Forbidden: The Billionaire's Virgin Princess - Tales of a 3 on 2

[nashvillen]

12 MAR 42

CONUS:

Freed up 7 more B17Es by subbing for A-29s and B-18As at Pendleton.

641st Towed AT and 94th Cst AA units loading for a 17 day trip to Pago Pago.

New Cargo TF loading at LA for Pago Pago with 33.6k of supplies.

ACM arrives at Victoria to maintain minefield there. DM returning to LA for further duties.

CANAL ZONE:

AS Griffin arrives at Cristobal, sent through the canal to Balboa. She will pick up her DD escort here and head for Pago Pago.

NOPAC:

Nothing to do here.

CENTPAC:

VS-3D14 arrives at Pearl Harbor, standard training for Naval Search.

SOPAC

2 AMs set to escort BB TF from Tahiti to Noumea. BBs will arrive in Noumea in 8 days.

2 AMs set to escort Maryland and West Virgina to Pearl for upgrades. 8 days to Pearl Harbor.

ANZAC:

Docked TF 264 at Brisbane to facilitate NZ units unload.

CHINA:

Nothing to do here.

RUSSIA:

Nothing to do here.

[jeffk3510]

Current situation in the Port Moresby area.

[jeffk3510]

Capital ship losses to date.

[jeffk3510]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

We are going to move them to Townsend and rearm the BBs from there ...

Pete Townsend is a pretty awesome Rock Legend, but I doubt he could arm much more than a BB gun, certainly not a BB![:D]

Look for the xAKs with 5250 cargo capacity - they convert to AEs large enough to arm 16"/45s [but not the Iowa class 16"/50s, IIRC].

Haha!

CLs can currently re-arm at Townsville, will CAs are having to return to Sydney at the moment. Once the proper AKEs are in place, or once the area is secure and Harvey is ready to upgrade the facilities at Townsville (Townsend [:)]), then we can keep them at sea longer without having to go all the way back to Sydney.

[jeffk3510]

Hornet is a couple three days away from being in position to cover Port Moresby with Lex and Yorktown. We're going to need to start rotating out USN CA/CLs that are due upgrades in April. Some are due in March, but we haven't upgraded them yet as theyre covering Port Moresby at present.

With Brisbane/Sydney/Melborne only having I think 50k shipyard off the top of my head, we'd have to pick carefully (Big E is in dock at Sydney for 45 days.. she's taking up majority of that) Some may have to either wait, or go back to Pearl.

Going to upgrade the ones that gain the most AA first, that have the smallest current amount of AA to begin with.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: nashvillen

We have some 5250 capacity xAKs arriving in Sydney in 15 days. Will detach two of them and convert them so we can get the other BBs involved. Two are undergoing upgrades at Pearl right now and will be back in service in 30 days. I am thinking we need to move the other BBs, the Maryland and West Virginia to Pearl and start their upgrades also. Then when the Tennessee and Oklahoma are ready we can send them forward while the other two will be about half way done with their upgrades.

OK, I suggested the 5250 size xAKs for conversion because that was the largest ones I could find that would do so, and I remember having some AEs that could arm the 16"/45s, so I thought the 5250s were the ticket. But ... I did some checking to see if there was anything you could convert to load the 16"/50 Mk 7s. That's when I found that the 5250s end up with a load capacity of 4200, while the 16"/45 has a load factor of just over 4400 = no go. [:(]
I went through all the remaining xAKs I had and could not find anything bigger that would convert to AE nor AKE. There must be some AEs already in the system or coming as reinforcements that can do the job. BTW, the load factor for the 16"/50s is 5400.

If I recall, enough naval support in a minimal size port [size 5 or more?] can do the job, so you do not always have to send the Colorados back to Sydney or Pearl Harbour.

[nashvillen]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: nashvillen

We have some 5250 capacity xAKs arriving in Sydney in 15 days. Will detach two of them and convert them so we can get the other BBs involved. Two are undergoing upgrades at Pearl right now and will be back in service in 30 days. I am thinking we need to move the other BBs, the Maryland and West Virginia to Pearl and start their upgrades also. Then when the Tennessee and Oklahoma are ready we can send them forward while the other two will be about half way done with their upgrades.

OK, I suggested the 5250 size xAKs for conversion because that was the largest ones I could find that would do so, and I remember having some AEs that could arm the 16"/45s, so I thought the 5250s were the ticket. But ... I did some checking to see if there was anything you could convert to load the 16"/50 Mk 7s. That's when I found that the 5250s end up with a load capacity of 4200, while the 16"/45 has a load factor of just over 4400 = no go. [:(]
I went through all the remaining xAKs I had and could not find anything bigger that would convert to AE nor AKE. There must be some AEs already in the system or coming as reinforcements that can do the job. BTW, the load factor for the 16"/50s is 5400.

If I recall, enough naval support in a minimal size port [size 5 or more?] can do the job, so you do not always have to send the Colorados back to Sydney or Pearl Harbour.

Our problem with naval support is that it is March of 1942. We don't have any. So, the 16in/50 Mk 7s will just have to sit in port and refit for now. The 14" guns should do what we want.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: jeffk3510

Hornet is a couple three days away from being in position to cover Port Moresby with Lex and Yorktown. We're going to need to start rotating out USN CA/CLs that are due upgrades in April. Some are due in March, but we haven't upgraded them yet as theyre covering Port Moresby at present.

With Brisbane/Sydney/Melborne only having I think 50k shipyard off the top of my head, we'd have to pick carefully (Big E is in dock at Sydney for 45 days.. she's taking up majority of that) Some may have to either wait, or go back to Pearl.

Going to upgrade the ones that gain the most AA first, that have the smallest current amount of AA to begin with.

Don't forget the 15K drydock at Aukland!
And Columbo may be closer than PH.
Perth has a small 3K drydock that can handle a DD upgrade.

[BBfanboy]

You don't need to worry about the 16"/50s until the Iowa arrives! [:)]

[jeffk3510]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: jeffk3510

Hornet is a couple three days away from being in position to cover Port Moresby with Lex and Yorktown. We're going to need to start rotating out USN CA/CLs that are due upgrades in April. Some are due in March, but we haven't upgraded them yet as theyre covering Port Moresby at present.

With Brisbane/Sydney/Melborne only having I think 50k shipyard off the top of my head, we'd have to pick carefully (Big E is in dock at Sydney for 45 days.. she's taking up majority of that) Some may have to either wait, or go back to Pearl.

Going to upgrade the ones that gain the most AA first, that have the smallest current amount of AA to begin with.

Don't forget the 15K drydock at Aukland!
And Columbo may be closer than PH.
Perth has a small 3K drydock that can handle a DD upgrade.

Forgot about Auckland, thanks for that. I know about Perth..that does work great for small craft. Colombo or even Capetown for that matter.

I tend to forget about Auckland in my AI games...so I forgot about it here.

[nashvillen]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

You don't need to worry about the 16"/50s until the Iowa arrives! [:)]

The Maryland's and West Virgina's guns are 16/45 Mk5 with 4480, which is still above the 4200. So, they need a larger port. Size 7 or better or 750+ Naval Support.

[nashvillen]

As for the CA/CL upgrades they are all superstructure work and can be done pierside without taking up shipyard space.

[jeffk3510]

ORIGINAL: nashvillen

As for the CA/CL upgrades they are all superstructure work and can be done pierside without taking up shipyard space.

I thought all upgrades HAD to be in a shipyard repair status only and some had required port level. The last part I was always aware of...being able to do it in pier side I wasn't. Sounds dumb, I know. Shame on me.

Turn back to us to do tonight. Sending CV planes on an airfield attack to Horn Isl. Harvey's bombardment run revealed planes still there. AF is shutdown, so it's free game.

[jeffk3510]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

I believe "Do not Refuel" only applies to port visits. I am pretty sure that if the DDs get desperate the TF will buddy-transfer fuel. If they don't do this and the DDs run out of fuel the TF will only move one hex afterward. Ships without fuel are sitting ducks in battle. Carriers low on fuel may not seek battle either since they need fuel to launch strikes.

Check the fuel % of your DDs - if they still have 60% or more after the first Full Speed run, they may be OK for the second day. Less than that is sure to slow them up when they refuel at the 10% level. Also assess the risk of being just short of your desired position on the second run. Does that leave you in a vulnerable position? Is the possible gain worth it?

Looking back at the CV battle posts and saw this again. I believe you're correct on the fuel do not fuel is for port calls only. Just to be safe if I don't want underway refueling I turn on Do Not Refuel. Maybe I am wasting a few minutes per turn doing this.

[jeffk3510]

Both SAGs are returning to Towsnville (CLs) and Brisbane (CAs) to rearm, then head back.

Humphrey's converted to APD in Sydney... on...wait for it..pier side.. TADA!!

Sortied a few subs that were in base...

CVs moved one hex NW to be within Devestator range, but still LRCAPing Port Moresby 40%. They're set to bomb Horn at 10k.

[jeffk3510]

I will need to look amongst those two groups, and determine which CAs/CLs have a 3/42 upgrade that they can undergo now that they're on their way back to port.

[jeffk3510]

Me - "What the hell. What kind of s$%& did you spend $500 on at Target this weekend"

Mrs jeffK - "Please dont use that language"

Me - "Sorry. What kind of s$%& did you waste $500 on at Target this weekend"

[nashvillen]

Board not letting me post anything this morning, well it will if this goes through (Try #3)

[jeffk3510]

Appears to be working..

[nashvillen]

Look at this chart:



As you can see the Northampton classes are overdue and have a good AAA and Radar upgrade. But, they have to be taken out of bombardment duties for 21 days. Maybe wait until the BBs and AKEs get there to relieve them. They could then go to Brisbane and spend their 21 days there and be ready for more.

The next would be the Brooklyn CLs and the Portland CAs in April once the Northamptons are done.