aircraft find Yorktown 200nm due south and launch first. 29 attack aircraft with 29 Zeros in escort meet 45 Wildcats on CAP. The CAP takes 4-Zeros,3-Kates and a Val out of the war while losing two of their own. All the torps miss but Vals place 3-250kg GPs on her. 10%+ sys, 3-float, and 1 major engine in damage. Not long after 52 SBDs find the IJN. 6 fail to penetrate the CAP and 1-more is destroyed by AA while17 are damaged.
Pilot debreif reports Junyo on fire with an explosion from 1000lb er and Shoho on fire from a second. In heavy afternoon rain the IJN returns with 10-Kates and 19-Zeros. 32 Wildcats protect Yorktown and flame half the Kates and a Zero; no TF hits. Launching second in the afternoon, 24 more SBDs find the Jap TF where we lose seven more for one more hit on Junyo, however her fire is out and the damage is dubious. Yorktown lays 200nm south still of the IJN TFs and will try to get away with her depleted air groups. Ndeni and Luganville will evac all shipping south and I may slip the P39s (100) and Marauders out of the AO as well. Contemplating use of a 2-CATF close by. Most heavy surface assets are in Sydney at bars as there is no fuel. 100,000pts just landed in Perth.

Burma: LtGen Iida pivots lead elements to the east to cut the Burma road further? There is little to stop him. I don't see much to be gained by the move. His entire Army will need new boots before I will be further threatned there.

China: The 64th corp mounts a small counter attack with a good kill ratio at Pakhoi. He has another unit 46mi out, Im not moving. More SigInt: The IJA 116th Div is also planning on Hengyang. This is going to be a chess match, The Chinese will try to be en mass at the point of attack but with strong flanking forces to counter attack or cut off a successful thrust.

[zuluhour]

Orders away:
Yorktown ordered to retire SSW at flank. CATF ordered into IJN line of advance. Marauders on Ndeni on naval attack. P39s (70) remain on CAP at Luganville. BB and CA TFs leave Sydney for open waters due east for an intercept if the Rising Sun decides to head south. Amphib on flank sent to Morseby with mechanics. ASW organized around Suva and Noumea. SFTF leaves Suva due east to Pago Pago. Major port evac tomorrow if IJN sighted moving south. Transports loaded with Marine ac leave the west coast. Reg arrives at Dutch Harbor raising AV. More fuel expected in Perth shortly. Chinese ordered to counter attack again at Pakhoi. Bombers staged south in China to support ground units south of the Yangze. Still waiting for Chinese squadrons in Mongolia to upgrade.

[zuluhour]

June 29th 1942
The action in the Coral Sea turns anti climatic as IJN TFs cruise NNW back up the Solomons chain.

China: Two ground attacks: see below

Burma: IJA give a nasty surprise to the 200th Chinese Div and Burma Rifles at Lashio. IJA bombardment reveals the 4th Jap Div and 2+ regiments of arty there.

[zuluhour]

June 30th 1942
SigInt: IJA 40th Div planning attack at Ichang. 2700+ av waiting for it.
SoPac: mechanics finish unloading at Port Morseby. Stepped up IJN SubOps from Ndeni to Suva to Neumea. Triple A (208th) loads for Port Morseby at Cairnes.
India: Unexpected arrival of more Triple A on Celyon (was not looking for it). I want to boost Flak at all frontier Indian bases with Burma.
Burma: AVG departs. Viper Force and other smallish formations reach India. They will be ordered to the rear for rest and refit.
China: 48hrs more to detrain 20th Army Group. Some shuffling along the Yangtze in the Changsha AO. A new Chinese fighter (Lancer) is in the pools. Waiting to get my hands on them.

Naval: SNAFU with upgrades, figured it out but I have about 100 vessels in the yard, probably more like 175. Yorktown will need most of July to repair damage at Sydney from the battle of the Coral Sea. Wasp still shows 24 hours more for her new Wildcat pilots to report aboard at Pearl. Catchalot still in the yard, so we promoted a new captain to Gato and sent her to mine Oika in Japan. Subs on patrol off the home islands see frequent shipping here.

[zuluhour]

July 2nd 1942 (Coral Sea attachment is actually IJN positions on the 2nd)

Burma: Combat replay spots IJA 21st Div in Mandalay. If its true its a reinforcement to Iida's command. We stand down night attacks as they appear ineffective and the crews begin to suffer fatigue. One squadron of Hurricanes stages into the Akyab.

China: Another shock attack is repulsed at Kanhsien. 24 hours for 20th AG to assemble at the railhead for deployment. Lancers are in the pool but no squadrons have upgraded. The CAF bombers will stage another low level raid on the defenders at Pakhoi.

SoPac: IJA stages large number of night sorties over Port Morseby. Some small damage for number of aircraft commited. Two IJN TFs being watched south of Tulagi.

[zuluhour]

July 2nd SigInt: IJA arty prepping for Hengyang. We should be ready for him.

[Alfred]

There are a few conditions which must be met before an aircraft upgrade is possible. Size of airfield, size of supply stockpile etc.

Alfred

[zuluhour]

I just re read the section. As the CAF HQ is static and there is no way to shift 20,000 pts of supply to Mongolia, when I get the turn back I'll ponder it some more. I have the planes but the logistics are going to be tough. Thanks Alfred.

[DOCUP]

Have  you tried to upgrade your sqds at Changsha.  I can usually upgrade there.

[zuluhour]

The problem is getting them there. You get some squadrons way way way up north. You know come to think of it, they are so far north I'm not sure how long they have benn there. FUBAR.

[DOCUP]

I know which ones you are talking about.  I am using those as training sqds.

[zuluhour]

The AVG is gone, it leaves 4th of July, and I need those guys!

[zuluhour]

July 3rd 1942
China: 4th CAF FG transfers to an empty AB at Ansi. I wonder if they all make it in operating condition, find fuel and transfer further south. We'll see. If not I have some mechanics on an epic march. The 20th Army group leader is replaced by someone with much higher admin skills. The entire AG is detrained and waiting for orders.
Burma: No14 Sqn RNZAF ordered to sweep Magwe at high alt. If no fighters rise this time, I will subject it to a royal pounding on the morn.
SoPac: Cruiser TF (IJN) loitering at Tulagi-Lunga Point. Hes offloading something. Small SCTF with CVE aircover is SSE to intervene if the IJN surface elements head south.
CenPac: Wasp still waiting for more pilots, should be ready on the fourth, they will get shore leave if its the case anyway.

Happy Bird Day!GO RAVENS !!!

[zuluhour]

July 4th 1942
PI: Bataan holds.

Burma: Sweeps by the RNZAF and USAF are successful as we down more Oscars (2:1). The retreat continues.

China: 20th Army Group moves SE from the assembly area in combat mode as IJA troops were spotted moving in the same area today. CAF 4th FG makes two airfields south without incident or support from deep in northern China.

CenPac: Wasp shoves off, can't afford another day there. She will report to SoPac, point luck, and try and interdict IJN surface forces. A USN CA is prowling the waters near Tulagi looking for a fight.

Rear Areas: Fuel TFs being hit hard by IJN subs for about a week even escorted under ASW and search. Going to let things settle around the port concerned for awhile and let ASW groups work the AO over. Triple A, base forces, and Arty are the focus of July transports.

Back home: The Allies finally have some news worthy airmen.