Spanking Lowpe (NJP72 vs Lowpe (A))

[Lowpe]

Seems we have found Japan's Navy split between two sides of New Guinea....no IJN fleet carriers spotted. Should I break open the intel reports? Haven't been using them....90 enemy fighters at Babo (Oscars, 60 or so swept Biak -- no CAP). Our Hellcat sweeps of Babo met no CAP either.

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Babo and Boela both have minor oil production...I have bombed Boela destroying about 50% of the production...but Japan is still picking up oil there. In my games it can be difficult to get oil out of the small ports so I suspect I would be better advised to bomb the port facility slowing the transfer of oil substantially:\

Port 2 is 1000 oil
Port 1 is 500 oil
Port 0 is 0 oil

[Lowpe]

Looking at the map those 2 DDs were well into your territory - but for what purpose? They seem pretty weak to be a raiding TF. Perhaps they were a FT TF trying to extract troops further south? Rather expensive pickets if that was their purpose.

Japan likes sending small squadrons into my lines...and I have pretty much let him find weak spots in my naval search...but not now. I did it in an effort to get Japan to split their fleet rather than concentrate it at Sorong.

Looks like the 2 DDs got away...

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[Lowpe]

Japan has a lot of troopers left behind...Allied navy has cracked the perimeter but can I get enough shipping/supplies and fuel forward to exploit it while making Japan suffer...

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[Lowpe]

Our subs are still getting into position...should we fully blockade Roi Namur in hopes of getting the damaged destroyer....or continue to the east with them?

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[BBfanboy]

East? If you are looking at the TF with 9 subs, doesn't it have to go west to do anything? That would be my choice. A couple of DDs are not worth a big effort when there are CAs showing their skirts.

[RangerJoe]

One hit is better than no hits. If nothing else, Chikuma will slow down the task force. Better would be an escort task force moving nice and slow. Do you have any naval air units that could help stoke any fires?

[Lowpe]

East? If you are looking at the TF with 9 subs, doesn't it have to go west to do anything? That would be my choice. A couple of DDs are not worth a big effort when there are CAs showing their skirts.

oops, meant west. I detached two the Triton and Growler to close off Roi....

[Lowpe]

One hit is better than no hits. If nothing else, Chikuma will slow down the task force. Better would be an escort task force moving nice and slow. Do you have any naval air units that could help stoke any fires?

I am pretty meek in using my airforce since replenishment pools are small and Japan loves cap traps...especially over bait task forces...

AD at Sarmi...the rest of the aux ships coming up. Soon the destroyers will be let loose...

[Lowpe]

June 3, 1943

Good bombardment here, double slow big girls...our soldiers and tanks knock forts down and get a 1-1....

Naval bombardment of Manus at 101,119

Allied Ships
BB Colorado
BB Maryland
DD Voyager
DD Bailey
DD Farenholt
DE Lawrence
DE Humphreys
DE Crane
DE Ward

Japanese ground losses:
581 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 43 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 8 disabled
Guns lost 5 (3 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (3 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 20
Port hits 11
Port supply hits 1

BB Colorado firing at Manus
BB Maryland firing at Manus
DD Voyager firing at Manus
DD Bailey firing at 85th Naval Guard Unit
DD Farenholt firing at Manus
DE Lawrence firing at 85th Naval Guard Unit
DE Humphreys firing at Manus
DE Crane firing at 85th Naval Guard Unit
DE Ward firing at Manus

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Ground combat at Manus (101,119)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 4066 troops, 39 guns, 118 vehicles, Assault Value = 183

Defending force 3872 troops, 42 guns, 9 vehicles, Assault Value = 80

Allied adjusted assault: 46

Japanese adjusted defense: 31

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 2)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), fatigue(-)

Japanese ground losses:
700 casualties reported
Squads: 16 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 7 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 16 (5 destroyed, 11 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
291 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 14 (2 destroyed, 12 disabled)

Assaulting units:
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
8th NZ Brigade

Defending units:
Yokosuka 1st SNLF
85th Naval Guard Unit
Kimura Det /2
72nd JAAF AF Bn
18th Field Construction Battalion
11th JAAF AF Bn

[Lowpe]

Pushing forward...

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[CaptBeefheart]

Maybe I'm too late, but yes, I convert a lot of Liberties to xAPs. There are not enough normal APs or xAPs to keep up a good tempo of troop movements and I'm always swimming in supplies at or near the front by mid-43.

Cheers,
CB

[Lowpe]

Thanks Cap for your input...I think for know I will not convert any yet...as I am still getting supply forward.

[Lowpe]

As Japan, I always liked small task forces...but as the Allies I am starting to go big. Otherwise it is simply to many clicks.

[RangerJoe]

As Japan, I always liked small task forces...but as the Allies I am starting to go big. Otherwise it is simply to many clicks.

[Lowpe]

June 4th, 1943

Saratoga joins the fleet carriers near Biak...offensive operations will begin now that the support ships are in port at Biak.

Manus falls...Aitape to be invaded tomorrow. Lots of bypassed Japanese troops...

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[Lowpe]

Some of the troops at sea...

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[CaptBeefheart]

Thanks Cap for your input...I think for know I will not convert any yet...as I am still getting supply forward.

I pulled up the editor from a normal scenario to see how this works, as I recall being unable to convert EC2 Liberty Cargos to EC2 USATs after June 1943. Looking at the editor, I think if you do the Device 2406 to 2506 upgrade (available June 1943) you lose the ability to convert to Device 2731 (the USAT version). Also, the Device 2506 ones coming off the slips from June 1943 on won't be able to convert.

The bottom line is I'd be careful to keep the ability to convert a number of EC2 Cargos to EC2 USATs, as I think you'll find having quite a few of them available as USATs will be helpful as more and more troops pour into the theater.

Cheers,
CB

[Lowpe]

June 5th, 1943

Submarine action....

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[Lowpe]

Thanks Cap for your input...I think for know I will not convert any yet...as I am still getting supply forward.

I pulled up the editor from a normal scenario to see how this works, as I recall being unable to convert EC2 Liberty Cargos to EC2 USATs after June 1943. Looking at the editor, I think if you do the Device 2406 to 2506 upgrade (available June 1943) you lose the ability to convert to Device 2731 (the USAT version). Also, the Device 2506 ones coming off the slips from June 1943 on won't be able to convert.

The bottom line is I'd be careful to keep the ability to convert a number of EC2 Cargos to EC2 USATs, as I think you'll find having quite a few of them available as USATs will be helpful as more and more troops pour into the theater.

Cheers,
CB

I looked at all the troops that need transport, and my list of incoming arrivals, and decided to do the conversion. I only have a handful in port....but I started the conversion today.

There is about 140 ships I could convert...not sure how many I will convert...maybe around 50? I get 10 of the upgraded liberty ships over the next 20 days so that will offset some of the conversions.

I will use them to move troops forward from Pearl to Shortlands to take advantage of the large port size...

[Lowpe]

IJN submarine reported losses:

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