Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[Erkki]

If you dont want to chase the British CVBG with your CVs, at least detach some cruisers and DDs to make 100% sure the CV is down for good. 4 torpedo hits --> <8 knots at cruise speed and might/will sink any way but you are unlikely to lose anything by sending a cruiser squadron after them.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Erkki

If you dont want to chase the British CVBG with your CVs, at least detach some cruisers and DDs to make 100% sure the CV is down for good. 4 torpedo hits --> <8 knots at cruise speed and might/will sink any way but you are unlikely to lose anything by sending a cruiser squadron after them.

I think it is slower. If enemy CV TF was set to full sped last turn that mean he only travel 8 hexes last day(4 per day phase). and that is 15knots at full speed and ~8 on mission. I assuming he use full speed last turn.

After next 8 bombs and 4 torps today he can be crippled to 1 hex per day.

I will not hunt it by CV as a need those planes to protect invasion and CAP in Darwin is huge. Tomorrow i will sweep with cruisers hoping to find something.

I am 5 hexes(should be 7 but my CV reacted last turn closing to enemy to be in optimal Val range) from enemy TF and he is 4 hexes from Darwin so if he is damage badly and not able to do 15 knots at flank i will find him.

[Crackaces]

I have also at lest 150 pilots with skill ~70 and XP 47-49 who are going be ready soon.

I think 50 experience is a key number for experiece in this game. At least to me it appears that way. Exp < 50 .. operational losses and landing crashes go up dramtically and that is for LBA ... put 'em on carriers and the losses go up even higher unless you train them to get past the '50' Exp threshold. I I would assume they would live train on the carriers before being sent on a mission ...else that skill will mean nothing, as these boys smash the rounddown on landing ..[8D]

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

I have also at lest 150 pilots with skill ~70 and XP 47-49 who are going be ready soon.

I think 50 experience is a key number for experiece in this game. At least to me it appears that way. Exp < 50 .. operational losses and landing crashes go up dramtically and that is for LBA ... put 'em on carriers and the losses go up even higher unless you train them to get past the '50' Exp threshold. I I would assume they would live train on the carriers before being sent on a mission ...else that skill will mean nothing, as these boys smash the rounddown on landing ..[8D]

To reduce ops loses on CV it is necessary to have them CV trained? Right?

KB have all squadrons CV trained. On MKB not all but in last 5 months 3 squadrons upgrade from CV capable to CV trained. I read that it take 90 days to upgrade to CV trained.

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

I have also at lest 150 pilots with skill ~70 and XP 47-49 who are going be ready soon.

I think 50 experience is a key number for experiece in this game. At least to me it appears that way. Exp < 50 .. operational losses and landing crashes go up dramtically and that is for LBA ... put 'em on carriers and the losses go up even higher unless you train them to get past the '50' Exp threshold. I I would assume they would live train on the carriers before being sent on a mission ...else that skill will mean nothing, as these boys smash the rounddown on landing ..[8D]

To reduce ops loses on CV it is necessary to have them CV trained? Right?

KB have all squadrons CV trained. On MKB not all but in last 5 months 3 squadrons upgrade from CV capable to CV trained. I read that it take 90 days to upgrade to CV trained.

I think 50 expeience for any pilot is key too .. I have experinced addiitionally statistically significant losses of pilots less than 50 and thus my conjecture ..

[koniu]

I think 50 expeience for any pilot is key too .. I have experinced addiitionally statistically significant losses of pilots less than 50 and thus my conjecture ..

In my training program i training pilots until they reach XP=50.
Skill is trained to 70 and pilots is transfered do different squadron training different skill
(example: when fighter pilot is reaching 70 in air skill i transfer him to squadron training strafing to build defense skill).

If i need two good skills, like for torpedo bombers, i want to have torpedo and naval attack at lest 65.

[koniu]

These two:
Second belt armor penetration and critical damage
Third belt armor penetration fuel storage explosion

Yeah, you may have gotten her. Still, I would want to see either of the DD's escorting her ... if I saw them alone, then I would definitely count her as sunk.

I watch turn again. There was no sinking sound after CV Formidable attack or later.

I also looked at Tracker. CV Formidable in not listed as sunk. And I do not gain any points for sinking it.

There is chance that he is still there. Almost death but on surface[:@]

Surface force ordered to sweep area. Subs are waiting in front of Darwin

EDIT:
Even if he survive he will have to sail to Darwin first. Then few monts of pierside repairs etc. Then he need to sail to Shipyard. And after that few monts or more that yer to repair. I will not see that ships until middle `43. If he survive.

Do allies get Essex in OOB for sunk British carriers?

[koniu]

15 MAY 42

Timor Sea
Day three of Battle.

KB1 remains on station south of Timor. While Cruiser TF try to find ans destroy enemy fleeing to Darwin.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 74,124, Range 6,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 11 destroyed
Martlet II: 4 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma, Shell hits 1
CL Natori
DD Maikaze
DD Amatsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Tokitsukaze, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CV Formidable, Shell hits 2, and is sunk
CL Newcastle, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Vampire
DD Vendetta, Shell hits 1
DD Paladin, Shell hits 3, heavy fires
DD Panther, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

On morning Japanise TF manage to find survives from night battle

Day Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 75,124, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chikuma
CL Natori
DD Maikaze
DD Amatsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Tokitsukaze

Allied Ships
DD Vampire, Shell hits 8, heavy fires
DD Vendetta, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
DD Paladin, Shell hits 8, and is sunk





I need 17x250kg bombs, 4 torpedoes and 2x20cm hits to sunk that ship

Docup send few 4E too attack ground troops in Koepang but damage is minimal
2E bombers attack TF in Koepang hex but not score any hits

Pacific
First time G3M from Tabiteuea lunch to attack with torpedos. AF lvl 3 and 42%.

They attack enemy DD but bot manage to hit them

Subs
Jap SS near Tahiti sunk xAK

[PaxMondo]

Banzai!!!&nbsp; Got her!!!&nbsp; Good Job.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Banzai!!!  Got her!!!  Good Job.

It is my firs that important victory. I almost cry from happiness last day.

Now i need plan for rest of battle.
As i do not think allies have something more in area i have few quiet days.
I think Docup will use now LBA to try to suppress invasion forces and maybe score hits to my ships.
I preparing for US CV visit. Small chance for that but i need to be preprepared.
I will rebase 45 A6M from Rangoon and MKB will return to DEI from Indian Ocean and merge with KB1.

This will give more firepower that i had 3 days ago. As i know that Hornet is on north Pacific i will have 4 US CV vs me. My forces are now 120 planes on KB1 and 90 LBA planes
MKB will give me 100 planes more and 50 new LBA
Total that will give me 360 planes(220 on CV)


So far loses are:

Japan
87 planes ~60 pilots

Allies
55 planes (30 CV capable)
CV
CL
6xDD
AKE
AG
SS(prabably)

As i watching on map i need at lest 10 more days to finish job there


EDIT: I am looking for name to call that battle. Any ideas?[:D]

[koniu]

R&D question

After last turn Ki-49IIa is available in 6/42, so in next 15 days i want to start producing that bomber.

I have now 3x30(0) R&D factories i want to start production?
What option i need to set for those factories? I want them to produce and not upgrade to R&D IIb model.

[koniu]

16 May 42

China
97 Oscars sweep Changsha today. Enemy send 87 fighters to intercept. One of the biggest air battles so far.

Loses are:
Japan: 12x Oscars
Allies: 14x P40B, 10x P39D, 8x P40E (32 planes total)

Timor Sea
Day four of battle.

Japanese forces sailing north to Makassar to meet Ambon invasion forces.

Allies send surface raid to intercept Invasion forces in Koepang but where intercepted by BB TF. In very long night battle, 2BB and 2CA manage to score 1 hit(bounce from armor) from 12cm gun to CA Canberra. Allies respond with 8ich hit to CA Mikuma but no damage taken.

On morning allied bombers attack ships and troops in Koepang hex. This time Japanese fighters from KB and Kedari waiting.
They shotdown
9x Hudson III, 3x B-25C Mitchell and 1x LB-30 Liberator losing 3 fighters from ops

Burma
Land troops capture enemy east of Prome. I will attack tomorrow. I hope at lest few units will not move out of hex tomorrow before i will attack

[koniu]

16 May 42
Second part

KB1
Timor Sea

He is now sailing to meet Ambon invasion forces.

I reorganize squadrons on carriers to make place for extra planes. 45 fighters landed last day on carrier deck. They are not CV trained but i need them until MKB arrive. Now i have 110 fighters and 65 bombers. I have only 30 torpedo so probably i will delay Ambon for few days and rearm in Soerobaja. This will also give me chance to replace destroyed planes.

110 fighters on CV with CAP 50% makes allied AF in Timor and Ambon useless as Docup cant provide enough fighters to force bombers to fly vs KB and other Japanese ships so he is forced to use long range unescorted attacks from north Oz AF

PS. I hope with five squadrons on CV planes will fly?

Another 45 Zeros landed in Kendari, replacing Oscars from Escort duties to 36 G4Ms and 27 G3Ms.
42 Oscars were re based to Makassar and will give LCAP over Koepang.

KB2
3 days from HI. BB Matsu manage to repair 3 flotation points in last days and now is able to sail 14 knots on mission speed.

MKB
Sailing toward Tiomor from Indian Ocean. Still need 4 days to do that. 50% of B5Ns rearmed in torpedoes in case i will find something big.

[koniu]

17 May 42

BURMA
Attack on Allied troops was total failure.
I lost 3000 to 1000 allied troops. 240 Japanese squads disabled. Allies lost one small units and 33 squads disabled.

Air attack on those enemy troops was also useless. 3 Ki-21 lost from flak, 31 damaged.

Ground bombing of Mandalay. 300 enemy troops killed and 40 squads disabled


Java
Another unsuccessful attack on Dutch troops. Time to rest before i will try again

China
Air attack on Sian. AF closed.
Kukong siege is closing. I will need to burn supplies in city first. After that i will attack.

Timor Battle
I have attacked enemy in Koepang. Base is holding but not for long.
In three day i will land in Ambon.
No allied planes today on air

British Cruisers TF hold position south west of Soemba (in torpedo range of G4M from Kendari but they ware hold by weather). MKB sailing to intercept but 3 more days to do that.

Guadalcanal
In 5 days AF will have lvl4
Air HQ is transported by air from Rabul. I will rebase to Lunga 30 G4M and later 45 Zeros.

Port Moresby
I thinking about getting out from base IDiv. It looks like PM is out of Allied interest right now. They do not recon base, and last attack mission over base was 2 months ago.

[koniu]

18-19 MAY 42

Burma
Meiktila and Lashio captured

Timor Battle
Two attack on enemy in Koepang. They holding but every turn they are weaker.Allies send CL with 3xDD in night bombardment mission to Koepang but they not made any damage.

B-17 mision over Koepang. We shot down 2.

Invasion forces 1 hex from Ambon. Tomorow i will land.

Guadalcanal
AF lvl 4. Tomarow base will be active with topedo bombers.

MKB
Those 2 days are good days for MKB air and surface forces.
He is now operating near Exmouth (nort east of Oz)
In two days he sunk 12+ allied ships some of them with troops on board.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Carnarvon at 46,132

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
B5N1 Kate x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 2 damaged

Allied Ships
TK British Colonel, Bomb hits 1

and

Morning Air attack on TF, near Exmouth at 49,129

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N1 Kate x 10
D3A1 Val x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 1 damaged

Allied Ships
xAP Kajang, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Idomeneus, Bomb hits 1, on fire
CM Rigel, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Santa Elisa, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
xAP Merkur, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
631 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 23 destroyed, 10 disabled
Vehicles lost 22 (22 destroyed, 0 disabled)


and

Morning Air attack on TF, near Exmouth at 51,124

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 31 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
B5N1 Kate x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Doryssa, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

Allied ground losses:
50 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled

and

Morning Air attack on TF, near Exmouth at 43,124

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
B5N1 Kate x 11

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK West Isleta, heavy fires, heavy damage (i do not remember to attack them earlier)
xAK Robert Luckenbach

Allied ground losses:
39 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled

And next day

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Exmouth at 50,129

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7
B5N1 Kate x 5
D3A1 Val x 12

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Santa Elisa, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Idomeneus, Bomb hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
167 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)

and

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Port Hedland at 57,129

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 11
B5N1 Kate x 11

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Empire Hamble, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

and DD from MKB

Night Time Surface Combat, near Exmouth at 41,122, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Oshio
DD Shikinami

Allied Ships
xAK Florence Luckenbach, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Robert Luckenbach, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk


Allied ground losses:
469 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 15 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 18 disabled
Vehicles lost 13 (5 destroyed, 8 disabled)

and

Day Time Surface Combat, near Carnarvon at 47,136, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsushima
DD Ariake
DD Murakumo

Allied Ships
xAP Boschfontein, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Modjekerto, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Sloterdijk, Shell hits 34, and is sunk


Allied ground losses:
842 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 157 destroyed, 37 disabled
Engineers: 46 destroyed, 7 disabled
Guns lost 31 (15 destroyed, 16 disabled)
Vehicles lost 348 (276 destroyed, 72 disabled)
Armor unit or Eng?


And this is not over:
Area situation



TF in Exmouth hex is showing one CA but i think it is fow as rest of ships are cargo ships

[koniu]

I just send invasion force to Ambon but i do not sure did i do that right.
I use fallow order. First BBs to bombard fallowed by DMSs to sweep mine fallowed by invasion force.

Bombardment TF ordered to stay in position. Do Amphibious TF will unload or he need to have destination ordered. Right now he is fallowing first two TFs without destination set.

I also give BB to invasion TF as i read that they are good CD magnets and will help suppress coastal guns during unload phase

[koniu]

20 MAY 42

Burma
Not good day for Burma fighters. 24 Oscars lost for 7 allied fighter.
I want Tojos.

Ambon
Bloody day.

20 of 28k man landed in Ambon. 8k still on ships [:@](mostly support so i need to stay one more day with invasion forces. It will be more difficult that day one as they will not have BB support, to suppress coastal guns, as they are out of ammo[:@]

I have lost two xAK, two more will sunk tomorrow (i hope they will manage to unload some troops before they sink). 4 more cargo ships heavy damage but they should survive.

Biggest lose of invasion fleet is DD. He was hit by 150cm CD gun. Ammo explosion blow him to bits.

On beach it also was not good. 500 troops die before they reach land. 2500 more die on beach. 350 squadrons disabled. Not good.

Amphibious Assault at Ambon (76,109)

TF 132 troops unloading over beach at Ambon, 76,109

Japanese ground losses:
2531 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 257 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 100 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 61 (1 destroyed, 60 disabled)
Vehicles lost 9 (0 destroyed, 9 disabled)

Another bad news enemy units more powerful than expected. It looks like 400AV or more i was expecting no more that 300.

Japanese forces 700AV plus 300 disabled and some still on ships.

I am not happy from that turn and next one, better not think about that.


Question
As i have taken beachhead did this will suppress CD guns or have no effect on that?

[Crackaces]

The shore batteries AFAIK will keep firing at your ships unitl you elminate the unit or cause the forces to retreat there by elimianting the unit. In my game I sunk no less than 7 xAK's xAP's after the establishment of a beachhead. In fact, after 3 months of IJ occupation -- my Chineese Artillery still pounds away at supply reinforcemetns at Wenchow.

Good Idea Putting BB's in the landing TF acts as a shell sponge as well as counter-battery fire ... alternating them with those full of ammo helps too ..

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces
Good Idea Putting BB's in the landing TF acts as a shell sponge as well as counter-battery fire ... alternating them with those full of ammo helps too ..

Problem is that only ones with ammo will not be able to arrive in night phase so i thinking to stay with BB without ammo at hex. They have small reserve of heavy gun ammo left and they still have lot medium guns ammo so at lest they will be good shell magnets. I will retreat only cruisers as they to precious and destroyers without ammo and leave only few DD and support invasion. All empty ships will sail to Kendari, not directly but first north as there are at lest 10 SS between Ambon And Kendri.

I need also find way to supply base as i suspect long battle. And i bring only 15k supplies to speed up unloading.

I think next week will be difficult as i will have almost no firepower in region.
Surface power will need to return to Soerobaja to rearm and refuel. Also KB and MKB need to rearm and refuel.

Good think is that i lost almost no squads, they are disabled only. I also have no problem with fatigue and disruption of invasion forces. And 400AV of enemy is spread between 20+ units so they are not as affective as 2 ID and 2 regiments i have there.

[obvert]

I would bring more supply on fast transport TFs a little at a time against those guns. no sense risking good ships. You also might try to hit the place hard with air raids to keep troops moral down, kill supply, and maybe do a port attack to see if you can get a lucky shot on one of those guns or two.