GreasyLake Vs Vettim89, The Japan side

[GreasyLake]

UPDATE FOR MAR 08 1944

OK so maybe I do have some air units west of Philippines. Just in time to try and intercept TF landings at Padang. 2 days ago strikes launched with no-one surviving CAP. Oscar III has good range, based out of Singapore they escorted betties and got shot to hell.
Yesterday strikes launched and the one from Palembang actually had a few bombers penetrate the CAP. All the Kamis were downed by flak, a few betties actually dropped their fish and made it back damaged. There are 3 brit carriers and hopefully their fighters are wearing down. Should be more strikes next turn.

Here is what are stationed at nearby airfields;

SINGAPORE AV 300 ENG 155, 20 Sally Kami exp 64, 20 M2 Betty exp69, 16 Francis exp 42, 8 Oscar III (18 repairing) exp56, some Nik and Tony exp 50's but not enough range to escort I believe.

Palembang AV149 ENG 122 11 Betty exp76, 5 Jack (12 repairing) exp57, 3-4 other air units totally shot up from prev strikes.

BANKHA AV 51, ENG 54 (wish these guys would strike, opened offensive with 32 Jack and 27 TB all shot down by carrier CAP) 32 Tojo exp 53, 25 Jill exp 57.

JOHORE BARU (REALLY wishing these guys would all launch together) AV 103 ENG 40 36 Tony exp 56, 22 Sally exp 69, 36 KaIb Nick exp 56 (naval attack alt 32K, try to split CAP), 9 Judy exp 71, 9 Sally kami exp 59.

Kendari wrecked by 4e bomber again, but with 308 engineers (6th Const Bn and 5th Eng Reg included) can be repaired in days. There is a huge group of TF (including at least 4 US CV) moving NW from Dili. Closest air is Balikpapan and Soerabaja. Not very high exp either. My BB SCTF is at Batavia

CV Kasagi is 13 days from completion. Entire Japan CVTF elements moved west from Saipan yesterday. I told Tim a year ago game time when I was using most of my BB SCTF at Vicky that the Western front is the only place my limited offensive resources seem capable of making a difference. Wish I had CV near Padang right now where there is no enemy LBA in range with their 2000lb bombs!

Turned everything on full blast again at the factories. Looked at alerts on tracker and see I am short of resources at Tokyo and Hiroshima/Kure to the tune of 300. Also short oil at Hiro/Kure 200. There are a couple TF2-3 days out, One with oil.

Best I am hoping for in the next week is to keep throwing air at the TF near Padang to damage a carrier or even chase them off. Then I can send in a SCTF to do some more harm.

[Capt. Harlock]

Best I am hoping for in the next week is to keep throwing air at the TF near Padang to damage a carrier or even chase them off. Then I can send in a SCTF to do some more harm.

Given the intensity of the CAP, maybe sending in your I-boats would work better?

[GreasyLake]

I boats, all 2 or 3 of them. Sorry for the sad reply but that is how I lost the majority of them is placing under CVTF. Anyway here is what happened last turn when the British CV took off north for a turn. The KI FB's did a great job, CAP could not reach them and they scored several hits. 5-6 groups of planes did not even drop ordinance due to could not find anything. Frustrating when that happens and 3-4 TF are sitting there.

[GreasyLake]

Also sank a tanker of fuel with Kamikaze strike, missed the BC. Tim said the CV's should have stayed close so the CAP may be back now. Another strike may work.

[GreasyLake]

Note; AV was aviation support in the previous base capabilities listings.

[GreasyLake]

Got a good strike in on the CV's. Well good as in I got a strike off and something actually penetrated the CAP, which is getting pretty rare for me. Got a torp in one CV, a Kami in each but did not seem to penetrate. Looks like I am being outflanked finally. Enemy air within range of all my oil and resource centers now. Should not take long to hurt production.

[GreasyLake]

Fighter units within range of Padang almost completely depleted. All strikes put on hold. Bringing in new units to gird for the defense. All transport ships evacuated from Singapore after first strike on ML's there from Padang.

Carriers should make Manila 1-2 days. Will complete 3/44 upgrades on one CV and one CA then try to use them to slow Vettim down. Going to be tough with all the LBA around.

Pulled out a lot of AV support and assault units from Lae, Wewak, and Admiralty with air transports. Some units now landing by ship at Jolo (av), Tarakan (Ind BDE) and Davao.

Trans TF attempting to load resources at Saigon is getting hit. Will only load for one more turn if air strikes keep up. TF with resources from Cam Rahn Bay is unloading at Hong Kong but getting hit. It will stay until unloaded or sunk. Still have lots of shipping. The air threat is going to cut-off resources and oil more than any number of subs ever could. Well finding out a lot in the last month of game time about playing as Japan! At least I am taking some northern China cities with resource and oil, of course they are wrecked when I get them. And will never replace the DEI. Wish I had shipped a lot more from there a lot earlier now!!!

[GreasyLake]

Weekly update. After deliberation mini-KB sent SW from Jolo to attack US shipping west. Sub contact made but carriers did not seem to be spotted by any air. US shipping has moved SW back to bases for one turn. Some carriers reported moving west. Hundred ships evaced from Soerabaja. Hoping to draw carriers west, positioning air attack units at bases in vicinity. Will refuel carriers at Balikpapan if chance arises before continuing on course.

[GreasyLake]

Update cont'd;

Best outcome would be US carriers move west to strike shipping. Get hit with TB/DB from nearby bases, Betties from bases range 10-15, and mini KB coming from east. A lot to hope for, a lot can go wrong.

[GreasyLake]

Mini KB was 3 hex SW last night when a DD was hit by one Torp from Allied sub. Set to destination with retire trying to attract US carriers without being too close. No good due to US shipping retired same turn.

[GreasyLake]

I think this is Marcus Air. Beefed up a little.

[GreasyLake]

Nope warnings, gotta get more feed.

[GreasyLake]

Production report. Never did really learn how to run the Jap economy, but somehow it all works.

[GreasyLake]

Putting these in here so that maybe I or others will learn a lesson somewhere. Especially with what happens in the near future when little or no raw materials are making it home.

[GreasyLake]

Planes not building as fast as I am loosing them, of course. Going to start showing with level bombers soon. No Lillies for my new groups coming out next month.

[GreasyLake]

3-4 days later I am running for Manila. B25's and B-17's all missed but I do not want to be under LBA. Apparently Vettim is smarter than that also, especially with the added unknown of Kamikaze I suspect. Still building up air, at Davao and Manado now. A6M5c Fighters and 36 plane TB units. Exp levels only in the 50's but that is what I have. Air support units from Admiralty, New Guniea bases landed to help. Eng Regt almost all landed by air at Makassar, that should help. I get 65 plane fighter CAP from 4 IJN flatops. 200 plane CAP from same number of US CV (and enough left over to escort strikes!), this is gonna be tricky.

Was going to make for Soerabaja and 300 ship repair points waiting but too close to Allied air. Would probably all be sunk in port. Soerabaja/Menado still needs fighter strength built up, looking hard for it.

[GreasyLake]

Units marching by land SW to Makassar. Makassar forts LVL 7 building and 56%. Moving veteran 18th DIV/B by air from Soerabaja to meet threat. Assault value at Makassar is 300+ but a lot of units landed north including Armor. Initially transferred some trans to Soer with max range 8, oops Makassar is 9. Will fix this turn and move shorter range trans to Singapore in order to trans more Inf to Palembang. Moved a veteran DIV from Palembang to shore up N Malay forces, feeling weak there now.

Have a turn in and mulling over moving all air assets within range to Makassar/Kendari/Balikpapan to attack US CV TF in area. It has a 200+ plane CAP and has easily beaten off strikes from single bases. I have not recovered from attacking Padang but it may be now or never. Probably never anyway but might as well try something. Will decide to attack and possibly be set back in air strength even farther for little or no results or save up to defend the Philippines. The only asset I do not have in good numbers for an attack is 2E bomber Kamikazes. Units are spread out waiting for production to fill out the numbers, and waiting, and waiting.

Anyway more home def DIV coming out in 30-60 days, have 7K PP to enable them to move to PI. Still good air strength in Pacific.

[GreasyLake]

One CV group reacted on it's own, lucky break I was hoping for. AM turn it was under cloud and the 200 plus CAP group destroyed 3 strikes. Got 2 torp into Lex from CV pm strike. This is what hit from Jolo. 8 more Sally Kamikaze hit Lex from Davao. Would have liked to hitthe 2 CVL also.

Tim said he was headed back to Makassar 2 turns ago. 1 turn ago I sent CVE group out from Cebu as bait and CV's from Manila. He came back after the CVE group apparently, my CV's were still too far north to be detected. Then they were moved full speed to just W of Jolo, luckily only one CV TF reacted. They were all going after a TF directly south from Jolo.

Taiho took 3 torp and is at 90 float damage speed zero. Not going to scuttle in hopes it will soak up strikes while everyone else gets away.

[GreasyLake]

Thought this would be interesting for Tim to see later. Here are the aircraft deployed on Japan carriers before the engagement. I will post an after picture later this morning when I have more time.

This is from the turn when US fleet was heading back towards Makassar. On the map you can see the 2 CVE TF I moved into the Sulu sea to try and keep them around or react. The japan carrier fleet has just been ordered to sortie from Manila. Manila's supplies are below 20K so I was not able to replace all recent carrier plane losses.

[GreasyLake]

Here is carrier wing after the last battle. Transported supplies to Manila, Parked there a day and replenished some fighters on the flatops. Going back now to replenish attack AC so I can send some carriers west to mess with British shipping. Might as well instead of leaving them in Japan forever. See if I can make it west of Batavia to cause some Havoc.

23 days till CV Aso is finished, another CV 53 days behind that.