3 OCT 1942 SUB WARS
Relatively quiet turn, Allied subs took shots at tankers and AKs in separate convoys near the HIs, Okinawa to be specific. Duds but nonetheless the shifting of sub patrols zones away from HI is beginning to pay dividends....until Roel moves some ASW assets and flies them out of Okinawa. Action, Reaction.
I-165 sank a tanker off Cochin though so it wasn't all sunshine and roses.
CHINA
I recently completed a reorganisation of Chinese LCUs, the units were scattered here and there in the early part of the war, War Areas with their attendant Group Armies have been assigned specific geographical objectives to defend. Relatively stronger War Areas have been moved to the Burmese-Chinese border, Changsha, Kweilin and Sian with other War Areas covering Liuchow, Hengyang, Yenen, Ankang and Kienko. It's amazing how fast one can remember offhand so many cities after a night of clickfesting.
I suspect Roel is using China as a giant shooting gallery for his airmen cos apart from semi-regular bombing raids the last time I saw a Japanese LCU move in the direction of my MLR was during the last illfated attempt to take Changsha. Of course I probably jinxed myself by saying this and the next turn will bring a massive 5k AV IJA Army crashing down on Changsha. Or not.
The CAF is mostly based in Chungking where they have been training to get up to some sort of decent experience/skill level. Lack of any meaningful airframe supply ensures that the CAF will cover itself in glory in the week that it can put planes in the air before attrition reduces it to a 2 plane circus.
SUBMARINES AND ME
Here's a look at the waters off the HIs, the marked hexes have been literal death traps for my subs till a couple of turns ago. I'm trying to setup new patrol zones as marked by the green line as well as manually moving subs around the death zones and into the Yellow Sea. More subs have been pulled off convoy interdiction and will be reassigned to supporting the fleet as it transitions to offence.
AE AND BEER
So I had the chance to meet up with lb4269 and michaelm my opponents in our recently concluded Guadalcanal game tonight to shoot the breeze and imbibe alcohol. Naturally the conversation turned to AE at some point and I was sharing with them my intentions for this PBEM. It struck me that while I was sharing that I could well wait into early '43 and not really be delayed significantly in getting to the doorstep of the HIs due to the massive influx of equipment, men and ships that starts to pour in in '43.
So it's with that in mind that I'm going to target Efate and Luganville first instead of landing in the Gilberts/Marshalls. I expect to go sometime in Nov '42. To open with landings in SWPAC is I hope going to lead Roel to believe that I intend to move up PNG on my way to PI or the DEI.
Attachments
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GLUG GLUG GLUG
ROs surrounding Suva put a fish into Salt Lake City (35 major flt damage) and sank a DMS on ASW patrol over the past couple of turns. The relative lack of trained ASW squadrons is beginning to bite me in the ass. Using valuable fleet assets to hunt subs exposes them to return fire and unlike dudcity USN subs IJN ones usually make a mess of your day when they have a clear shot at you. Up till now, I've only had the USN VDS (floatplanes) squadrons on ASW and most of them are covering WC and PH. As a stopgap I'm pulling a couple of Hudson and Wirrawray squadrons from Oz and training them to do ASW.
INDIAN SKIES
Rapid buildup of P-40K airframes has enabled a complete US FG to reequip, I'll be putting Allied fighters back up on CAP in the next turn or two after all the P-40Ks have come online.
INVASION OF NEW HEBRIDES
Efate and Luganville are the targets for the first Allied counteroffensive of the war. These targets were chosen to give Roel the idea that I'll be moving up the Solomons/PNG chain with an eye on PI or maybe the DEI on the mid/long-term. These 2 targets are also relatively close to Suva and Pago Pago, although LBA will not be close enough to give meaningful air cover for the invasion fleets, longer ranged bombers will play a part in closing down the airfields at the targets and their surroundings. Bombing raids from mainland Oz on PM will also serve to emphasise my interest in the area.
1st MARDIV will land on Efate with an Army combat engineer bn and 2 arty bns. 2nd MARDIV heads for Luganville proper together with an Army combat engineer regiment, 2 tank bns and 2 FA bns. The 37th Inf and 3rd MARDIV are also prepping for Luganville and will be floating reserve in case things get hairy.
At this point in time I'm debating how I should go about with the landing sequence. Out of the 2 targets, Luganville is obviously going to expose my invasion TFs to threats from more points of the compass. Ideally I'd like to land on both Efate and Luganville at the same time but I don't have enough CVs to cover both landings at the same time. Landing on Efate before Luganville opens the risk of KB coming down in reaction and blundering into the Luganville TFs. I'll have 3 CVEs in about 3 weeks of game time but that doesn't count the time needed to move them into position so if I wait for those it'll be Nov before I can do anything. The jury is still out on this one.
In the meantime, I'm putting the pieces in place that will allow me to wargame a landing on one of the island bases near Pago Pago that has characterristics similar to the 2 targets to see how long it would take for me to unload a MARDIV just to get a feel for how things will go assuming I'm unmolested. I'll probably decide on how to do this after I've done a dry run.
Only in AE can you have a player performing an in-game training op like this. This game continues to amaze for its overall lack of gameiness. In other words, how cool is it that a player can derive meaningful info from something so often done IRL.
The game has gone at a good clip these past couple of days, we've managed to get quite a few turns in. Lots to talk about so let's get down to it.
BATTLE FOR INDIAN SKIES GONE AND STUFFED UP LOGISTICS
I've stuffed up in my deployment of aviation support for the bases near the Burmese border and it's taken me this long to actually figure out I have a problem.
I've always been reacting to fighter sweeps and bombing raids to the extent that when I wanted to setup some bombing raids on Mandalay (which I figure to be the main IJAAF base in the region) I find that my fighters don't have the legs to escort the level bombers unless I deploy them well forward in bases like Kalemyo. Unfortunately Kalemyo doesn't have enough AV support at the moment, not only that, supply levels are too low for fighters to use drop tanks which restricts their use even further. I'm moving to rectify that error but that will take time.
CAT AND MOUSE
Roel has taken to switching bombing targets on a more or less daily basis where he's always concentrated on a particular base for consecutive turns before. He's hit Chittagong, Akyab, Calcutta and Imphal. I've tended to cluster my squadrons into supersized bases and while this might make things easier for me administratively (read, clickwise) it has also made for a target rich environment when the IJAAF comes a calling. As a measure of how much it has cost me to cluster my squadrons, out of the 85 Blenheim IV's I've lost to date, 66 have been due to ground attacks. Also, by massing my fighter squadrons, IJAAF bombing targets have either seen a vigourous defence or have been left wide open depending on whether they're within CAP range.
In those instances where Allied CAP has been able to get at the inbound raids I've also seen the first use of P-40Ks in action and I have to say the fighter has acquitted itself well, in 2 major furballs over the past 10 turns, the K's together with the Hurris have seen kills of better than 2 to 1 in their favour vs Oscars. I'm also beginning to see the first Tojo equipped squadrons and those look a little harder to kill on the first pass, I'll get a better feel of them as more come online in the coming weeks.
Combat reports on the 2 days Allied CAP managed to tangle with the IJAAF.
The first series is from 10 Oct. The IJAAF hit Calcutta which had no organic CAP, the Hurris were flying LRCAP out from Dacca.
The second series is from 15 OCt. This time the target was Imphal, the US 23rd FG flying K's were on CAP supported by LRCAP from the Dacca Hurris.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Oct 10, 42
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Morning Air attack on Calcutta , at 52,37
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 46 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 42
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 56
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 12
Hurricane IIc Trop x 12
Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
6 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
CAP engaged:
No.17 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
No.30 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
No.67 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
No.615 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
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Morning Air attack on Calcutta , at 52,37
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 42
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 23
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 6
Hurricane IIc Trop x 8
Allied aircraft losses
Mohawk IV: 1 destroyed on ground
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed on ground
Runway hits 14
Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
CAP engaged:
No.17 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 33 minutes
No.30 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 56 minutes
No.67 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 21000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 20 minutes
No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 19000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 22000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 94 minutes
No.615 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 96 minutes
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Afternoon Air attack on Calcutta , at 52,37
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 23 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 26
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 9
Hurricane IIc Trop x 12
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 6 destroyed
CAP engaged:
No.17 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
No.30 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
No.67 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
No.615 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 34 minutes
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Afternoon Air attack on Calcutta , at 52,37
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 73
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 7
Hurricane IIc Trop x 10
Aircraft Attacking:
30 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 15000 feet *
27 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 15000 feet *
CAP engaged:
No.17 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 17000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 27 minutes
No.30 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 97 minutes
No.67 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 15000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 81 minutes
No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 52 minutes
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 43 minutes
No.615 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 22000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Oct 15, 42
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Afternoon Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 37
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 7
Hurricane IIc Trop x 9
P-40K Warhawk x 39
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 4 destroyed
CAP engaged:
No.17 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
No.30 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (3 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
No.67 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 2 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 4 minutes
No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 36 minutes
No.615 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 42 minutes
23rd FG/74th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Raid is overhead
23rd FG/75th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
23rd FG/76th FS with P-40K Warhawk (4 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling)
13 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Raid is overhead
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Afternoon Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 10
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 6
Hurricane IIc Trop x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 31
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed
CAP engaged:
No.17 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
No.30 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 1 minutes
No.67 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
No.136 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 3 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
No.615 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 23000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 15 minutes
23rd FG/74th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 1 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 20000 and 24000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 98 minutes
23rd FG/75th FS with P-40K Warhawk (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
10 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 17000 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 89 minutes
23rd FG/76th FS with P-40K Warhawk (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
9 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 18000 and 24000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 117 minutes
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Afternoon Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 42
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 63
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 5
Hurricane IIc Trop x 1
P-40K Warhawk x 22
Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
20 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
23 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
CAP engaged:
No.17 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 15000
Raid is overhead
No.67 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 10 minutes
No.135 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIb Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters to 25000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes
No.615 Sqn RAF with Hurricane IIc Trop (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 25000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 13 minutes
23rd FG/74th FS with P-40K Warhawk (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 5 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 20000 and 22000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 106 minutes
23rd FG/75th FS with P-40K Warhawk (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters between 19000 and 29000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 85 minutes
23rd FG/76th FS with P-40K Warhawk (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 3 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 43 minutes
POSTSCRIPT
Roel brought up an interesting point on windows messenger while I as finishing up this post, on the one side, the Allies have relatively smaller and more squadrons in theatre, each can bring in 12 planes per squadron every 7 days but they're limited by relatively shallow reinforcement pool while the Japanese player has larger and fewer squadrons so new airframes come in fewer at a time compared to the Allies, wonder which side will last longer.
SOPAC AO
Just about my entire inventory of APs and AKs have started to make their way down to assembly points on the Tonga and Samoan Islands. I also will start to receive the first of 3 CVEs in less than a week's game time. VMF-211 flying off Long Island also became carrier qualified. Japanese sub activity has been very heavy around Suva and Pago Pago, the waters are literally infested with red sub symbols.
Roel has been sending in light STFs on relatively daring raids to keep me honest, about a month ago game time, a CL/DD force managed to surprise a convoy which included a CA and sank just about every ship in it, including the CA, so I guess on the theory that if it ain't broke don't fix it, I've spotted a couple of STF symbols just beyond LBA range every now and then.
A light STF made an attempt to hit a couple of AKs that were supplying Yasawa Islands (2 hexes off Suva) but this time I was ready for him, or so I thought. Nevada headed up a STF that I had on the hex for the express purpose of riding shotgun for the AKs in case Roel tried pulling the same trick again from a couple of turns ago.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Oct 10, 42
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Yasawa Islands at 131,158, Range 8,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CL Kinu, Shell hits 5, on fire
CL Kuma, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Akigumo, Shell hits 1
DD Hamakaze
DD Michishio
DD Natsugumo
DD Shinonome
DD Murakumo
Allied Ships
BB Nevada
CA Houston, Shell hits 1
CA Quincy, Shell hits 1
DD Ralph Talbot
DD Patterson
DD Jarvis
DD Lang
Reduced sighting due to 0% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 0% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 20,000 yards...
Range closes to 14,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 8,000 yards
Japanese open fire on surprised Allied ships at 8,000 yards
The BB didn't even react to the enemy STF, the damage was done by the CAs, I'm kinda annoyed radar didn't work here as well, what the hey, them's the breaks. I'm claiming the 2 CLs which went down to LBA out of Suva on the day phase. What the combat logs also don't show is that the Nevada got hit by at least one Long Lance, she's currently safe in Pago Pago and waiting for her sys and engine damage to come down before she makes the long trek home to the West Coast to fix her 45 major float damage.
SUB ACTIVITY
I lost a Dutch sub off Palembang in addition to Finback a couple of turns back, both victims of 250kg bombs. I have to go through my sub list and make sure none of them are near anywhere near LBA ASW range or moving about in shallow water or I won't have any subs left in later part of the game.
SS O23 is located by SC Ch 11
O23 bottoming out ....
SC Ch 29 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 29 fails to find sub, continues to search...
SC Ch 29 attacking submerged sub ....
SC Ch 29 attacking submerged sub ....
SC Ch 29 fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
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Morning Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 45 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 10
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 5
Hurricane IIc Trop x 7
P-40K Warhawk x 37
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed
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Morning Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 28
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 1
Hurricane IIc Trop x 4
P-40K Warhawk x 31
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed
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Morning Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 38
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 1
Hurricane IIc Trop x 3
P-40K Warhawk x 18
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 15000 feet
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Morning Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 38 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 39
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 76
Aircraft Attacking:
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
25 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
26 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 15000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb
15 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 15000 feet *
17 OCT 1942
Air attack on 39th Indian Div (the former 1st Burma Div), the 39th is all by itself on the Chinese side of the Chinese-Burmese border after the rest of the Chinese Divs assigned to Burma have pulled back to Paoshan for some needed R&R. The 4th and 34th Group Armies have been tasked to defend that portion of the Chinese border.
An air attack on Tarakan reminded me that Roel hadn't yet invested this particular hex. LCUs are moving up from the base just 1 hex SE of it. I had forgotten about this particular hex to be honest. It's got substantial oil and refinery (90 each) assets and I'm surprised it's taken this long for Roel to get around to taking it, my guess is that he just plain overlooked it in the initial rush.
18 OCT 1942
Fighter sweeps of Imphal see about 1:1 loss ratio in Oscars vs Hurri IIcs and P-40Es
19 OCT 1942
A light SAG catches a single xAP unloading at Norfolk Island and sinks her, her escort Electra, who accoding to Roel is one lucky ship after avoiding having been sunk yet again, escapes to fight another day.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Norfolk Island at 113,170, Range 6,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CA Nachi
CL Kiso
DD Kagero
DD Hatsukaze
DD Urakaze, Shell hits 2
Allied Ships
DD Electra, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAP Wahine, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
Reduced visibility due to Rain with 71% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 71% moonlight: 6,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 6,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 6,000 yards
Allied ships attempt to get underway
DEs escorting APs and AKs from PH to invasion aseembly points in SWPAC DC I-15 and claim 3 hits against her a couple hexes south of PH
20 Oct 1942 More fighter sweeps of Imphal, this time by Tojos (IIa variant) who themselves precede a bombing raid. The home team comes out slightly behind vs the Tojos and I lose a plane or two to the bombs.
21 Oct 1942
Mines laid by Dutch boats claim their first victim, an SC out of Palembang eats one. I've only just started to lay sub mines so I have a pretty substantial stockpile I intend to use to annoy Roel by randomly seeding his South East Asian ports.
Sweeps by Tojos and Oscars over Imphal claim more victims, I haven't been updating by turns so I can't use Tracker to tell me what my daily losses are but this turn was particularly in favour of the IJAAF. Bombers caught quite a few planes on the ground and I have quite a few damaged airframes on the flight line after this raid.
22 Oct 1942
IJN DMS TF arrives off Palembang and starts to clear the shipping channel of pesky mines.
Pike and S-33 take shots at an AK and CL respectively but both miss, Pike was tooling around the waters just off Iriomote when she took the shot, the few subs I have up there have been relatively unmolested by air ASW since I've moved them off the waters off the HI. S-33's shot was taken north of Noumea, air recon shows 35k+ troops on Noumea so it seems Roel thinks I'm going to want to take that back from him soonest, I'll be encouraging him to think along those lines come Nov '42 when I start 4E bombing raids on Noumea.
Tarakan and the 39th Indian continue to be visited by the bombers of the IJAAF.
23 Oct 1942
The IJN clears Palembang of my mines, ah well, was fun while it lasted.
Fighter sweeps of Imphal find an empty sky as I refuse to come out and play and rest my weary pilots. No bombers follow the sweeps so I guess I got lucky.
24 Oct 1942 S-31 is chased off by escorts of a merchie convoy at around the same coords where S-33's attack occured 2 game days ago.
Roel changes tack and bombs Silchar this turn, I lose 2 Hudons to ground attack.
This turn however, sees the first Allied offensive bombing mission of the CBI
Morning Air attack on Mandalay , at 59,46
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 32 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 14 (Roel wasn't expecting this)
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 32
Hudson IIIa x 18
Hurricane IIb Trop x 29
Liberator II x 6
Wellington Ic x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 3 destroyed
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 29
Morning Air attack on Mandalay , at 59,46 (My sweep comes in after the bombers.....)
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 45 NM, estimated altitude 22,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7
Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 19
Hurricane IIc Trop x 61
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x Hurricane IIb Trop sweeping at 15000 feet *
15 x Hurricane IIc Trop sweeping at 20000 feet *
12 x Hurricane IIc Trop sweeping at 20000 feet *
1 x Hurricane IIb Trop sweeping at 15000 feet *
14 x Hurricane IIc Trop sweeping at 20000 feet *
16 x Hurricane IIc Trop sweeping at 20000 feet *
Morning Air attack on Mandalay , at 59,46
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 20,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 14
Hurricane IIb Trop x 18
Wellington Ic x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 destroyed on ground
Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 22
Another 2 separate sweeps after this raid don't see any opposition. While this was going on, Roel sweeps Silchar and predictably finds nothing as everyone had come out to play on his side of the fence. We traded messages on MSN and he commented about the "show of strength" by the Allies on this turn, I guess I caught him off guard after lulling him into a what was more or less a predictable routine in this theatre for past couple of months.
25 Oct 1942 RO-67 takes 1 hit from Witte de With which is escorting a bunch of xAPs moving around the Pago Pago area positioning LCUs while Pike gets chased off by escorts when a convoy crosses her patrol path.
I continue sweeping and bombing Mandalay while Roel does the same with Silchar.
26 Oct 1942
Sweeps of Mandalay are fragmented due to rain over the target, no opposition rises to meet my fighters.
Chittagong is bombed, fortunately severe storms mitigate much of the potential damage and AA claims 8 Helens damanged.
Elements of the US Tenth AF join in the bombing of Mandalay on this turn.
27 Oct 1942
Grayling attacks a DD off Saipan but nothing comes off it.
IJA troops land on Ndeni in a bid to reinforce the SE perimeter of the Empire of Japan.
The most annoying news of the day is that I lose a precious AK to I-10 who puts 4 fish into her side and gets away clean.
INTENTIONS IN THE CBI
I recently completed a reorg of the airpower in India, the Brits bear the brunt of the fighting in this part of the world. Broadly speaking, the responsibility for the air war rests on the shoulders of 221 and 225 Group who have been assigned designated airfields to fly out from.
I have started and intend to continue shutting down Mandalay by keeping up daily bombing raids on that hex and shutting down any replacement airfields that come online. I only have 2 recon flights so they'll be busy targeting potential enemy airfields but I have more than enough bombers to keep things going on an extended basis. I have the AV support, the airfields, good infrastructure and supply levels. If need be I'll pull transports off the Hump and fly supplies in to the more remote airfields in order to keep them going.
All this activity does not factor in the support of the US Tenth which stands at 2 complete FGs and 1 BG at the moment, I intend to use the fighters to supplement the Brit fighter strength for the medium term, 1 FG is averaging 60 exp for it's squadrons and will fly offensive missions while the other FG is basically flying part CAP and partly training up, the bombers of the Tenth are still combat ineffective except for 2 squadrons so it'll be sometime before their full weight can be brought to bear.
I'll try to keep updates as up to date as possible, combat reports have fuzzy numbers and I rely more on Tracker to tell me the real story, at least on my end, I can only guess at Roel's losses. Next up, a look at LCUs planning for the invasion of Efate and Luganville.
WHAT WE'RE UP TO We're making good time, it's taken some 2.5 weeks of real time to blow through Oct '42. I reckon we would have blown through Oct by now if not for this week, in fact I had high hopes we could settle down to a schedule of 1 game month per 2 weeks of real time but work has caught up with both us recently so that's slowed us down some and Roel has recently taken on a night class that sees him coming home late 2 weekdays out of 5 so 1 game month for every 3-3.5 weeks is something a little more realistic in the long term.
28 OCT 1942 I-124 sinks an xAKL 1 hex east of Darwin, I was sneaking in a small supply convoy in an attempt to ease the desperate supply situation at Darwin (basically 0 supply) and hoping I'd get in and out without being spotted but now the jig is up and I expect Betties over Darwin in the next turn.
Sweeps and bombing of Mandalay continue, no opposition rises to oppose us.
Ndeni falls.
INVASION EFATE AND LUGANVILLE - QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS Efate Invasion Forces
1 MARDIV
110th Combat Eng Bn
181st FA Reg
226th FA Bn
3rd USMC Tank Bn
Luganville Invasion Forces
I Amphib Corps
2 MARDIV
3 MARDIV
34th Combat Eng Reg
168th FA Reg
249th FA Bn
1st USMC Tank
2nd USMC Tank
Most of the Luganville LCUs are at 90+ or 100 prep points already, Efate units are behind by about 20 points. I don't have enough carry capacity to pull both landings off at once so someone's got to go first. Efate seems to be the safe choice, invasion and CV TFs would be easily covered by USAAF LBA out of Suva/Nadi but landing there first removes the shock value that will come with the first Allied counteroffensive, on the other hand hitting Luganville first could be case of an island too far...
US ARMY AIR FORCE
I have a FG of P-38s which can fly LRCAP over Efate from out of Suva, it's Luganville which is silghtly out of reach which is why I'm building up Yasawa Island in a bid to cover Luganville. Other than fighter support, level bombers will be able to reach both invasion targets easily. The question here for the USAAF is how much time do I give them to work over the airfields and LCUs before sending the troops in? Too long and Roel will know what I'm up to, too short and it'll be ineffective.
CVs AND CVEs
I've just received the last of 3 CVEs that came together within a few days of each other. Prince William should pull into Pearl in about 8 days from which she'll then join her sisters in ditching her replacement squadrons and embarking Marine squadrons before joining Copahee at the invasion staging areas. The 4 surviving fleet CVs are already 3 days out of PH heading for Pago Pago after having come off refit. Again, the CVEs are my ace in the hole, Roel will know that I'll have them coming but unless he's peeked into the arrival schedules he won't know how many he's facing.
I have yet to decide how best to employ the 4 VMFs and equivalent of 2 VMBs flying off the jeep carrier decks, basically it comes down to whether I put the VMFs on fleet defence and let the Navy VFs take the fight to the enemy or take over the escorting of the VMB/VS/VT/VBs to their targets leaving their more experienced Navy brethren to defend the motherships.
MASKIROVKA Bombings of Noumea and PM will start sometime in early Nov after I let the SWPAC heavies train up a bit more. Another option would be to bring forward the landing at Tabitueuea in a bid to put KB out of position but given the relative closeness of the Gilberts to my targets the most I'm buying is 1 day's worth of flank speed. I have thought of unmasking my fleet CVs in the Coral Sea in a bid to make Roel react by moving KB away but again, it's less than a day's worth of sailing to Efate and Luganville and I could get my CVs sunk for all the trouble they've caused.
US ORBAT OF SELECTED MAJOR LCUs AND THEIR TARGETS
West Coast: 27th (2/3 strength), 40th (Kusaie), 41st (Kusaie), 43rd (Nauru Island) IDs
SWPAC: 32nd ID (Port Moresby), 503 PIR
SOPAC: 37th (Luganville) ID
CENPAC: 1 (Efate), 2 (Luganville), 3 (Luganville) MARDIVs. 24th (Tabiteuea), 25th (Tarawa) and Americal IDs
RECAP OF OBJECTIVES
New Hebrides - Gilberts, parts of Marshalls - Nauru Island - Kusaie Island - Marianas - Bonins - Okinawa - Formosa - Home Islands
29 OCT 1942 As expected, Betties visit Darwin trying to sink my supply convoy, they put 2 xAKLs at the bottom of Darwin harbour.
Daily pounding of Mandalay airfield continues with no IJAAF in sight. This is beginning to worry me.
I-15 launches a spread of 6 at a DD escorting Long Island (maj Flt 35)and Salt Lake City (maj Flt 31)back to PH from Pago Pago for repairs but misses, escorts claim a hit against the fleet boat.
30 OCT 1942 I-15 tries it's luck again, this time 6 at Salt Lake City and misses again, another hit against the sub claimed. Kingfish replies for the Allies and shoots at a PB but misses.
221 and 225 Group will alternate between bombing Mandalay from the next turn on, this would give airgroups an opportunity to recover morale and lower fatigue while letting me build up strength again since the IJAAF doesn't seem to want to come out to play. I never really looked at the Brit level bomber replacement rate till just now, egads, to think I have till date let 75 Blenheims get caught on the ground. Noobishness abounds on this side of the war. /facepalm
Am on the 31st Oct turn, end of the game month review coming up, it's been a relatively quiet month. 2 months till the end of '42 and about 5-6 weeks out till the anniversary of Dec 7, a bit of introspection with regards to the conduct of this war is in order methinks, can't help but sometimes feel I really should be going at this at a much higher tempo especially after comparing myself against other AARs. It's been great fun though, the only game I've played longer than WitP/AE combined is WoW and I gave that up some 2 years ago, I've played PBEMs before, usually on a shorter time frame, stuff like HPS's Panzer Campaigns and the like, it boggles the mind that I've been playing against the same opponent for coming to a year now and we're both just as juiced about our game as when we started back in Dec '09. But enough about melodrama about me, a close look at my land and air HQ placements in the SOPAC area in the next turn, together with a wrap up of Oct '42 and a look at what's coming up in Nov '42.
31 OCT 1942
Quiet turn, Katha joins Mandalay in getting bombed. Recon says Katha is populated but I don't see any opposition and no claims of aircraft destroyed on the ground. Some Brit bomber squadrons stand down as I enter a rotation to keep the pressure on for the long term.
AIR HQs
These innocuous looking things will be key to keeping the heads of the Japanese forces down when I make my move on Efate and Luganville, I have 4 of them to fool around with in the Pago Pago/Suva area. II Fighter Command the sole USAAF HQ with the USN/USMC represented by USN AirSoPac, USN FwdAirCenPac and USMC AirFMFPac. I intend to move the last two up towards the Gilberts/Marshalls when the time comes.
In the meantime, I continue trying to straighten out the mess I created when I dumped everything (and I mean everything) on Pago Pago in the buildup in the months prior, the combat LCUs are more or less sorted, the support elements less so, it's the aircraft I have a major headache with, 750 odd airframes in just Suva and Pago Pago airfields, a disproportionate number of them fighters. I'm trying to spread out a little, concentrating on moving up the shorter ranged aircraft as close to the enemy as possible. I have significant anti-ship capability in my Marine VMBs and 2 complete BGs of mediums will help to shut down enemy airfields when the time comes, not enough P-38s though, been husbanding those things since they started accumulating in the inventory and I only have 4 squadrons of mixed variants thus far. I'll post up a screenie of the airgroups in the SOPAC area when I untangle the mess.
NOV' 42
October '42 saw the first offensive moves by the Allies with the bombing of Burmese airfields started. For November, Marines should be on the ground in New Hebrides by month's end.
Notable reinforcements for this month include BB Indiana and CA Wichita and a handful of AOs and TKs together with more Fletcher-class DDs and SSs. I also start to receive F4F-7s, the recon version of the Wildcat, been waiting for this for a while now, I have a pair of Marine VMOs that have been training on second-line aircraft and need the upgrade so they can join the fight.
SHIP LOSSES
Yamashiro and Nagato have fallen off the charts, no biggie, I didn't expect to have sunk them anyways. That leaves Yamato as the last remaining BB claimed sunk as a result of the Battle of Truk. Good for a giggle, I expect to see her fall off the sunk ship list soon enough.
IJN subs do well for the month, about the only bright spark for the Allies is that Mogami comes on the sunk list, a look back on the August battle combat report sees her with claims of 5 bomb hits, with her sinking near Saipan I can only imagine she went down while in transit back to HI for some major yardtime, hope she stays on the list.
1 NOV 1942 RO boats take shots at convoys near Suva and Brisbane but come up short. The month starts with a bang as Allied subs (KXI, S-27) get on the killboard.
Tracker reports bombers over Katha claim 5 Oscars destroyed on the ground while escorting P-40s claim another 4 in exchange for 4 Vengeance shot down, replays show more aircraft destroyed/damaged than just the Oscars, either way it was a fairly good day in the skies over Burma.
SUB WARS I-29 is DCed by Stronghold off Cochin after she tries to put 2 into Stronghold's side and fails. Hunter Killer groups of patrol type craft (AM, SC, PC) DC subs off Suva and Brisbane, I-22 is claimed as sunk off Brisbane. Brissy has been stalked by at least 3 IJN boats for the longest time and I'm only just going after them with a vengeance after having tried to let airborne ASW deal with them.
INDIAN SKIES
Mandalay looks to be well and truly shut down, I have recon reporting 70+ runway damage, Katha put up a fight on the 2nd with Tojos rising to meet the bombers, this time sweepers managed to get there before the bombers and are claiming 8 Tojos for 2 P-40s shot down. No opposition in the air on the 3rd.
SUB KILLBOARD (JULY '42 ONWARDS) Finback – TK Nisshin Maru (13,340) S-34 - AMC Asaka Maru (6,825) KXI - AK Takaoka Maru (6,475) S-46 – AMC Bankok Maru(4,050) KXIV (SUNK) – xAK Tenzan Maru (2,980) Tarpon – xAK Seiwa Maru (2,900) S-47 – PB Hakkaisan Maru (2,780) O23 – xAKL Arizama Maru(2,050) S-27 - xAKL Konsan Maru (1,900)O20 – TK Kuremente Maru (1,120) KXVII(SUNK) – TK Azuma Maru (1,120) Pompano - PB Yahonui Maru (830) Greenling (SUNK)– PB Shinko Maru (830) Silversides (SUNK) – SC Cha-32 (99) S-23 – xAK Shinwa Maru (26/08/42 probable) S-37 – CL Tama (10/08/42 damaged) S-44 – I-170 (29/09/42 probable) Drum - TK Itukusima Maru (13/10/42 probable) Grayling – xAK Teikai Maru (22/09/42 probable), xAK Amagi Maru (28/06/42 probable) Gudgeon – xAK Saiho Maru (31/07/42 damaged) SIERRA SQUARE DELTA SQUARE Sanitization of the waters off Brisbane and Suva continue, AVDs approaching Yasawa Island to setup a seaplane base there DC an I-boat for good measure.
Unescorted Helens visit Chittagong these past 2 turns, they look to be operating from as far down as Moulmein and Rangoon so my fighters will have trouble reaching them if they are indeed flying out from that far, in the meantime, I'm shifting some fighters on training down from Calcutta and putting CAP over Chittagong in case they come back. CVE MOVEMENT Nassau, Altamaha and Prince William have formed up, taken a couple of Marine squadrons onboard and are heading down to Pago Pago where they'll join Copahee. The 4 fleet CVs are holding at Penryn while the last few pieces fall in place.
6-9 NOV 1942 SUB WARS I-34 plays chicken with a 4 ship ASW patrol and sinks 1 SC in the afternoon of the 6th after getting DCed in the morning phase. I also lose an xAK while it's unloading in port at Yasawa. I don't know if Roel is vectoring his subs into port hexes on purpose or if they're reacting to air searches but I'm a little peeved I'm losing ships in por to full sized subs. Of course I could put up ASW patrols to negate the threat but I really shouldn't have to should I?
Grayback and Pike take shots at TKs but it's dud city as usual, I only have a handful of subs operating near the HIs now, closer to Formosa than the HIs to get away from the ASW menace, seems to be working out so far.
DUTCH EXACT SOME PAYBACK, SORT OF
Ground combat at Tarakan (67,91)
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 6898 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 251
Defending force 2014 troops, 46 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 56
Tarakan is going to fall but it's going to take some doing by the 65th Bde, go you crazy Dutch cowboys.
MY SLIP IS SHOWING
I guess all that activity wasn't going to go unnoticed, air recon of Noumea and Luganville shows heavy concentrations of shipping, ACMs in both ports can only mean one thing, and I'm showing CAs in port and BBs in a STF weighing anchor off Noumea. All this has made me consider if I should go ahead with Efate/Luganville as my stated intention has always been through the islands of CENPAC and any landings in SOPAC would be sideshows at best, the concentration of force by the IJN makes me believe any such landings will cost more than I'm willing to pay. Since I appear to be succeeding in drawing his attention away from CENPAC I might as well go the whole hog, I'm moving my CVs to Auckland, if the heavies are still in Noumea I'm going to port strike 'em and trail my coat in plain view for Roel to see, might as well show him what he's looking for, in the meantime, I'm going to switch landing targets to Tabitueauauauauauauauauauau/Tarawa, the IDs assigned are in PH and are near 100 prep points so switching targets is just a matter of moving the APs and AKs back to PH.
11 NOV 1942 DOH
Sub attack near Pukapuka at 156,159
Japanese Ships
SS I-11
Allied Ships
CVE Copahee, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Stuart
Terribly annoying to lose a ship to sub action, more so if the ship was actually useful.
Patrol craft exact a measure of revenge by scoring hits off an I-boat off Brisbane and an RO boat near Suva but no glug glug glug is as good as a miss. Meanwhile Grenadier shoots and misses at a TK off Saipan.
TARAKAN
The Dutch cowboys of Tarakan hold the Sons of Nippon at bay quite easily.
Ground combat at Tarakan (67,91)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 6668 troops, 33 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 230
Defending force 1769 troops, 46 guns, 7 vehicles, Assault Value = 42
Japanese adjusted assault: 80
Allied adjusted defense: 637
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 7 (fort level 3)
Defending units:
VII KNIL Battalion
Tarakan Coastal Gun Battalion
Tarakan Base Force
12 NOV 1942
Spotted an STF a couple of hexes off Yasawa that looked like it was lining up for a night attack run and it obliged by doing so on this turn. I had moved everything that could float out of the hex thinking that would be good enough but the STF came in and bombarded my ass.
Night Naval bombardment of Yasawa Islands at 131,158
Japanese Ships
CL Naka
DD Urakaze
DD Hatsukaze
DD Kagero
Allied Ships
ACM Birch, Shell hits 1
AVD Williamson, Shell hits 3, on fire
AVD Ballard, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
AVD Mackinac, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
AVD Casco, Shell hits 2, on fire
AVD Hulbert, Shell hits 1
AVD Thornton, Shell hits 1, on fire
AVD Chincoteague, Shell hits 1
CL Naka firing at Yasawa Islands
DD Urakaze firing at 1st USMC Engineer Aviation Battalion
DD Hatsukaze firing at Yasawa Islands
DD Kagero firing at Yasawa Islands
Didn't lose a ship but they're all in varying states of damage, have moved all except 1 very badly damaged AVD back to Suva where they'll be relatively safer. CA Nachi which was in this STF but not shown in the combat report here did eat a mine on the run in so that slowed them down a little on the exit run allowing my LBA to take shots at them. My Banshees didn't fly and the mediums couldn't hit the broadside of a barn from 10k up so all I did was make some IJN sailors piss their pants.
Now I know there are at least a handful of people reading this as the hit count does increase somewhat with every new post so my question to you dear readers, from what time period can I bring my mediums down to wavetop level so I can actually make Roel fear coming into range of my mediums? Bismarck Sea was in March '43, do I have to wait that long or is there any documented use of skip bombing/low level strafing before that?
Training and skill is one thing but I was a little more concerned with when I could start unleashing my mediums at wavetop height as I play with a nod to history ie. skip bombing in Jan '42 is bad k? Guess I could live with a Mar' 43 date to start bringing my mediums down, just started a couple of squadrons on LowN, thx for reading and replying!
