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BTW, do you have more Japanese BBs in sight? Two things I noticed: Firstly, that TF had 3 out of the 4 Kongo class BB/BCs, so for some reason Rader has decided to not use them as CV escorts(they are Japan's fastest BBs at 30 knots), so if the KB has BB escorts they are maximum 1 Kongo and/or slow & old 25 knot Ise and Fuso BBs. Secondly, Ises and Fusos werent there either. They are either with KB(for whatever reason), nearby(any BBs sighted lately?) or they are being converted to hybrid-BB/CVLs.

Also when did you last see his CS ships? In 1942? If he converted them too, he has just finished them or is about to and has 4 x capacity 30 CVLs more. KB is probably going through some missed upgrades and next time it shows up, it'll have Mizuho, Nisshin, Chitose and Chiyoda with it and a couple of new Unryus. Beware.

better than expected...only 17 major fld damage

ORIGINAL: Erkki

BTW, do you have more Japanese BBs in sight? Two things I noticed: Firstly, that TF had 3 out of the 4 Kongo class BB/BCs, so for some reason Rader has decided to not use them as CV escorts(they are Japan's fastest BBs at 30 knots), so if the KB has BB escorts they are maximum 1 Kongo and/or slow & old 25 knot Ise and Fuso BBs. Secondly, Ises and Fusos werent there either. They are either with KB(for whatever reason), nearby(any BBs sighted lately?) or they are being converted to hybrid-BB/CVLs.

Also when did you last see his CS ships? In 1942? If he converted them too, he has just finished them or is about to and has 4 x capacity 30 CVLs more. KB is probably going through some missed upgrades and next time it shows up, it'll have Mizuho, Nisshin, Chitose and Chiyoda with it and a couple of new Unryus. Beware.

Yes, my guess is that Rader has unloaded most of his CV air groups and moved the ships back to HI for some upgrades...Kaga was in place last week but i only spotted CVE and CVLs so far lately...
And yes, i spotted some BBs covering his CVE/CVLs near Rabaul...but not 100% positive about that...

Pretty sure Rader is creating a massive KB force...the CS have been converted...almost 100% sure of that...however in 1944 i think we have reached a parity in terms of numbers of flattops...i have 21 CVEs, 12 CVs and some 10 CVLs...not bad..he knows it's too risky to look for a CV vs CV engagement...so he will probably use his CVs in a joint venture with his LBAs... as he did with Jzanes...

I'm forced to risk a bit more cause my CVs are necessary assets in order to support the invasions...

Do you think rader is aware that your stockpiling stuff in western Oz?  Odds are he is - he's an experienced player and he's going to be monitoring each of your likely vectors of attack for signs that's where you're going next.
 
So he'll have a decision to make:  post the KB in the DEI, keep the KB near Rabaul, or choose a mid point.  He's far more likely to protect the DEI than Rabaul, I would think, if he concludes there is a real threat to the DEI.

First, [&o][&o][&o] on a clear victory in one of the bigger battles I've seen. Definitely an argument against SCTFs that are too big.

Second, in a recent post you mentioned that your damaged BBs are "limbing" back to port. I had an image of crew mens' arms leaning out of portholes and paddling for home. [:D]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Do you think rader is aware that your stockpiling stuff in western Oz?  Odds are he is - he's an experienced player and he's going to be monitoring each of your likely vectors of attack for signs that's where you're going next.

So he'll have a decision to make:  post the KB in the DEI, keep the KB near Rabaul, or choose a mid point.  He's far more likely to protect the DEI than Rabaul, I would think, if he concludes there is a real threat to the DEI.

I think Rader isn't aware of the vector i'm chosing. Not 100% at least. For sure he has lately reinforced the southern DEI, but nothing special...nothing that can stop a 6 divisions invasion.
I think his main concern now is to defend the Adamans and Sumatra. As far as i can tell the biggest part of his reinforcements is going there...But, untill i keep my CVs in the Solomons he is forced to keep his CVs there too... while my CVEs at Perth are ready to come in... My CVs will make another big show in the Solomons and then will retire at full speed to Sydeny...to refuel far from his ayes...then we'll steam to Perth where my Oilers are waiting...

My hope is that the KB will lose her teeth in the Solomons before the battle for Darwin begins...

Wow!

The Japanese didn't call the American PT Boats "Devil Boats" for nothing.

Once they replaced their earlier Mark 8 torpedoes - that suffered problems with porpoising and circling - with the Mark 13 torpedoes in middle '43 they became very effective at night.

They were brave men, those crews - a single direct hit from a Japanese warship often resulted in fuel explosions that obliterated the boat and killed all the crew.

They came into their own in the coastal waters of the Solomons, though, as barge busters.

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

First, [&o][&o][&o] on a clear victory in one of the bigger battles I've seen. Definitely an argument against SCTFs that are too big.

Second, in a recent post you mentioned that your damaged BBs are "limbing" back to port. I had an image of crew mens' arms leaning out of portholes and paddling for home. [:D]

I've learnt it the hard way how big TFs can be a nasty choice...remember when i lost 2 BBs against a single DD TF???[:o]

Wanna thank Nemo for the inputs he gave in this AAR about TF composition...the CLs alone with the DDs performed mirably!

Oh, forgot to mention that another Torp hit Yamato early on...but didn't explode...
 
And yes, with Radar and the new Torpedoes these little beasts are really effective at night!...but in this game they have always been effective....during the invasion of Tulagi they sunk several xAKs, sending to the iron bottom sound something like 8/9,000 enemies[8D]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

ok i watched the whole reply again...

Yamato apparently was critically slowed down with the first torpedo eaten...and, before that, the hits suffered during the battle with my BBs, have set many fires that made her shine in the darkness... the last two torpedoes, one following the previous one in no time, produced an internal explosion and a mag explosion...

[8D]

BB Mutsu seems in a very bad shape too...during the last fight of her, i saw the message that it was ordered to flood some compartments.... not a good sign[;)]

Surclassed!.......[:D]

I would have to agree GJ. Nemo's posts on taskforces was top notch!

Feb 17, 18 1943
 
Rader ambushed me at Horn Island where an amphib TF was transiting in order to provide support for the first operations in the bay east of Darwin...
He sent several sweeps of Franks and Georges against Horn Island... i only had 15 NZ Kittis there...those newzelanders fought marveusly, exchanging blows with a superior enemy (both in numbers and in quality of planes)...we shot down 8 of them for 8 of our fighters...a good rate!
 
However the following Betties (escorted by zeros) coming from Wewak sunk 5 of my transports, drowning 2500 allied engineers[:o]...a nice shot by Rader, well conducted really.
 
My Paras took Gove (east of Darwin) and a TF is already unloading engineers and a base force.
 
The following day Rader sent a DD from Timor area to sweep Horn Island...my bombers didn't take off....luckly (duh!) my ships have already been sunk...
 
In India our advance is getting closer and closer to Calcutta...in a week we should be there...no opposition found except for some isolated BNs that have been mostly wiped out.
4Es are bombing regularly Bombay (lightly defended), while it's confirmed that at least 55 enemy units are crossing the border from India to Burma...on foot![:o]....no preys for my subs in the Bengal Bay...
 

I thought I heard the sound of gnashing teeth all the way out here in Colorado.  I catch up on this AAR here to see the reason.  With Rader's posts about PT's already on record, I can just picture the personal magazine detonation he experienced while watching this replay [X(]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Do you think rader is aware that your stockpiling stuff in western Oz?  Odds are he is - he's an experienced player and he's going to be monitoring each of your likely vectors of attack for signs that's where you're going next.

So he'll have a decision to make:  post the KB in the DEI, keep the KB near Rabaul, or choose a mid point.  He's far more likely to protect the DEI than Rabaul, I would think, if he concludes there is a real threat to the DEI.

I would add that before you move to Darwin make some "noise" elsewhere, get him thinking about which thrust is real. If you time it right he kmight react to a right jab and allow the left hook through.

How dare GJ not post for nearly 24 hours!  I wonder what he's up to that could be more important than AE?

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

How dare GJ not post for nearly 24 hours!  I wonder what he's up to that could be more important than AE?

Perhaps this would fall into the realm of TMI...[X(]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

How dare GJ not post for nearly 24 hours!  I wonder what he's up to that could be more important than AE?

Perhaps this would fall into the realm of TMI...[X(]

Something's sounding bushy here. [:D]

what's TMI??
 
Sorry guys, bad days at work...but the game is going on steady...
 
We reached Feb 25 1944....
 
We sent paratroops to Onwhatever Java...he conquered it back with his paras... at the same time he sent his DDs to sweep Panggoe, right when i withdrew my PTs...he sunk 5 xAKs full of troops...:-/
 
We then tried to do the same against Shortland, sending 3 CLs and 12 DDs divided in 3 TFs...we sunk a couple of empty xAKLs but then we found the MBTs that put a torpedo into CL Releigh...[:o]
 
What else happened? Oh, yes, we swept Salamua with 70 P-47s and tangled with 30 zeros...destroying 20 of them in 2 days...then our 4Es arrived and destroyed the base....
 
The whole Combined Fleet has retreated from the front...where is it? Where is the KB?...
 
In india we're very close to Calcutta...only 1000 japanese left there....
 
Sorry...i'll try to post more details in the next days...
 
really bad days...

ORIGINAL: pws1225

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

How dare GJ not post for nearly 24 hours!  I wonder what he's up to that could be more important than AE?

Perhaps this would fall into the realm of TMI...[X(]

Something's sounding bushy here. [:D]

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

ORIGINAL: pws1225

ORIGINAL: Lecivius





Perhaps this would fall into the realm of TMI...[X(]

Something's sounding bushy here. [:D]

Perhaps he's just ... flossing his teeth ...