1st Marine Division - You should have enough devices to rebuild. However, if there is one device that you might be short on, it's the 57mm AT guns. I would go into the Intel and then Industry screen and set those to stockpile (Y) so you can micromanage them into this division.
Several of you have recommended this (including you previously and Bullwinkle about five weeks ago). I eventually caught on and ordered stockpiling about a month ago, game time.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
'By the twitching of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.'
He's had time to get his big boys from the Sumatra campaign all polished and moved, so this is no surprise. And this IS John. This is not a person known for patience. Of course he is going to react violently in the Marshall's. And you still don't have much to ward off his elephant hide BB's. I don't see a lot of subs between you and Truk?
There are actually alot more than that. I checked after I read Lecivius's post. There are eight subs on the way from this theater to Pearl Harbor to replenish. There are five more subs repairing at Pearl. All of the former have assigned patrols in Roller Coaster AOO. The five at Pearl will be divided - three going there and two heading to NoPac (and switching home port to Kodiak - I'm not ready yet to make Dutch Harbor a sub hub due to fuel).
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Roller Coaster: Bettys from Tabituea hit the xAK TF that moved from Jaluit to just south of Mili. CAP didn't reply in time, so the Bettys damaged two xAK and sank an escorting DD. A second strike did encounter stiff CAP with the Bettys downed. John lost 9 Bettys.
Two large enemy combat TFs are just west of the Marshalls and seem inbound. I think all the Allied merchant shipping there and to the east has tickled his aggressive nature. I'll have to do some thinking about how to disperse my vulnerable ships - disband them in likely harbors or flee to the NE, E, or SE.
This region looks kinda like a building hornet's nest. I think where the nest is, so be the hornets. Almost certainly KB is in this region. I'll give another round of thought to the possibility of switching up and moving in NoPac first. But I believe I'm still inclined to seek battle in CenPac.
Jaluit supply level is holding well at 19k. It seems that 20k troops triggered immense supply usage while 15k hasn't thus far. I'll keep monitoring.
I'll be spending several hours working on the new turn, as it's time to begin loading some Thin Man TFs and organzing some of the combat and CVE TFs.
Circus: No enemy activity today. Badly damaged DD Abbott has repaired to moderate damage and will make for Seattle tonight. SigInt reports 38th Div. inbound to Buldir Island. John seems to be aggressively defending forward in the Aleuts and in the Marshalls. This is going to make the going tough, but I think it's exactly what I want. I want to seek and destroy enemy assets, including ground troops, and I much prefer to do so close to friendly bases (until the Allies have a decisive advantage in carriers).
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
This is August '43. I would like to see 3-4 spouts pop up alongside a KB carrier. I think I would hear the explosion from here, and I'm @ 90 miles away from where John lives [:D]
Developing Hornet's Nest in the Marshalls...or not?
I am most interested in seeing how John handles this. Is he leery of Allied LBA or the possibility of ambush by Allied combat ships or carriers? Or is he brash and bold and confident that the Kaigun rules these seas? I'll know more when this turn is run.
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"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
A careful look at the map tonight shows that the approaches to both Kwaj and Roi-Namur are difficult. Due to coral reefs, approach vectors are narrow and from the Japanese sides, for the most part. This will probably require a more forward deployment than I'd like - my carriers out front, too close to Ponape and Kusaie.
There may be ways to dampen this effect a bit. One possibility is to seize a few of the dot hexes first, to establish forward PBY bases.
Another possibility is to move on Wake Island first. the advantage is that John can't bring overpowering LBA to bear. Another advantage is that I have two units (restricted, but I have PP) at San Fran that are 60%+ prepped. The disadvantage is that it commits my ships in open waters relatively distant from friendly bases (John too, but not quite as distant for him). This is a possibility.
A third possibility is to move on Kusaie first. Not real attractive due, but I'm looking at it.
The fourth possibility is to proceed with an Aleutians invasion first. This would involve moving most of my amphibs up to Prince Rupert and Kodiak, which would take a week or ten days. While that was going on, I might steam my CVs into a blocking position west of Midway (assuming I had decent info that KB was at Truk or somewhere down that way).
My preference is to stick with Roi and Kwaj, but these are things I'm mulling over.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
A day full of interesting information begins with this email comment by John: "Requisition for a bunch of Shop Brooms and about 150 gallons of Battleship Grey paint please." This tells me his BBs in the Marshalls were targeted successfully but without much effect. It also serves as a movie spoiler, but I've long, long since given up trying to persuade John not to spoil the movie. He tries and sometimes manages to remain sober for weeks at a time, but eventually he falls off the wagon.
Roller Coaster: The day begins with an IJN sub picking off an xAK near Mili. Then a USN sub picks off a PB near Ponape. Then Allied ASW sinks an IJN sub outright near Pearl.
Next come a series of Japanese strikes against Allied merchants east of the Marshalls. Bettys at extreme range (17 hexes) put four torps into a DE east of Maloelap. Jills from Roi/Kwaj strike in big numbers but no escorts, sinking two or three supply xAK at a cost of 21 Jills.
Then Allied SBDs, TBFs (carrying bombs) and even some Vindicators and biplane Hellcats (the latter two used mainly for ASW duty) score multiple hits on Musashi and Nagato (condensed info from Combat Report to be included in next post). Many of the hits are 1000-pounders. Damage probably isn't more than minimal, but perhaps enough to make these ships just that little bit more vulnerable in future operations.
The combat report says enemy LRCAP was provided by squadrons from Akagi and Hiyo. On the day, John loses 9 A6M5b and 4 Georges. The Allies lose four Wildcats, two P38G and two P40K, plus minimal numbers of strike aircraft. Enemy flak downs just striker - a TBF.
Most important, this is good information. John is willing to send capital ships into island waters controlled (though not dominated) by Allied air power. He apparently isn't concerned about Allied carriers. He apparently thinks these waters are his. NavSearch isn't reporting enemy carriers, but I'm on heightened alert now.
18th Canadian Bde. arrives at Pearl tomorrow. The American carriers will be ready in six days.
Circus: SigInt reports 38th Div. is prepping for Ulak. This follows a report a day or two back that this division was inbound to Buldir Island in the western Aleutians. Ulak has 150 AV behind 3.5 forts. It's exposed as the most forward Allied base, but it's not easy pickings. The question is whether John can overwhelm the defenses before the Allies are prepared to return to the Aleutians in force, which will be after the Marshalls campaign wraps up.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
Aircraft Attacking:
18 x TBF-1 Avenger bombing from 3000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
6 x P-38G Lightning sweeping at 20000 feet
6 x P-38H Lightning sweeping at 35000 feet
7 x P-40K Warhawk sweeping at 14000 feet
CAP engaged:
Hiyo-1/A with A6M5b Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 6 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 16000.
Raid is overhead
Akagi-1 with A6M5b Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 5 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 16000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 8 minutes
....
Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 19
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
DD Suzunami
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 3, on fire
BB Musashi, Bomb hits 5
Aircraft Attacking:
19 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing from 3000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
....
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IA x 3
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 1, on fire
BB Musashi, on fire
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x SB2U-3 Vindicator bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Nagato
....
Allied aircraft
SBC-4 Helldiver x 2
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, on fire
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x SBC-4 Helldiver bombing from 3000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Nagato
....
Allied aircraft
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 3
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
BB Musashi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x SB2U-3 Vindicator bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Jaluit at 133,121
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid detected at 26 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 6
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DD Suzunami
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Nagato
....
Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 9
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IA x 5
P-38G Lightning x 7
P-38H Lightning x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 8
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2
SBD-3 Dauntless x 12
TBF-1 Avenger x 17
Japanese Ships
BB Musashi, Bomb hits 7, on fire
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 3, on fire
DD Kazegumo
DD Sazanami
Aircraft Attacking:
17 x TBF-1 Avenger bombing from 3000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb GP Bomb
12 x SBD-3 Dauntless bombing from 3000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x F4F-3 Wildcat sweeping at 10000 feet
2 x Kittyhawk IA sweeping at 8000 feet
6 x P-38G Lightning sweeping at 20000 feet
1 x P-38H Lightning sweeping at 35000 feet
6 x P-40K Warhawk sweeping at 14000 feet
CAP engaged:
Hiyo-1/A with A6M5b Zero (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 16000.
Raid is overhead
Akagi-1 with A6M5b Zero (4 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 16000.
Raid is overhead
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Musashi
....
Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 2
Allied aircraft
SBC-4 Helldiver x 14
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
SBC-4 Helldiver: 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Musashi, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
DD Amagiri
DD Suzunami
DD Kazegumo
Aircraft Attacking:
14 x SBC-4 Helldiver bombing from 3000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
CAP engaged:
Hiyo-1/A with A6M5b Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters to 3000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes
Akagi-1 with A6M5b Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters to 3000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Musashi
....
Japanese aircraft
A6M5b Zero x 2
Allied aircraft
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 9
No Japanese losses
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
BB Musashi, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
DD Amagiri
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x SB2U-3 Vindicator bombing from 5000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
CAP engaged:
Hiyo-1/A with A6M5b Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters to 3000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 12 minutes
Akagi-1 with A6M5b Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 16000 , scrambling fighters to 3000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring BB Musashi
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
It would have been nice if one or two of those bomb hits were torpedo hits instead. What have you got in the way of ship killers? you don't what to waste strike aircraft armed with bombs against BB's.
Today I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand. I repeat, do not let the olive branch fall from my hand. - Yasser Arafat Speech to UN General Assembly
Another look at the map shows what seems to be a merchant TF a hex west of Amchitka. It could be transports bound for Ulak. With that in mind, I'm loading up my forward airfields, willing to risk what bombardments might do.
Ulak: 45 SBDs and 20 Hellcats
Adak: 20 TBFs (as bombers), 92 SBDs, 129 Fighters (including Corsairs, Thunderbolts, P40Ks and a few others).
Umak: One each P38G and P38H set to escort, 66 Liberators set to hit Amchitka's airfield, and 76 Mitchells set to naval strike.
John will have plenty of LRCAP, but let's see if the Allies can strike.
Down south, transports begin loading at Pearl Harbor: Two TFs loading paratroops; two big xAK TFs loading supply, and two Fast Transport TFs, one carrying infantry, one carrying aviation support. These, in turn, may be recombined into three Fast Transport TFs that will target dot hexes on the periphery. The main amphibs (all APA, LSD, AKA, and AK) will begin loading tomorrow.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
It would have been nice if one or two of those bomb hits were torpedo hits instead. What have you got in the way of ship killers? you don't what to waste strike aircraft armed with bombs against BB's.
I think Canoerebel is doing pretty good with the resources he has ... I count 17 1000 pound bomb strikes on the Musashi .. I have sank a Yamato class BB with less 1000 pounders (15) and no torps
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so"
It would have been nice if one or two of those bomb hits were torpedo hits instead. What have you got in the way of ship killers? you don't what to waste strike aircraft armed with bombs against BB's.
Tarawa has torp capability, so the TBFs were about to head there on the chance that John might probe in that direction.
But prompted by your question, I checked to see if any other air HQs were present in the Marshalls. There is one at Jaluit, which didn't have an airfield when the Allies landed (it was originally slated for Roi-Namur, but came ashore at Jaluit as part of the unloading in preparation for distribution of units). Jaluit is now a level one airfield, which is sufficient to handle torps. So the TBFs have moved there.
John is probably alerted to the risk he's taken, so I think he'll move his ships out of harm's way. But if he doesn't, the TBFs are now ready to strike (along with three Liberator squadrons moved from Pearl to Maloelap. These have high NavB skilled-pilots.)
Most of my Marshalls airfields are now way overloaded, but it's temporary while targets are present.
"Rats set fire to Mr. Cooper’s store in Fort Valley. No damage done." Columbus (Ga) Enquirer-Sun, October 2, 1880.
