The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Canoerebel]

John Dillworth described the challenge perfectly. I've weighed the options he describes. At the moment, my preference is to keep my carriers on the periphery, closer to Ceylon than Sabang, where John at least has keep the KB somewhat honest and from which I can shuttle carrier fighters forward to Sabang if needed.

While I don't want to lose Sabang, the carriers are more important, so I don't want to risk them. One option is to transfer the carrier squadrons (including strike aircraft) to Ceylon to serve as theater reserve and to then move the carriers back to the other side of Addu Atoll. That's an option I may employ if John's real near term target is the carriers rather than Sabang.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

John lost several of his good DMS in a surface engagement a couple of days ago.

Sabang doesn't have CD - I put what I had at Nias and Sinabang (the rest previosly being committed at Diego Garcia and Ramree Island).

I really find CDs to be mostly ineffective vs bombardment TFs. They are useful when a landing comes in though.

Mostly, but at 10,000 yards see my AAR for >50 hits on BBs.

[JohnDillworth]

While I don't want to lose Sabang, the carriers are more important, so I don't want to risk them. One option is to transfer the carrier squadrons (including strike aircraft) to Ceylon to serve as theater reserve and to then move the carriers back to the other side of Addu Atoll. That's an option I may employ if John's real near term target is the carriers rather than Sabang.

Potentially, there might be a lot of juicy cripples if the big boys go at it. What you are lacking on land is a significant naval strike ability. You might never have so many ships in so small a space before so you have to keep you strike options open. If you win a big sea battle you might consider going for broke and trading punches with the KB. Honestly, with all the ships around here I'd be surprised to see a large number of coordinated carrier strikes on desirable targets but you never know.

[Canoerebel]

12/25/42

Carriers: Enemy carrier TF reported at Padang. Picket DE Stewart, well to the west, reports being snoped by an enemy dive bombers. So the enemy carriers are close. The Allied carriers are SW of Ceylon. I'm still measuring options. One that I'm tinkering with most avidly is to send two fighter squadrons forward to Langsa (level three airfield that's getting visited by lots of unescorted Helens each turn) and shifting most other aicraft to Ceylon bases, and then moving the carriers NW past Male/Addu into safer waters. Not sure I'll do that yet, but I'm leaning that way.

Sumatra: Damaged BB California takes two torps from subs north of Sabang. Her FLT damage is 97 and she's hung out in no-man's-land, which makes the FLT damage kind of merciful - the decision to scuttle the ship is easy. Thanks to Cap Mandrake's suggestions, I double check my HQ command and learn that 7th USAAF is led by a complete lunatic. I swap him out for a guy that knows what he's doing. I also shuffle around commanders of the combat TFs a bit to maximize their qualities. For instance, Bull Halsey was in command of two slow BBs, but swaps them out for two fast ones. Sabang forts go to 2.01 and airfield to 8.09. Mines drop to 888, so if John's coming, he might as well come sooner rather than later.

Elsewhere: Small things are happening here and there, but everything pales in comparison to Sumatra, so no need to go into them now.

[String]

also check your SCTF numbers. IIRC TF's with smaller numbers still engage first, so you might want to rearrange yours to have a few PT boat TF's with the smaller numbers to engage the bombardment TF's first.

[Canoerebel]

Wow, String, great tip. I'll see what I can do. If that's true, the CA Frobisher TF is gonna take it on the chin, because it's low man on the totem pole. The two fast USN BB TFs (one with two BB, the other with one) are led by Arleigh Burk and Bull Halsey. I don't think I could do better than that.

I've just about decided to strip my carriers of some fighters and strike squadrons, sending two fighter squadrons to Langsa and some fo the other squadrons to Ceylon. This might work an ambush on enemy bombers while also giving John the first new look in awhile. He's had plenty of time to get comfortable. The downside is the risk of an enemy bombardment run against Langsa, but patrols don't report any enemy combat TFs nearby and I can rail disaabled aircraft to Sabang if necessary.

[Canoerebel]

"Duh," question: A fighter squadron on a CVE disbanded in port (here it's Sabang) will fly normal CAP missions, right?

[Canoerebel]

A final note. My sexy "change of pace" idea doesn't work, because the carriers are 25 hexes from Sabang and F4Fs only have a range of 23. Oops!

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

"Duh," question: A fighter squadron on a CVE disbanded in port (here it's Sabang) will fly normal CAP missions, right?

I don't think so. I think you have to create an air combat taffy with the CVE...undock...then fly off the squadron to Sabang...then disband the CVE again.

If you transfer the squadron to Sabang while the CVE is in port, it simulates taking the props or wings off and hoisting them by crane onto a truck and thence to the airfield. They will flip over to damaged.

Similary, aircraft sitting in the hangar or on the deck of docked CVE can't take off. No wind across the deck.

[Cap Mandrake]

Wasn't the surface combat TF engagement order randomized in some fashion on a previous patch?

Someobody who read the patch notes speak up. [:)]

[Canoerebel]

So, the CVE would have to be part of a air combat TF for its fighters to fly CAP. Uh oh, I may have to Go Bullwinkle.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

So, the CVE would have to be part of a air combat TF for its fighters to fly CAP. Uh oh, I may have to Go Bullwinkle.

Either part of an undocked Air Combat/Escort/Amphbious taffy OR have its air groups flown off to an airfield.

There is another taffy type that would work "CV Escort" maybe? Forget the name.

Disbanded CV/CVL/CVE may repair their damaged aircraft in port but I am pretty sure they dont fly. Training might work. Not sure.

[Cap Mandrake]

By the way. You can fly in shorter legged non-carrier-capable fighters to Sabang from a CVE or something.

You transfer them in port to the CVE. They will appear damaged. You let the carrier lads repair the aircraft, then you approach within ferry range of Sabang. They will then take an order to transfer to base. In this way you could bring P-39's and Hurri's into the fight so you dont have to watch the P-40's fall out of the air by the dozen.

Of course, you have to protect the CVE because they cant fly combat or CAP missions from the carrier

[Canoerebel]

My experience is that the P-40K performs pretty well in combat. I may be about to learn differently through the school of hard knocks. If the P-40K flown by good pilots isn't up to this mission, I'm in big trouble.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

My experience is that the P-40K performs pretty well in combat. I may be about to learn differently through the school of hard knocks. If the P-40K flown by good pilots isn't up to this mission, I'm in big trouble.

Perhaps, but what about replacement pools? Nice to have some RAF airframes in the fight to share the burden. I suppose if you run out of P-40K's you could convert a burnt out squadron to P-39's en situ.

[Canoerebel]

I only have about 30 P-40K in the pools and only about 15 F4F, so indeed that will be a problem. But I do have perhaps 100 P-39, so that may be of some help.

A few months back I mentioned that I think there's something wrong in RA with P-38G production. I have no pools, have just one squadron equipped, and probably haven't lost a single P-38G in combat in two months. IE, even though I haven't lost any I don't have any. Doesn't seem right that by late 1942 the Allies don't have but 25 available.

[Canoerebel]

Turn sent. I think something happens on Boxing Day. Call it second sight or ESP or clairvoyance. But I will also note that I do not gamble or predict the outcome of elections, for I am usually wrong.

[Cribtop]

Go get 'em, CR! Well, actually, stand fast and get 'em, but the principle is the same.

[JohnDillworth]

Turn sent. I think something happens on Boxing Day. Call it second sight or ESP or clairvoyance. But I will also note that I do not gamble or predict the outcome of elections, for I am usually wrong.

Hmmmmm, bordering on politics again but I don't think predicting elections in Georgia would be all that tough. Same could be said about parts of New York though. My county is actually 50/50 Red/Blue but my E.D. , "The Peoples Republic of Northport", usually goes blue [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
But I will also note that I do not gamble or predict the outcome of elections, for I am usually wrong.

Forget about elections but if you could guarantee to be wrong at least 60% of the time on college football we could all make some big money.