Turnaround? Lowpe (J) vs Tiemanj (A) Stock

[Lowpe]

Then, at Batavia, the Lightnings get in the air, and although great coordination on the Empires part with sweeps first, and then escorted fighters second, I still loose 20 bombers and 9 fighters (including 7 Tojos) to his planes and flak..runway damage up to 38 according to my intel.

[Lowpe]

China, west of Ankang: IJA forces cross the river and engage 6 Chinese Corps.

No supply, 4 Chinese Corps retreat leaving two corps to be savaged in a couple or 3 days time.

The western mountain line is broken and now begins the march to the central plains of China. With 40 units to be cut off in the Changsha triangle, this might work...

Another 100 Chinese squads are destroyed in battles elsewhere in China.

[Lowpe]

Plane losses for the day.

I really can't complain, my pilots are mediocre to poor, and I am not flying incredibly high sweeps...

I have 10 campaign kills, total, in air to air of the Lightnings and got 4 yesterday. Not too bad...

Still, I am only producing 94 Tojo a month, and can't afford these losses. Hopefully the Allies can't afford them either, especially in Burma. It is time to run some heavy cruisers into his bases on the shoreline of India and give those Lightning bases a little love.[:)]

[Lowpe]

Economic news:

I surpass 500 engines in the Aichi Ha60 and also start producing the Judy recon. I have one squadron of 9 planes that can upgrade to it now, and another in first quarter 43. I am researching the Judy dive bomber but no factories are repaired yet.

A6M5c is now June 1944.

Ha35 engine production is 682. I am thinking of growing this even higher because of future builds like Irving, Lilly IIb, Nick b.

I am woefully short fighters, but since they pretty much just turn into fireballs anyhow, it probably isn't critical. Make do with AA, bombardments, and avoidance everywhere I can and keep training pilots.

[Lowpe]

The Kuriles.

After yesterdays Tojo performance, I don't see how I am going to wear down all those carrier trained F4Fs with my fighters....going to have to risk runs in with ships to bombard, but of course he has PT boats too.

Happy problems...he could have take two bases. [:D]

[Lowpe]

Cold Zone penalties:

»» Ships moving in Cold Zones during the winter will suffer
operational system damage at double the normal rate.

»» All base construction in Cold Zones during winter takes twice as long.

»» Air units will fly 25% less aircraft on strike-type Missions.

»» Ground units unloading at an enemy base/beach or into a non-base hex with an
enemy unit will suffer roughly three times the losses they would normally suffer.

Plus extra fatigue. What joy.[:)]

[Lowpe]

Oct 1, 1942: A preparation day in the Kuriles. Three bombardment groups, two surface groups, the KB are all getting into position, over 200 bombers and 50 fighters are resting, repairing, before the big push on the morrow.

I expect to take it on the chin from his mines, but if I can close the airbase with ships, the follow on bombers should be able to keep the damage up with only occasional help from ship bombardments while I sweep from one hex away.

Invasion is in 10 days I think, depending upon mine clearance giving me prep in the 60 to 70 percentile range for the biggest units.

At least that is the plan. [:D]

[Lowpe]

Special Base Forces are an important part of the Empires front line defenses early on. I have 4 of these (Oct 1, 1942) and they are in Oosthaven, Moulmein, Makassar, and a task force at sea heading for Kusaie Island in the western Marshalls.

Another 2 possible units are broken down and scattered. They need to be rebuilt and take their places as front line Island/Base defensive units.

The engineering units have some shore batteries: the 8 cm T88 DP Gun. And they aren’t restricted. What joy!

The 8cm DP gun is rather weak: they have a range of 12, effect 13, penetration 28, accuracy 34, ceiling 23,600. So they are really point defense guns against invasions and passable AA units – they won’t deter shore bombardments. Add minefields to get the most out of the coastal guns.

For comparison the Wake CD unit packs 20 CM 41YT guns, range 32, effect 275, penetration 275, accuracy 35 -- a much better ship killer, plus other guns…

Special Base Forces also carry lots of naval support squads, ideal for helping offload supplies at those front line islands with small ports.

I am not happy where most of my Special Bases Forces are, their leadership, and their preparation. So they will be getting some attention over the first week of October.

Any outside the box uses for the Special Base Force?

[Lowpe]

Oct 1, 1942

Lost a NTL tanker, fully loaded, off China to a sub attack. [:(]

Lost a xAKL to a surface sub attack another damaged. To speed my turns I was using the auto convoy system for some islands around the HI, will have to stop that. I allocated more PBs than xakls, but the system won't send out the PBs regularly with the xakls.

Relative quiet elsewhere.

All Allied fighters removed from Batavia. Art bombardment nets almost 700 casualties at Soerabaja and another 60 infantry squads destroyed. Bombing the air base to prevent rebuilding of the forts (now at level 3).

Below is the Kuriles. 3 shore bombardment groups are going in, covered by a CL & DD sweeping by, DMS in adjacent hex sweeping. This night bombardment will be followed up with 200 bombers and 50 fighters hitting the air base. KB will block to the east.

Allies have 60 F4Fs and 40 SBDs, minefields, 2 destroyers, damaged pt boats in port and minelayers in port.

[Lowpe]

Other notes: Soerabaja defenders down to 300+ assault value. Can't be long.

Turn is away. Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead...and here is to hoping I don't lose too much to his mines, the battleships close the runways, and the bombers don't get massacred by his fighters. Probably too much to wish for.[:)]

[String]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Special Base Forces are an important part of the Empires front line defenses early on. I have 4 of these (Oct 1, 1942) and they are in Oosthaven, Moulmein, Makassar, and a task force at sea heading for Kusaie Island in the western Marshalls.

Another 2 possible units are broken down and scattered. They need to be rebuilt and take their places as front line Island/Base defensive units.

The engineering units have some shore batteries: the 8 cm T88 DP Gun. And they aren’t restricted. What joy!

The 8cm DP gun is rather weak: they have a range of 12, effect 13, penetration 28, accuracy 34, ceiling 23,600. So they are really point defense guns against invasions and passable AA units – they won’t deter shore bombardments. Add minefields to get the most out of the coastal guns.

For comparison the Wake CD unit packs 20 CM 41YT guns, range 32, effect 275, penetration 275, accuracy 35 -- a much better ship killer, plus other guns…

Special Base Forces also carry lots of naval support squads, ideal for helping offload supplies at those front line islands with small ports.

I am not happy where most of my Special Bases Forces are, their leadership, and their preparation. So they will be getting some attention over the first week of October.

Any outside the box uses for the Special Base Force?

I might be mistaken but didn't a few base forces upgrade to 12cm DP guns or some such?

[Lowpe]

Oct 2, 1942:

Good news...the Haruna hits the base in the Kuriles, but her float planes don't fly and she hits no mines...off to a good start! [:)]

[Lowpe]

Bad news: the other two BB bombardment groups don't bombard...the Ise group moves two hexes away and stops...

About half of the airplanes raid the base, the Bettys doing particularly well while he sweeps Paramushiro and Tojos and Zeroes fight there.

[Lowpe]

Even more bad news: The Ise group has stopped three hexes from the Yank base and is found by his dive bombers...and takes 4 1000# hits...no biggie, but then in the last raids of the day Avengers find her and put three fish into her belly...The Ise is in a bad way.

[Lowpe]

On the good news front I didn't hit any mines. [:)]

Elsewhere, unopposed sweeps and bombing runs in Java. Artillery bombardment keeps the pressure on in Soerabaja.

The Trusty sinks a small tanker...1200 capacity. More minefields found and swept for no loss at Singers and Miri. How does he avoid my minefields so well as both those bases are pretty well mined?[&:]

I will try to save the Ise, send her to the nearest port and disband her. However the one hex a day could be tough. I am sending in the other BB group to bombard, and flying LR CAP so keep your fingers crossed.

I did damage a lot of his search planes, maybe I will get lucky.

[Lowpe]

Upcoming fireworks:

The Kuriles, can the Ise be saved? Lots of planes and ships are attempting to...need a good roll or two to save her.

DEI: Another deliberate attack on Soerabaja....hopefully knock the forts down to 2 or even 1. Heavy bombing raids.

China: West of Ankang will see another attack, splintering his eastern line even more.

Indian Ocean: Bombardments on his Lightning bases and sub raids along the western coast line of India.

And, even more exciting mine sweeping going on! Stay tuned...

[Lowpe]

Oct 3, 1942

Our attempts to save the Ise go for naught, she reacts to avoid a night surface engagement and that causes her to sink after making port. [:(]

The CA Portland takes a torpedo off Vancouver, and another deliberate attack does well in Soerabaja reducing forts to 2.

[Lowpe]

West of Ankang another Chinese Corp is mauled.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Good news...the Haruna hits the base in the Kuriles, but her float planes don't fly and she hits no mines...off to a good start!

What are your float plane settings?

I usually set them 50% recon at 2 hexes at night. This is assuming you're' going in at night. If not, set them for day. [:)]

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: obvert
What are your float plane settings?

I normally set them at 50% if there are multiple planes. For this next bombardment I set it at 100%...

I think the weather was severe...nothing flew. Forewarning for the upcoming winter months.