Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[Lowpe]

A look at some recently planned operations in the Andamans. Not all of them mind you, but some of them.[:)]



Those Allied fleets are kind of junky LCT or PT groups except the southern most one is two destroyers. Tanaka head back to port with full ammo lockers -- I think not![8D]

[Lowpe]

Assault bombers...that is a big cannon you got there Mr. B25H![X(]

[Lowpe]

October 4, 1943

Allies bomb Rabaul at night with 3 B24; 18 Irvings rise to challenge them, and after one gets shot down, and most run out of ammo before making a pass, we manage to inflict 2 op losses on them. A success![:D]

Meanwhile, in Burma, Tanaka and his light cruisers are sent into Rangoon to disrupt the Allied war effort. He is off to a slow start and makes Rangoon late, held up by PT boats, where they sink one, and then encounter 2 Allied Destroyers, that in truth, kind of roughly handle Tanaka. No merchant convoys present.

However, Tanaka opens his orders, and he is ordered to remain on station, utter madness as dawn approaches.[X(] Someone screwed up in the Admiralty.

And to confuse matters more, all of Tanaka's numerous escorts get pulled away to defend the runway at Pegu or Moulmein where they tangle with P47s. KAI Dinahs aren't much of a match for the Thunderbolt, especially when they fly at 18K and the Jugs are at 41K.

But the Japanese fighters struggle on, mostly going down in flames, but some do exact some revenge on the Mustangs, which have been relegated to escort duty and this time it is the Allies time to go down in flames.

The KAI Dinah even makes some passes, starting to shoot at range 5, then 4, then 3, then 2 and they even got credited with a kill, but the odd thing is when the Dinah confronts the bombers they are driven off before even opening up on them at long range with their cannons.

I thought that was the purpose of having that big cannon....shoot at enemy bombers from outside their defensive guns' ranges.[&:]

[Lowpe]

What a bleak day this is turning out to be![:@][:@]

[Lowpe]

During the day, between air raids, and skirmishes with Allied destroyers, we get some good intel. Rangoon is full of ships! That is nice, but where is the rest of task force Tanaka?

[Lowpe]

Why, they found a cozy place to hide, in some storm front or cloud bank, or somewhere. And look, I bet everyone makes it out of here, if we beat feet tomorrow.

[Lowpe]

Elsewhere the Allies are moving forward in the jungle, bombing everywhere, and the Jugs sweep Trinkat only to be met by slightly more Georges, and Oscars flying very low, and we trade 8 Georges for 8 Jugs. Wow, color me surprised! Even fight with Jugs!

So we lost slightly less than 2-1 in planes, but the Allies lost several 4E beasties, and when you subtract the 17 KAI Dinah's that went down, not a bad air to air day. The KAI Dinah's are really a sunk cost at this point anyhow.

Task Force Tanaka should be able to retreat, and I think the Napier is a goner.[:)]

[Lokasenna]

Wow. Did those bombs bounce off? I refuse to believe it. I think you got really lucky. 2x 500lb SAP bomb hits should at least cripple a ship like Kinu.

[Lowpe]

Another anxious turn, will it be like this for the rest of the game? I hope so.[:)]

Can Tanaka reform his group and escape?

Will the Allied tank army cross the river this day and shock into my battered IJA troops on the Chiang Mai road? Will the reinforcements arrive in time?

Will the Deathstar raid the Bonins?

Can Japan do anything to stop the rampaging Allies?

Can the midget sub penetrate the harbor at Port Blair and cripple another damaged light cruiser?

Stay tuned, intrepid reader, for these answers and many more will be forthcoming.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Wow. Did those bombs bounce off? I refuse to believe it. I think you got really lucky. 2x 500lb SAP bomb hits should at least cripple a ship like Kinu.

Luck, it was Tanaka's skill! Skill, I tell you!

Actually, I couldn't bring myself to watch the replay and just fast forwarded thru it. I figured they were all goners. Shows what I know.

[Lowpe]

General Notes:

The Musashi has repaired 2 engine and 1 sys damage returning to Singers and spending 1 day in the shipyard. She is out of the shipyard, getting ready to head back into the fray.

The Yamoto is out there somewhere, as is the Mutsu and Kongo. The Aoba is attempting to pull off a daring movement, and TF Tanaka is racing back to safety? We will see how much the Allies want Tanaka, will they sortie their ships in attempt for an encounter? Bomb the ports?

I have some planes on naval, but I am also hitting Car Nicobar's ports very low. Runway and service damage is still high, but I would like to add some port damage in the hope it further slows down either shipments in or fort building. Plus I think it is not CAPed, I hope only one sweep going in to clear.

Midget subs away!

[Lowpe]

Oct 5th, 1943

The midget sub fails. Again.[:D]

TF Tanaka dodges a enemy taskforce outside of Moulmein...they are steaming away...can they make it?

[Lowpe]

Could be bad for the midget sub carrier!

[Lowpe]

What joy! More PT boats at Car Nicobar.

[Lowpe]

More ammo sponges.[:D]

[Lowpe]

I guess this is considered target practice?

[Lowpe]

No CAP over Car Nicobar...it is only PT Boats in the port, but still, they can't launch torpedoes at planes!

[Lokasenna]

Can we see some looks at your Ship Experience in Tracker? That's an effect of this "target practice" that he might not be considering. Granted, IJN ships tended to have good experience to begin with, but if you keep getting hits in battles and sinking stuff, you're going to be seeing Exp in the 70s...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Can we see some looks at your Ship Experience in Tracker? That's an effect of this "target practice" that he might not be considering. Granted, IJN ships tended to have good experience to begin with, but if you keep getting hits in battles and sinking stuff, you're going to be seeing Exp in the 70s...

70s, here are the over 80s, the over seventies is a very long list.

[Lowpe]

Oct 6th, 1943

Av very, very quiet day. Allied bombers make night naval attacks on destroyers fast transporting troops into Trinkat, they miss, and a few are shot down by AA.

A few of IJN subs get punished, but they should return.

The IJN runs into another minefield at Trinkat, but avoid any hits. An AMc will be there tomorrow sweeping.

One or Two days for big counterpunch in Andamans. Probing Allied air search now, looking for staging points.

The big news, really unexplainable, is the Allied Panzer Army has stopped at the River![&:][&o] Why? Must be supply, but my shattered troops are able get a little fort building on the other side but they wouldn't be able to hold them, even if the Allies had no supply. Reinforcements are double timing to get there...I really thought I lost Burma here because of that one retreat in the totally wrong direction. Live and learn.

Maybe Allies are worried a little about pools as I am inflicting some wear and tear on them. Or maybe he wants to upgrade?

Call me baffled.