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I agree with Michael. Having two airfields is twice as good as having one! [:D] Besides if the troops are already prepped why not use them before changing the prep?

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I still have 1000 AV 100% prepped for Samlauki. I am debating whether to continue with that landing, or bypass. What do you think?

Maybe later you could by-pass a base like this and keep moving forward. Right now, I want a stronger set of shoulders to rely upon. It will allow you to have a few mutually supportive bases and with an AF potential of 8, B-24s can range far and wide. [;)]

Thanks you and Joc for commenting....I was leaning that way. They are already prepped, and I can use another base there at Saumlaki, particularly since I likely need a port and another 4E capable airbase to rain death around.

Landing there will still isolate the garrisons at Selaroe and Babo, which I will leave alone. And I think Samlauki is different than Milne Bay; I can build a cluster around Milne Bay without taking it, and because it's still undeveloped, there isn't anything he can do with it in the meantime. It's not a threat. Therefore, I cancelled that landing, and Milne Bay will be a POW camp......

With all this going on, I know Greyjoy is pulling units the best he can with flying boats. I isolated the garrison at Russell Is, and last recon flight revealed only guns/vehicles, probably the heavy equipment left behind by the troops he flew out. I can't really prevent that from happening per se (without having to cap everything), but land units lose effectiveness without heavy artillery, so that helps. This is one benefit to using SNLF units, because they have no heavy equipment that cannot be loaded into a flying boat, so can be withdrawn easily.

But I'll keep trying to isolate units this way, it's one way to limit the power of the IJA as I advance

6-30-43 and 7-1-43

This game has been progressing, but very slowly, due to Greyjoy's work schedule and me being out of town. But mostly GJ's work schedule. It doesn't look like he's even been updating his AAR, it's fallen down to bottom on page 2.......but we're still going.

Darwin Area:

We have had a lull in action; I sank a couple subs via Depth Charge, but Molu is building-up unmolested. Enough that we are beginning next steps.

I will be loading in a day or two for Samlauki; I will probably need to make 2 trips, as I lack the shipping to land everyone at once. I can do that, because he won't be able to kick me off the island in the meantime.

After that, I will land at Kai Island. We have 2 divisions prepped, and he has about 6500 troops via Recon, anchored by 1/3 of the 20th Division, which is a good one. Nevertheless, 2 Divs should be enough to clear it.

Solomons:

We landed at Deboyne Island, which is undefended (which is why we are landing there!). We should have an airstrip there within a week or two. We are also landing at Ferguson Island. Once these are built, we can land along the NG coast up to Lae fairly easily; we already have Terapo pretty built-up.

The Solomon Sea is basically pinched-off via Terapo and Treasury Islands, so these last couple moves should make it impassible for IJN shipping. This will isolate the garrisons at Port Moresby, Buna, Milne Bay, Woodlark....something like 35,000 total troops. He can pull alot via flying boat, but that leaves heavy equipment behind. Not optimal.

I was lucky at Treasury Islands; MUSASHI, NAGATO, and MUTSU visited the night of the 30th, but I only had PTs there. They didn't bombard the strip. I had cruisers there the night before, plus transports. Those BBs probably would have done a number on the cruisers. It's good they moved, because I can't afford to lose anymore cruisers.

I will need BBs to support the landings at Torokina for sure....that, or I'll have to close Rabaul airstrip first.

Can you use the big Coronado FP (range 17 hexes with 12,000 capacity) to airlift in SeaBees and then a BF to some of those dot bases that the Allies control??

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

Can you use the big Coronado FP (range 17 hexes with 12,000 capacity) to airlift in SeaBees and then a BF to some of those dot bases that the Allies control??

I have a unit unloading at Ferguson tonight, and I am pulling together more for later. Once I have an airbase at Deboyne, I won't need to use the Flying Boats.

But, you did hit on how I use those Coronados: Float Transport only, never Nav Search. I trained the pilots on TRANSPORT. I wish I got more of them, but 2-3 units will have to do. They are flying barns.

I use them in the same way. Unfortunately you get very few of them! I can barely maintain three squadrons of them as the seem to take quite a few OPS losses. Its a shame as I would love to have more of them.

Seems in general transports are almost impossible to interdict unless you can LRCAP from only 1 hex away. Or am I missing something?

7-2-43 to 7-8-43:

Well, another boneheaded move by my part, and Greyjoy took advantage of it. I need to slow it down and wait for CV support, since I haven't sunk any IJN CVs, and I think I'm in good shape to ahead in terms of territory taken. There is no reason to take bad risks at this point, particularly since my losses in APA, BBs, and Cruisers is higher than it should be.

But nevertheless, I took a risk, and paid again. It could have been worse, since I did have a pile of fighters in the air, but it's still bad.

Let's wade into the nightmare...

Samlauki:

Because of my last boneheaded moves, I was short of invasion shipping at Darwin, so I know I have to make 2 trips to Samlauki. No big deal, I figure, because he can't dislodge only 1 division.

The turn before landing at Samlauki, I thought something might be up; I hadn't seen KB, YAMATO was observed by one of my subs sailing West toward Palau, and there were alot of planes around. I did move about 250 fighters to Molu.

KB showed up, and sank alot of my shipping AGAIN, including transports carrying most of the 14th NZ BDE. We landed a division at Samlauki safely, but KB pummelled me.

COLORADO is lightly damaged, and will need yard time. PENNSYLVANIA is heavily damaged, and will need months of yard time. RAMILLIES and ROYAL SOVEREIGN were sunk; not the worst thing the world, as they were about to withdraw anyway, but still. I also lost another 4 APA, plus other odds and ends xAPs and LSTs and other stuff that not as tragic.

The silver lining is that I shot down something like 1000 planes over the last several days, between here and the Solomons. I lost some fighters too, but the pilots left are crack aces. Over Molu, the RAAF Spitfires did great work in particular, but P-40Ks did fine too, as well as the Corsairs and Hellcats.

Anyway, I think I need to take Samlauki, and halt advances in this area until I have CV support, which may be never. It's not a good place for CVs. Thankfully, I have a couple more targets in mind, that I am prepping or prepped for, that have open water on the approach.....

But another expensive lesson.

Solomons:

At least here we made hay while all that was going on near Darwin. We landed at Deboyne with no problems, shooting down a couple hundred aircraft from Rabaul that tried to attack the transports. Ferguson Island was also occupied. The airbase is already active at Deboyne, and should be soon at Ferguson. From there, a quick move up to Finshaven area.

I may start an advance along the NG coast instead; fewer LBA airbases to contend with.

The other interesting thing that happened was that DBs out of Rekata Bay caught and sank CL KASHII and an AMC just off Rabaul. The interesting thing about it is that this TF, which was likely a Fast Transport was loaded with troops and travelling AWAY from me. They were evacuating somebody!

Bittersweet!

At least you got the troops on shore! I hate loosing AKAs/APAs. Very precious and so, so useful.

Actually, you take and hold Saumlaki and it is worth the loss. That is a big foothold at this stage of the game. Give me that base and 1000 killed aircraft and I would accept the trade. The two old BBs don't matter much and everything else gets replaced in spades later on. Painful yes, but the base is a strategic win over a heavy tactical loss in shipping.


But you were lucky again and got away light just as you did with the carrier battle earlier. GJ has now bounced you with KB a couple of times. Is there a lesson here? [;)]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

Actually, you take and hold Saumlaki and it is worth the loss. That is a big foothold at this stage of the game. Give me that base and 1000 killed aircraft and I would accept the trade. The two old BBs don't matter much and everything else gets replaced in spades later on. Painful yes, but the base is a strategic win over a heavy tactical loss in shipping.

I'm not sure...you are right that the 2 Old BBs aren't worth much, because London wants them back anyway. This is why they were there in the first place. The loss in APA to date hurts more actually, because I am limited in offensive options now, at least until production catches up. Perhaps this is wise anyway, I probably should pause on anything risky at this point, and use low-value ships. I lost some LSTs, for example, but I have lots of those, and they have limited utility anyway.

THe problem with Samlauki is while I am too strong to kick off, I am not strong enough to attack him. I need that other division that is prepped. The plan right now is to dribble it in using barges; I don't care if I lose those.

I don't think 1000 planes means anything to Japan. He probably has way more in the pool than I do. The only loss is that he lost a good chunk of CV pilots; that's the 3rd time, so by now alot of the pre-war cadres are probably dead. That's a good thing.

But you were lucky again and got away light just as you did with the carrier battle earlier. GJ has now bounced you with KB a couple of times. Is there a lesson here? [;)]

What, is my role to be a cautionary tale for others?[:)]

I don't follow my own advice sometimes, I was surprised a couple times because Greyjoy let me easily take some ground. Allied Victory disease? He did hide KB very well and was very clever with it. I was lucky, but the luck wasn't all his: I didn't mention that I had a clean shot at 2 IJN BBs off Bathurst within Nav attack range of 90 Torpedo bombers during a day phase, but weather stopped all attacks. So it cuts both ways. I could have easily lost PENNSYLVANIA, but as it stands, she'll be out for nearly a year I think.

My losses have been too high, and I have inflicted hardly any damage to the IJN. This is the main problem for me. IN terms of territory, I'm not in bad shape at all; I am ahead of where alot of folks are it seems.

7-9-43 to 7-15-43:

These few turns have been relatively quiet. Some air combat over Treasury Islands, lots of uncontested bombing, but that's about it.

Darwin Area:

One surprise, Greyjoy really had me on the ropes at Molu; the airbase was closed for a day, and he knew it, when he attacked the port I had no CAP up! He left it alone unexplicably, I guess he doesn't want to tangle with the PTs. I am also mining the hex. But that was worrisome, a single BB bombardment closed the place. I do have a pile of engineers, so he would have to bombard alot to keep it closed.

Otherwise, I am sending very small TFs to run supplies and whatnot, basically ships I can afford to lose like xAKLs. I then plan to run more troops to Samlauki via barge.

I don't plan big advances here now; I've learned my lesson, and until I can shut down his airbases at will, I don't have the strength to contest in this area.

I will keep up the pressure though, because he also cannot leave this area alone; he has to leave IJN nearby.

Solomons:

We made a jump in the Solomons while all that was going on, with landings at Deboyne, and now Ferguson Is. We are already prepping for more targets further up. The airbase at Terapo can also help cover a move up the NG Coast to Finschaven.

We are also landing shortly at Torokina, then beyond.

Ultimate target is Manus, which is a big port and otherwise nice jumping point to Mariannas, or Carolines, or wherever.

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

ORIGINAL: crsutton
. I lost some LSTs, for example, but I have lots of those, and they have limited utility anyway.

THe problem with Samlauki is while I am too strong to kick off, I am not strong enough to attack him. I need that other division that is prepped. The plan right now is to dribble it in using barges; I don't care if I lose those.

I don't think 1000 planes means anything to Japan. He probably has way more in the pool than I do. The only loss is that he lost a good chunk of CV pilots; that's the 3rd time, so by now alot of the pre-war cadres are probably dead. That's a good thing.

Limited utility! I found the LST to be one of the most valuable ships the Allies have. It allows the Allied player to seize dot hexes with great airfields but no ports and build up those bases and keep them supplied. This is something the Japanese player can't do. I use them all over the place. They are an island hopper's dream. I am into 45 now and I got a jillion of them. You can run a dozen fully loaded LST into a dot base and drop off 12,000 supply in one full day. JFBs just have to watch and cry.[:D]

You get to 44 and 45 and can then invade atolls using only LSTs, LCIs, LSMs supported by those great rocket LC ships. Much easier to put your men ashore fully supplied and ready to fight in one phase. Sweet...

I agree, I think you are in good shape and ahead of the timeline here. Yeah, you've suffered some naval losses, but nothing of real consequence. I wouldn't want to pick up this game as IJ right now ... [;)]

I think your opponent over-committed in China and didn't get the result he needed (eliminate chinese in '42). That's putting him behind in other areas that are more important IMHO. He's done well with his naval forces, but you've actually reacted very well to those traps and your losses are a lot less than they could have been.

I like your overall strategy so far .... and he hasn't been able to upset it much at all.

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

I agree, I think you are in good shape and ahead of the timeline here. Yeah, you've suffered some naval losses, but nothing of real consequence. I wouldn't want to pick up this game as IJ right now ... [;)]

I think your opponent over-committed in China and didn't get the result he needed (eliminate chinese in '42). That's putting him behind in other areas that are more important IMHO. He's done well with his naval forces, but you've actually reacted very well to those traps and your losses are a lot less than they could have been.

I like your overall strategy so far .... and he hasn't been able to upset it much at all.

Thanks, I haven't executed the strategy particularly well, mostly in taking unnecessary risks. But crawling up the Solomons on dot bases is the thing to do in Mid-1943. I still think the Solomons are not that strategic, but if it's the only place you can advance safely....take what you can get. At least getting to Manus, that's a good jumping point for the Pacific.

I would like to skip all this land and sail to the Mariannas, but I am not ready. First, you need lots of CVs, which I don't have. I also don't want to do alot of island landings without enough APA or any Amphib HQs, or any LCI(R) and other handy ships that are pretty critical to contested landings. I'm not ready for that.

A good thing about the Solomons is that I can use Rat Navy; PTs and Barges, shipping that is completely expendible, so it's easy to hazard them on small moves. PTs guard every base, and barges make quick landings. Works well.

Au Revoir:

I am out now through Easter on a trip to Paris and London. Taking the family, and we're going to ride on the Eurostar through the Chunnel, which should be fun, as well as all the other stuff.

Keep commenting in my absence, otherwise this will fall to page 3!

Later!

Enjoy your trip!

Have a safe trip.  Be good and take pics.  lol

Have fun! We will keep you on the front page! [:D]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

Au Revoir:

I am out now through Easter on a trip to Paris and London. Taking the family, and we're going to ride on the Eurostar through the Chunnel, which should be fun, as well as all the other stuff.

Keep commenting in my absence, otherwise this will fall to page 3!

Later!

Not sure if you'll get this before you go off, but if you want to meet up in London for a pint or something let me know. I could offer an interesting more local tour for the family while you're over here as well.

Here's an interesting site for WW2 History in London.
http://bombsight.org/#13/51.5050/-0.0900

I'm sure it's on your list, but the HMS Belfast is a good day out with the kids as well, and right next to the other sights.

let me know if you need other tips or things to do with the kids. Or just where to get a good coffee or pint.

Erik

And in Paris, you might want to visit the Navy Museum (http://www.musee-marine.fr/paris.html), which is on the Trocadero square, next to the Eiffel tower, they have very nice models of many ships (including ancient admiralty models), and the Musee des Plans Reliefs, which is inside the Army museum (in the Invalides), which has scale models of fortifications (http://www.museedesplansreliefs.culture.fr/).

If you have young children and are able to travel south of paris, Guedelon is a must : they are building a medieval castle there, using the techniques of the time (http://www.guedelon.fr/)

Francois

Sooo...How is the trip going? [;)]

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