Beware the Dorniers! Scen 17 Tier 3 (Lowpe vs AI (Spoilers))

[Lowpe]

Dec 15th, 1941

A few days have gone by. Japan building strength and moving forward in Manado, Luzon, Miri and Malaya.

The Chinese are emboldened attacking several places and getting pasted, with the exception where they routed some Chinese tax units in Hwainan.

But today off Tavoy, a scene of a large fighter buildup....scouts report some shipping and a squadron of Nells on standby sortie.

Examination of the debris shows an estimated 45 Allied fighters destroyed with the ship.[X(]

[Lowpe]

In fact, the intel report is hard to fathom. Were more fighters withdrawn?

[Lowpe]

British Hurricanes are a royal pain....perhaps some 36cm shells can provide relief?

[Lowpe]

Crikeys![X(]

December 16th, 1941

Out of the depths, the British stab at me totally by surprise. Kates' attempting revenge run into Sea Hurricanes and are shredded.

Carrier Division 3 risks annihilation.

[Lowpe]

No combat report on this damage to the troop transport Hakone Maru[:(], I am guessing she was hit by a search plane....45 fires![:(]

She will attempt to cruise into Morotai and disband to get away from the British strike planes hopefully....while the Carrier Division 3 is forced to make a flank speed run to Babeldaob.

Fires, enemy carriers, flooding, you name it almost only bad things can happen here.[X(][&:]

This is a catastrophe of the highest order.

A little to the north of this disaster, two cruiser SAG are patrolling for the Thundering Herd, which I guess the Mavis did spot the previous day when they should have been looking for enemy carriers...

Good results and even better a Long Lance attack on the unsuspecting![&o]:
Day Time Surface Combat, near Siargao at 85,91, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Nagara
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Kawakaze
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Shiokaze

Allied Ships
xAP Poelau Bras, Shell hits 28, and is sunk
xAP Kota Tjandi, Shell hits 30, and is sunk
xAK Boero, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
xAK Langkoeas, Shell hits 10, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Somelsdijk, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Mariso, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Van Cloon, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Day Time Surface Combat, near Siargao at 86,90, Range 11,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Nagara
DD Yamakaze
DD Kawakaze
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze
DD Shiokaze

Allied Ships
xAK Bellerophon, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Toendjoek, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Reduced visibility due to Rain
Maximum visibility in Rain: 15,000 yards
Range closes to 16,000 yards...
Range closes to 11,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 11,000 yards
Japanese launch Long Lance torpedoes at 11,000 yards before allies detect Japanese presence
CL Nagara launches Long Lance Torpedoes at xAK Toendjoek at 11,000 yards
DD Shiokaze fires at xAK Toendjoek at 11,000 yards
xAK Toendjoek sunk by DD Suzukaze at 11,000 yards

[Lowpe]

Hurricanes take some damage here from the old girls.[:)]

Night Naval bombardment of Kwangchowan at 73,60

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Vildebeest III: 10 damaged
Vildebeest III: 2 destroyed on ground
Vengeance I: 3 damaged
Vengeance I: 1 destroyed on ground
Hurricane IIb Trop: 5 damaged
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed on ground

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Ise
BB Fuso
BB Nagato

Manpower hits 4
Fires 4641
Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 16
Port hits 6
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 1

BB Hyuga firing at Kwangchowan
BB Ise firing at Kwangchowan
BB Fuso firing at Kwangchowan
F1M2 Pete acting as spotter for BB Nagato
BB Nagato firing at Kwangchowan

[Lowpe]

Another day in an attritional air war we can't afford. Pilots are in short supply, and quality airframes are needed.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

No combat report on this damage to the troop transport Hakone Maru[:(], I am guessing she was hit by a search plane....45 fires![:(]

She will attempt to cruise into Morotai and disband to get away from the British strike planes hopefully....while the Carrier Division 3 is forced to make a flank speed run to Babeldaob.

Dorniers. Check the op's report … anything without CAP is at risk from those buggers …

[PaxMondo]

So, spoiler here

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Just saying that methodical and focused is needed here. You have to carefully pick your targets, very carefully, and then go in hard and heavy. The mop up will take FAR longer than normal. You cannot expect to take things free, and you need to get your targets before your amphib bonus is lost. In stock, that is easy, but this ain't Kansas no more. [;)]

[8D][8D][8D]

[Lowpe]

December 17, 1941

Stage 1 in the Manado invasion is successful. Carrier Division 3 is safe in Port, or relatively safe as there are B17 raids every few days.

CVL Ryujo has 12 sys, 17 flood and 30 engine damage. Bad, but it could have been so much worse. Meanwhile 5th Carrier Division is just off Truk, and will support either Rabaul/ Northern New Guinea push or Manado push as needed. I suspect Manado will fall in a few days time barring Allied intervention.

I need to scrounge around and get some naval attack planes there next.

[Lowpe]

Iboats off Pearl were hoping at getting a shot at some damaged battleships, no joy for that goal --but of the six engagements here two do damage. The Iboats will be called back for perimeter scouting missions shortly. The midget carriers are all back at Kwaj already.

A Dutch sub sinks a merchant ship of Soc Trang.

[Lowpe]

British forces at Tavoy are being evacuated...but not without paying a price...

[Lowpe]

Once again, I don't know where I am going to find the fighters to protect Miri...plus bombers to make it into a threat.

Japan desperately needs more dive bomber squadrons...

The British are seemingly evacuating some key bases...

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

No combat report on this damage to the troop transport Hakone Maru[:(], I am guessing she was hit by a search plane....45 fires![:(]

She will attempt to cruise into Morotai and disband to get away from the British strike planes hopefully....while the Carrier Division 3 is forced to make a flank speed run to Babeldaob.

Dorniers. Check the op's report … anything without CAP is at risk from those buggers …

As expected:

xAP Hakone Maru has spotted an Allied Aircraft at 81,99
xAP Hakone Maru is reported HIT

[Lowpe]

Inflicting only light damage on the Allied Navy. Eight Allied Destroyers reported sunk too.

[Lowpe]

Brutal air war.

[Lowpe]

R&D off to a promising start. With no resizing of squadrons, I probably won't have to build as many naval planes.

[Lowpe]

No tracker for me in this game, so get used to looking at the industry screen.

10 days into the war and the economy is thriving...

Maizuru is increasing their naval dock to 50...

Nate production is shutdown...

Merchant and Naval shipyards are building everything. I am thinking about expanding the capacity here and can probably afford to shutdown a small number of merchant shipyards without effecting production.

Vehicles are expanding.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Brutal air war.

Not bad losses actually.

[Lowpe]

Japanese Naval bombers are doing good work. The typical setting is Naval Attack with 10 to 30 percent search or set to naval search 30-50.

I plan to be running Betties and Nells...until and if we get to the Frances in numbers.

Rotating strike and search groups with rest groups.