Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Lowpe]

Oct 26,1942

Not really ideal, one of our hunter killer groups engaged the I boat...maybe she won't move away this turn. Lesson learned....attempt to approach the Iboat with maximum force as early in the turn as possible. Maybe setting up 2 hexes away the day before.

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[Lowpe]

In examining China's resource flows it seems to me I am off base....I suspect the resource increase is coming from factories not running, and hence those resources not being consumed. Darn adult beverages and turns don't mix.

Lashio could be providing resources, but due to the siege it has been not producing lately...

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[BBfanboy]

Unless this mod changed something, LI and HI run on the "Stalingrad Tractor Factory" model and only stop producing when the oil/resources they need run out. If the Japanese interdiction is recent, there could still have been oil and resources 'in the pipeline' about to arrive at your industry cities. Shortages might start appearing in a few more turns.

[Lowpe]

October 27, 1942


It is late, and a busy day, I will post more on the morrow...but our anti Iboat ops pays off here near India. Formidable, and lot of ASW shipping is concentrated here while Foxhound scores some success. There are three iboats spotted....lets get them. A big whiff at Midway as nothing is spotted as I feared....Japan moves first and can evade easily.

Lets see if we can chase the cripple down, hopefully the cripple can't make more than 2 hexes a phase. This is my anti Iboat plan working to a T so far....

Formidable is on NavS with 20+ planes, backed up by air search from the coast.

Big attacks in China, Chungking being targeted for Manpower....but the most promising is air attacks east of Akyab spot a very weak defense, and the 18th British Division is there to seal off all the land routes to Akyab with the 26th Indian Bde forcing a river crossing in a few days....very hopeful here! Major General Wimberley is set to give a maximum effort on the morrow with the division moderately experienced (54) and in good spirits 91 morale. Fix bayonets, darlings.

Battle plans in tomorrows briefings....but a quick graphic on Foxhound punishing an Iboat!

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Formidable TF has some Livermore (Yank) Destroyers and their Mark 7 DCs are twice as potent at the British Mrk VIIs but have less range...lets see if we can connect with some of them!

[Lowpe]

Hopefully we can shock attack thru these two Japanese infantry units....and gain control of the hex. I am not sure if these are full strength enemy units or ones we routed at Cox's a while back...

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[Lowpe]

Oct 28, 1942

Missed the Kinu...which our cruisers hit 7 times at the 2nd Battle of Nauru Island.

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[Lowpe]

Chinese hold steady again, but Chungking is relentlessly bombed...they are working on the industry and manpower now. Supplies at 10K for China, that can't be good!

But, in Burma, the rains come in scrubbing all our sweeps and bombing runs, but he the 18th British Division still fixes bayonets and charges into the Japanese infantry...and, lo....they were two guards units that were routed by the Australians and didn't not have time to either recover or dig in!

The two land routes to Akyab are solidly in Commonwealth's hands. I believe we have enough troops in Akyab proper to negate a shock attack for crossing the river and totally closing off the Japanese of all land routes. We could also start marching south to Prome and better terrain to move east into the Magwe plains...if we get our tanks in there central Burma will fall quickly.

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[Lowpe]

Lots of tactical choices here...

Not in a super hurry cleaning up Bhamo...don't want to suffer a bad attack and heavy disablements, although that is less of a concern now that the Monsoon is over.

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[Lowpe]

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Not a good day for the Imperial Japanese Naval troopers....Howland Island falls.

[Lowpe]

Crafty Japanese! Both subs should live...our subs will pull a hex away and rest for a couple of days. Japanese mines at an Allied base will hit Japanese shipping too! Marcus has no installation damage anymore.

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[Lowpe]

Bombardment Group Idaho will head down here to destroy Pago Pago...but first it will get hit by a heavy cruiser group which will be a bit safer. Hoorn and Wallis can both hold 35k troops and are great bases with Wallis also being a functioning sps1 port.

Savaii will start flying Marine Raiders into the port there...that base is great as it can develop pretty nicely.

300+ Engineers at Wallis already! My goodness the Americans just have so many. I have got some transports flying down here to Wallis...will be the first time I used them in the Pacific Ocean.

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[DesertWolf101]

I believe we have enough troops in Akyab proper to negate a shock attack for crossing the river and totally closing off the Japanese of all land routes.

Remember that the number of av you have in a contested hex only matters if you are crossing into the hex from an already secured hex side. If you cross from a non secured hex side like you are here you will shock attack.

[Lowpe]

Over 300 US planes here...lots of runways, lots of PT boats, decent minefields, but certainly I am very short of warships. There is a strong and growing presence back around Baker Island, and two fleet carriers are headed this way...but I don't want to initially show them or use them here. I want to subdue Pago Pago and Fiji area and build up Ndeni...so defense here will be destroyers and smaller, at least initially. Thankfully all my Cruiser and smaller upgrades are finished, and now they have radar and 40mm guns which is a big boost in their ability to fight the Japanese at night.

Tabby is packed with 900 AV and 42k men. HQc in position for Tarawa invasion against the battered 65th Brigade. I wonder if Japan is looking to intercept that, or possibly attempt a bombardment on Abemama or Tabby?

I could use more fast transports...but I am making do with what I have. Float fighters would be super sweet too.

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[Lowpe]

I believe we have enough troops in Akyab proper to negate a shock attack for crossing the river and totally closing off the Japanese of all land routes.

Remember that the number of av you have in a contested hex only matters if you are crossing into the hex from an already secured hex side. If you cross from a non secured hex side like you are here you will shock attack.

Oooh, thats right! Then that simplifies my tactical choices. I thought something looked wrong there with my calculus.

[BBfanboy]

Lowpe: I could use more fast transports

If they haven't been sunk yet, there are some small xAPs that are fast enough to be in a FT TF:

Kedah & Kelantan - 17Kts, 300/600 capacity
Wahine, Maori, Neptuna & Mercur - 20 Kts, 900/800 capacity.
Their small size is ideal for small ports and their short range should not matter where you have many islands already conquered, and more nearby to work on.

There are four more of those 1700 capacity xAPs that can only make 15 kts - I am not sure if that is fast enough for a FT TF.

[Lowpe]

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October 29th, 1942

[Lowpe]

Lots of submarine attacks around Truk...but no joy! This is south of Truk by one hex....

Sub attack near Truk at 111,109

Japanese Ships
xAK Teiren Maru
xAK Minami Maru
xAK Hukuyo Maru
SC Ch 8

Allied Ships
SS Grayling

SS Grayling launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Teiren Maru
Grayling diving deep ....

Sub attack near Truk at 111,109

Japanese Ships
xAK Ryoyo Maru
xAK Minami Maru
xAK Teiren Maru
xAK Hukuyo Maru
SC Ch 8

Allied Ships
SS Grayling

SS Grayling launches 2 torpedoes at xAK Ryoyo Maru
Grayling diving deep ....

[Lowpe]

Trigger! Delivers with the hit and good intel!

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[Lowpe]

Air action over China....Chungking will get pounded again today!

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[Lowpe]

Good submarine day for the Allies...but no follow up at Nauru unfortunately. I worry about the ground combat at Kienko though...

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