"insert funny title here" DBB-C Jorge(A) vs Runnersan(J)

[Jorge_Stanbury]

November 10.42
The survivors of Palembang reached Djambi, and found it empty of enemy troops [:D]
regrettably there was no supply there, so no way of restoring them before the inevitable defeat
at least another chance to destroy oil wells

No news from Chuyo, did it survive?

[Jorge_Stanbury]

It took 6 torpedoes to sink an unarmored merchant conversion CVE. I think Enterprise and Yorktown sank for less damage, but it is done; Chuyo finally sank

I take this as a small, token revenge for the loss of Wasp and Illustrious a month ago

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Nov 12, 42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Mataram at 59,111

Japanese Ships
CVE Chuyo, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage
DD Yuzuki

Allied Ships
SS KXI

SS KXI launches 4 torpedoes at CVE Chuyo
KXI diving deep ....
DD Yuzuki fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Yuzuki fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Yuzuki fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Yuzuki fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Yuzuki fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub

[RangerJoe]

About time . . .

But keep it up, you subs can whittle down his forces while you just get stronger.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Updated Japanese CV strike potential, after Chuyo's demise

- CV Junyo 25 knots, 53 planes, 18 torpedoes, 450 sorties
- CV Hiyo 25 knots, 53 planes, 18 torpedoes, 450 sorties
- CVL Zuiho 27 knots, 30 planes, 18 torpedoes, 270 sorties
- CVL Ryuho 26 knots, 31 planes, 18 torpedoes, 270 sorties
- CVE Unyo 21 knots, 27 planes, 0 torpedoes, 90 sorties

Assuming all in the same hex (or task force): 194 planes (+20 if overfilled), and a potential for 72 torpedo strikes

possible strike pack:
92 fighters, 30 dive bombers, 72 torpedo bombers


this is all he gets until fleet carrier Taiho arrives in mid 43 (if accelerated, otherwise Feb 44) and escort carriers Kaiyo and Shinyo in mid 43 (if accelerated, otherwise late 43)

[Q-Ball]

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

Updated Japanese CV strike potential, after Chuyo's demise

- CV Junyo 25 knots, 53 planes, 18 torpedoes, 450 sorties
- CV Hiyo 25 knots, 53 planes, 18 torpedoes, 450 sorties
- CVL Zuiho 27 knots, 30 planes, 18 torpedoes, 270 sorties
- CVL Ryuho 26 knots, 31 planes, 18 torpedoes, 270 sorties
- CVE Unyo 21 knots, 27 planes, 0 torpedoes, 90 sorties

Assuming all in the same hex (or task force): 194 planes (+20 if overfilled), and a potential for 72 torpedo strikes

possible strike pack:
92 fighters, 30 dive bombers, 72 torpedo bombers


this is all he gets until fleet carrier Taiho arrives in mid 43 (if accelerated, otherwise Feb 44) and escort carriers Kaiyo and Shinyo in mid 43 (if accelerated, otherwise late 43)

IIRC, you can accelerate Taiho to February 1943, and the first two Unryus to about April/May; so careful, he may have more than you think earlier. You can get a couple more Unryu before end of 1943. Still, good show!

[Jorge_Stanbury]

good to know, because he is probably accelerating anything that can carry airplanes; but to accelerate all those ships, he will need to spend in naval shipyards, which will hurt his economy in the longer term

IMO he also needs to bring Musashi, to cover for his BB losses and to somehow balance the significant advantage in big guns I will have

[Jorge_Stanbury]

In terms of battleships, Japan has available:

- Kongo (Kongo class)
- Haruna (Kongo class)
- Fuso (Fuso class)
- Hyuga (Ise class)
- Mutsu (Nagato class)
- Yamato (Yamato class)
- Musashi - reinforcement (Yamato class)

Confirmed losses: Hiei, Kirishima, Ise, Nagato, Yamashiro

[Q-Ball]

You can accelerate most of the CVs and build Musashi on time, without expanding NSY, if you make a few changes

[Jorge_Stanbury]

OK good to know, I will be more careful with the carriers until I know I have significant advantage


Enemy heavy cruisers:

Available:
Myoko
Nachi
Chokai
Mikuma
Kako
Furutaka
Suzuya

Sunk:
Haguro
Tone
Chikuma
Aoba
Kinugasa
Atago
Mogami
Kumano
Ashigara
Takao
Maya, sinking confirmed on Jan31.43

7 more to go!, no reinforcements [;)]

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Light cruisers; a lot more FOW on this category

Available
Nagara
Yura
Tenryu
Kashima
Jintsu
Agano
Katori

Sunk
Abukuma
Oi
Tama
Kitakami
Kiso
Yubari
Tatsuta
Kuma
Kinu
Isuzu
Sendai
Kashii
Natori
Naka, sunk, confirmed Jan43

Reinforcements
Oyodo
Noshiro
Yahagi
Sakawa

[Q-Ball]

That is a very good tally of IJN CA losses. In many ways the CAs are the core of the IJN surface fleet, and youre in great shape,especially with Allied production

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Q-Ball

That is a very good tally of IJN CA losses. In many ways the CAs are the core of the IJN surface fleet, and youre in great shape,especially with Allied production

+1.

For the most part it is destroyer and heavy cruiser losses that really cripple Japan. Japan has lost so much, so early, their ability to hinder a two front or more push is simply gone.

An Allied strategy that rotates active fronts, making that IJN fleet steam and steam and steam with nary the time for radar upgrades....done this early too would be devastating for Japan. Even a one front push in the SRA will be challenging for Japan.

Well done.[:)]

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Here is India, and I don't know what to do with it

[Lowpe]

Well, first thing is to get some recon planes flying there...looking for bombing targets of opportunity. You will start getting some incredibly long legged British bombers.

2nd thing, to keep Burma supplied pretty much means Japan must ship in supplies at some point. Rangoon. Target those.

3rd thing: It is incredibly early in game terms. You can pull off a 1943 sometime invasion of Tavoy (need Andamans first), Pegu & Ramree (you don't need Andamans) once you can get about 125 or more carrier fighters together. If you do something like that, make sure any troops are well protected with AA, as Franks and Georges will gut your fighters. But strong Allied AA and terrain will do for you.

4th thing: Misdirection. Use it to attract what is left of IJN carriers while you push into the Marianas or Kuriles.

5th thing: You probably can do something in the Andamans without air cover. All those dot bases. No picture so hard to tell.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

I invaded the Andamans months ago, I was able to land at Great Nicobar and Trinkat. Both I kept for a few weeks (see AAR pages 12 and 13).
Japan invaded "in force", while he bombed, non stop, from his bases at Pt Blair, Victoria Point, Chumphon

the level 2 airbase at Trinkat was not there when I invaded, I believe I built it to level 1 because he focused his bombardment at Great Nicobar. At the end it was a tiny level 1 vs mass attacks from bigger airfields and naval bombardment

What I can see is that by mid 43, I will have enough carriers to build 2 strong "fleet carrier" TFs + another 2 of CVEs,
I think I will do some big invasion in the DEI to see if he reacts with his carriers, and if not I will set at least one or 2 TFs to support the Indian Ocean; with carriers in the Andaman sea, I can then easily invade Pt Blair and recapture the Andamans and then plan for Sumatra or the Malay peninsula

[RangerJoe]

What is going on in the Aleutians towards the Kuriles?

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Aleutians: Bob the builder in command [;)]

nothing else other than building for some potential future use; I see it more like a late 43 to 44 possibility

[RangerJoe]

That could be a nice place to stage some CL and DD raids from during the winter months if your ships have radar. It could worry the enemy and if his major surface vessels are too far away, that leaves air during the pleasant winter months, -30 below is nice weather.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

My worries is that he might start reinforcing the Kuriles; so far Japan only have one big base (level 4) at Paramushiro-Jima; likely on naval search duty

Probably there is very little to nothing at Onnekotan-jima, Shimushiri-jima, Uruppu-jima and Etorofu. I want to keep the option of invading there in 43; if I start sending raiders he will react by reinforcing. If I keep it quiet, he might keep it quiet too

Invading the Kuriles could be possible in August 43, once I get the Independence and Essex, it would be quite a surprise as he is likely expecting something on the DEI. However I don't see a lot of benefits on doing so this early. Japan is not yet the target, I want the SRA before I go for Japan, as I don't have yet enough heavy bombers to go after Japan... Am I missing something by postponing?

Also, in this game, I don't need to avoid the KB, to the contrary, I want to go where his fleet is, seek battle and destroy it. Once he loses a few more carriers it will be game over. In a normal game the Allies need to sneak attack because a full 10 carrier KB is still a force to reckon, even after the Essex arrive in force

[Q-Ball]

Not building at all in the Kuriles is a little negligent; then again, you are pretty deep into the SRA already, so he's probably thinking any advance will be there.

If the Kuriles are empty, you can probably deliver a really nasty blow there, though at this point you hardly need the help....you've already won this one