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I should mention a couple things while I'm awake and thinking about them. [8D]

First, I'm visiting relatives in Arkansas right now and won't be back home until Saturday.. expect another update around Sunday or so.

Secondly is strategy talk!

The first bit is about the small op I have going on in Northern Oz - building a fighter base as close as I can to Amboina.

I've pulled all the transport aircraft I have available around Australia - mostly Aussie C-47s and Dutch Lodestars - to Darwin. Lately I've been using them to transport troops to Kai Island. I have a fragment of a Dutch base force there and almost a fully equipped RAF base force. I'm astonished at how fast I'm able to unload units at this level one base, and I've been thinking to up the scale even more. I'm going to send Gull and/or Sparrow Force there next by the same method - I don't believe Cruft has noticed the base yet, but he will soon for sure. The 7th Oz Div is already halfway to Darwin and I don't have to spend any PPs to use it, so I'll probably send the A regiment to Kai Island as well. The engineers can build it up and I'll eventually be able to launch raids with fighter escort on Amboina, all without losing a ship. Right now I just need to get enough ground troops to the base to hold it.

Sound good? Comments? [:)]

Okay, now we come to the Baker Island issue.

Remember Baker? I sent a chunk of the 2nd USMC Div to take it back, which they did, but the KB annihilated their transports while they were unloading. They mostly got onto the island, though, and I've been able to slip several AKs in, bringing their supplies up to a healthy level. Or has Cruft let them in? I was surprised they got through to bring supplies. Perhaps his recon didn't spot them, but I find that unlikely seeing how quickly he knocked out the first force.

In any case, I'm considering trying to run in another unit. I'm going to wait until the CVs are on their way back to Pearl from the Lunga op, but I really need that base. The CVs will provide aircover for a base force and a few engineer units to make a run for Baker, if possible. I just hope the KB isn't close enough to react quickly by that time. The last time I tried to land here was a debacle.. let's hope he lets me through.

All of this is just me rambling when I can't do anything right now. But these things need to be done. [:)]

At BAker, i'd suggest to fast transport a base force from Canton...they won't be spotted by any Recon Planes. Then send some Fighters there. At this stage, with some air cover, you can even send some AKs/APs to get supplies and more troops there: if he wants to strike your transports, he's going to loose many planes and pilots and that's a victory anyway!
Codename: ATTRITION[:D]

I don't remember how many CVs you opponent has or you have at this time.

If he is down some you can risk yours supporting Baker. If he is full strength you might put C47s on Canton and supply Baker that way.

Blackwatch and I are in June 42 and my best guess is we both have 4 big CVs operational. Baby KB is on the bottom of the South Pacific along with the USS Enterprise (sunk in seperate battles) I have all the British CVs and Blackwatch has some CVL/CVE reinforcements come in. 2 of the KB CVs took bombs near Port Moresby in May one could problably be brought into action but I think Blackwatch would rather repair it, the other took 2 bombs and should be in yards for a while.

Given all this I have started placing my CVs at risk for example my recent aborted raid on Saipan. But I won't take much risk, I was 2 days steaming from Truk when I hit his transports and I had to run before they were wiped out because of the danger of KB showing up.

You might ask why did I run if I was looking at a possible 4 CV Vs 4 CV battle and the near certainty of sinking many loaded transports. I decided to run based on a few things.
1) I was far from any good base
2) I did not know the location of KB, what if it showed up between me and my bases
3) I think there are 4 big Jap CVs but I don't know it
4) My planes would be tired after 2-3 days air combat his would be fresh
5) Blackwatch could bring in LBA from Saipan
6) The 4 Jap CVs could have some CVEs with them

Think about all this stuff before you commit your CVs this early. Also I will point out that I put 3 squadrons of search planes at Wake before I started this operation. Do everything you can to tilt the odds in your favor.

Hoepner: That's the plan! [:D] The airbase is already building up thanks to the USMC engys, but it could be going a lot faster. Once we reach level 2 or 3 I'll bring in the fighters I have waiting at Canton. Level 4-5 and I can start hitting Tarawa with the heavies. [:D]

Tom: You make some very good points. I've gotten very lucky with my CVs in the game - neither of us have lost any (I have 5). I have been a bit reckless - Saratoga has something like 10 system damage, down from 20 after a few 18 inch torpedo hits. But I really don't want to force a CV battle at this point.

After you guys' comments, I have to agree. Fast transport and C-47s are both excellent ideas for Baker! I don't know if Baker is within range of C-47s from Canton, though. I'll check when I get home.

In any case I'll be trying to get the CV fleets back to Pearl, then the West Coast as quick as possible. They need some rest.

I'll put up the AARS for 4/5/42-4/6/42 later today. Right now I'm about to head out. But I'll throw this out real quick - Cruft informs me that he's uploading the combat replay and is allowing the folk in his AAR to have a look. Would anyone be interested if I did something similar? I've been saving my orders turn right before I end it, so you can load it up and see everything I can, including the orders. It could be good. Whaddya think?

The battle still rages.. just with less of my ships sinking, thank God. [:D]

Things have been pretty quiet lately, so here's a bit combined report.

4/5/42-4/14/42

India/Burma: Slow days. Most of my work here has been niggling - upgrading the AVG, moving around a few units - but Cruft did try a large raid on Diamond Harbor with about 4 dozen Nells. They didn't perform well at all, only getting a few torp hits on merchants - that's all that's there, the Royal Navy is in Trincomalee - and a lot of Nells damaged. The escorting Zeroes did do some hurt on the Mohawk IVs I had on CAP, though. I've since transferred a squadron of Hurricanes and two groups of the AVG there. The AVG groups are transitting from the Tomahawk to the Warkawk right now.

I did sink a sub in Trincomalee harbor. That made me happy. [;)]

China: The troops in Kungchang finally gave up. They're all retreating to Chungking now. North China is effectively his - the only units left are a couple stranded base forces.

Phillipines: The last Allied base fell around the 10th. It's over here.

DEI: The end is nigh. Batavia has fallen - I pulled the troops out before they were forced to retreat. They're already kind of badly mauled by his deliberate attacks. We're pulling back to that base in the center of Java - two hexes south of Tjilitjap, I forget what its name is - and making another stand there with reinforcements before we fall back for the final battle at Soerabaja. There are a bunch of short ranged planes in Soerabaja that I don't have the PPs to save, and even if I did, they wouldn't have the range to fly out anyways. Lots of FK 51s that I should have gotten out earlier. They'll perish on the ground.. along with the ABDA HQ. Damn. [:(]

Other places - south, near Darwin - things are going well. The Kai Island op is proceeding pretty smoothly. I haven't undertaken any offensive ops - the only thing that has really happened is his air raid on my transport group going to Timor to pick up Lark Force. They got away.

SOPAC/SWPAC: Air battles rage over PM. Nates, Lilies, Zeroes and Betties from Lae and Rabaul are steadily escalating the pressure. The P-40B unit that I had there has been effectively mauled, due to lack of replacements - I've exhausted the pool. Upgrading them to P-40Es ASAP. The RAAF Kittyhawks are holding the line, and are doing pretty well, actually, against Nates and Zeroes alike. I just keep flying in more planes into the grinder from Townsville. I need a breather, though, because I'm just about out of planes. [:'(]

The Lunga op is canceled. Large forces are concentrating on Noumea, and I will keep building up in Noumea, Lunganville, and that general area.. I also need troops in New Guinea and Eastern Australia. There's no need to open up another front in the Solomons just begging for another one of Cruft's swift Kido Butai counterstrikes. My forces are thin enough as it is already. Plus, I just hate the idea of coming into range of the Zeroes and Betties at Rabaul. So I won't. [:)]

I also made a run for Baker Island from Canton with the fast transport ships. Seems to be a success. [:)]

CENTPAC: Lots of shifting units around, especially aircraft. Johnson Island is being built up and has some Wildcat CAP now. There isn't really too much else to say here - the theatre is dead quiet.

NORTHPAC: A bunch of stuff unloaded at Kiska, which is still growing rapidly. I've dispatched a US RCT from the west coast to make the island completely secure. Only 100 assault points are there now - a Canadian Brigade. Anyways, not too much going on.


With the canceling of the Lunga op - for now - I have no offensive operations planned. I'm relishing this quiet period - it's giving me time to get my act together. I have one hell of a lot of troops, fuel and supplies floating around the ocean right now. A coherent line in the Central and South Pacific is being established and strengthened. Kai and Baker Islands are being sneakily reinforced. Everywhere else, I grow stronger by the day.

Kittyhawks are P40Es so they should fight as well allowing for difference in experience.

Personally I don't care about seeing replays mostly because I don't have time. For me a short summary of action and strategy like the one you just wrote is more informative. Others may disagree and I have had one person ask for a copy of my turn against Blackwatch just to see what I was doing.

Depending on the Japanese supply situation Soerbaja can hold for a long time. Good luck with it.

Kittyhawks are P40Es so they should fight as well allowing for difference in experience.

Really? I thought that Kittyhawk Is were P40Bs. You must be right though.

Personally I don't care about seeing replays mostly because I don't have time. For me a short summary of action and strategy like the one you just wrote is more informative. Others may disagree and I have had one person ask for a copy of my turn against Blackwatch just to see what I was doing.

You're probably correct - most people won't care to look at it. But some people might, so I might as well. [:)] I'm half doing this for me, honestly - I like being able to look back on my turns and see where everything was, what my orders were, and check my past sigint reports.

Depending on the Japanese supply situation Soerbaja can hold for a long time. Good luck with it.

I hope it will! He has a significantly larger number of troops on Java though, never mind assault points. Cruft hasn't made any logistics slip-ups that I can detect, though, so who knows - it might fall down quick. We'll see how long the forts last. Thanks for the luck! [:)]

---

Nothing much happened on the 13th and 14th - the reports are pretty short, so I might as well post them. As you can see, things are relatively quiet.

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/12/42

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Hengchow , at 45,37

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 25
Ki-51 Sonia x 94

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-51 Sonia: 6 damaged


Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported

Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 54

Aircraft Attacking:
24 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
31 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
30 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Pagan , at 31,31

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 12

Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 11

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 2 damaged

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 19
Ki-48 Lily x 48

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 15
P-40B Tomahawk x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-48 Lily: 6 destroyed, 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 5 destroyed

Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 30

Aircraft Attacking:
24 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 12000 feet
13 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 12000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 12000 feet
5 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 12000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40
G4M1 Betty x 61

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 12
P-40B Tomahawk x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 10 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 2 destroyed
B-26B Marauder: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 22

Aircraft Attacking:
16 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
9 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
12 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
9 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
4 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
2 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hengchow

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 44668 troops, 525 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 39997 troops, 262 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
290 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Jambi

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1246 troops, 6 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 2706 troops, 43 guns, 1 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 2)


Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Bandoeng

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 15585 troops, 263 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Japanese assault odds: 514 to 1 (fort level 2)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Bandoeng base !!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 04/13/42


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Hengchow , at 45,37

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 24
Ki-51 Sonia x 57

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-51 Sonia: 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 33

Aircraft Attacking:
22 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
29 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
3 x Ki-51 Sonia bombing at 2000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Ki-48 Lily x 32

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 11
P-40B Tomahawk x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-48 Lily: 13 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 11 destroyed, 1 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 18

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 12000 feet
9 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 12000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 12000 feet
3 x Ki-48 Lily bombing at 12000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 36
G4M1 Betty x 60

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 6
P-40B Tomahawk x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 3 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk I: 6 destroyed
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 damaged
B-26B Marauder: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged


Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 23

Aircraft Attacking:
17 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
16 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
12 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty bombing at 12000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Pagan , at 31,31

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 12

Allied aircraft
Hurricane II x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane II: 2 destroyed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TF 3 encounters mine field at Bankha (20,47)

TF 3 troops unloading over beach at Bankha, 20,47


Japanese Ships
MSW Hinode Maru #20

Japanese ground losses:
746 casualties reported


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Hengchow

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 45590 troops, 559 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 39580 troops, 261 guns, 0 vehicles



Allied ground losses:
96 casualties reported

And here's the current situation turn. I plan on doing one of these every few weeks.

Mega thanks to Cruft for allowing me to use his webspace. [:)]

http://cruft.vs.mythic-beasts.com/alikchi/witp015.pws

Aaaaand we're back!

4/16/42-4/17/42

India/Burma: No action.. AVG is upgrading rather nicely.

China: Hengchow falls, the troops retreating to the northwest. He controls the whole railroad now.

DEI: My forces are still sitting in Djojakarta. (sp?) He has lots and lots of troops.. they won't last long. Then it's back to Soerabaja, then the end. Oh, he has taken a few more minor bases in Sumatra and he's advancing towards Balikpapan in Borneo. Just a matter of time now.

The air force in Darwin is still standing by. I'm engaged in air-transporting units to Kai Island.

SOPAC/SWPAC: The raids against PM reached a climax, then stopped, thankfully. I've been able to repair a few aircraft. I also have a large American base force on the way there. I worry that Cruft will use Gili Gili to cut off access to PM..

More units and supplies are pouring into Noumea. Loads of fuel is on the way. Once I move in support ships I'll have a nice base.

CENTPAC: Not a whole lot happening here, as always.

Northpac: Ditto.

====

Things are still relatively quiet.. I'm not pushing things, and neither is he.

He cannot use Gili gili...from Cairns or Cooktown you can pound that little place back to stonage!

The main threat for your TFs heading towards PM will still be the nasty betties from Rabaul

Glad to see u back[;)]

Thanks Hoepner! [:D] I have a base force on the way to Cooktown right now. I wish I'd started building it up sooner. Once it's up, I have 48 B-17s lined up for it. [:D]

Anyways, here's another, even less eventful, turn.

04/18/42-4/19/42

India/Burma: No action. Getting stronger every day.

China: Nothing. Troops still huddling. Sining will fall soon.

DEI: I hate to see all the planes at Soerabaja die, but there's no way to get them out. Plooey. I wish I had PPs.

SWPAC/SOPAC: More unloading at Noumea, more P-39s on the way. Directing a base force to Luganville.

CENTPAC: Nothing.

NORTHPAC: One of the S-boats launched from my new base up in the Aleutians gets spotted by Jap DDs but is not depth charged. Shit, I think I forgot to move him. Oops.


===


Maybe something interesting will happen tomorrow. But I'm the Allies, so I hope not. [;)]

Fly your planes down to Timor, or to some islolated place and then get them out later when your PP total comes back up.

The thing is, they don't have the range - they're FK.51s and 3 or 4 Hawk fighters. And there aren't any bases between Soerabaja and Tmior that have base forces. I should have left one on Bali - my mistake.

I snuck in some AKs to sneak them out, but sadly I didn't have the PPs necessary (I screwed up and somehow forgot to withdraw a few Brit ships, and I'm only now about to recover.)

You don't actually need the base forces, set them to train and fly out what you can. You will leave some fragments behind but so what if the parent gets out its fine.

The Hawks are especially nice to save. They are not quite as good as the P40 but a bit better than the Deamon. I lost all my Hawks because I figured "how valuable can a short range fighter be?" Well plenty valuable when its got its own replacement pool, I have over 100 of them sitting in the pool now, and they would have been a big help at Timor.

Quick update while I'm at school - I don't have the AAR with me, so this will be short and from memory.

4/20/42-4/21/42

The Dutch AC from Soerbaja are moving out (thanks for the tip, Tom!). Hopefully chunks of them will make it to Timor.

The US CVs have departed Noumea with their escorts to get their big refits (finally). They'll be at the West Coast for a while.

He's almost to Djojakarta on Java.

I can't wait for the big upgrades in India. My Blenheims are totally worthless in the bombing role.

Fuel has finally reached Darwin! The subs will move out soon.

He's reconning Baker. My PBYs are there now.

Kiska continues to grow, and .. oops, time to go. More later.

Okay, just did this one.

4/22/42-4/23/42

Burma/India: I have grown bored here. I'm going to force some action. Even though my Blenheims are essentially worthless I've moved most of them up to Mandalay, where they will launch strikes at Pagan, escorted by many many fighters. Hopefully their quantity will make up for their (lack of) quality.

Also, a bunch of damaged ships from Ceylon - including Prince of Wales - reached Bombay and are making use of the repair yard there.

China: I finally lose Northern China once and for all, with him destroying my last pocket at Sining. Oh well - now I have even more troops to defend what I have left.

I moved two squadrons of I-16s down to Kweilin I believe. Everything had been sitting at Chungking but I felt that since it had been quiet for some time I could try to slip back into a front-line airbase without getting immediately pounded by IJAAF bombers.

DEI: Most of the aircraft I wanted to save have made it to Timor, just the FK.51s remain halfway there. Shouldn't be a problem. He bombards Djojakarta with a couple of cruisers to disrupt my troops there as his arrive. I bet he'll launch an attack next turn or the one after. He also took the last base on the western coast of Sumatra (Jambi I believe) and he's mopping up in Borneo (started landing at an unoccupied base). Speaking of Borneo, his troops have reached Balikpapan. It won't last long - the defenders have been devastated by his continuous bombardment spree a while ago, and forts are only 2.

I'm sending subs out of Darwin in dribs and drabs so they don't all have to return at once. At least we finally have a good fuel reserve there. Oh, and I'm now moving all my damaged warships from there - which is a lot, including the BB Colorado. They'll probably reach the West Coast in about a month.

Kai Island reached level two today! I moved in a unit of P-40Es and some Dorniers immediately. I'm also airlifting in the 30th Australian Brigade now. Things are going smoothly here.

Finally, the big thing - I'm about to launch another bombing raid, this one larger than the first. I've moved many, many medium bombers to Timor and they'll be launching an attack on Kendari, supported by the heavies from Darwin. I have enough that I can hopefully burst through the CAP and smother the airbase. Either that or it'll be a slaughter. We shall see.

SOPAC/SWPAC: Port Moresby gets its daily plastering. The Australians there are down to about 50 morale. One squadron has only two pilots left - they really can't take much more of this. I have fighters on the way - more P-40s. In the meantime, I sent over the one Beaufighter unit I have. I know they aren't exactly meant to dogfight Zeroes, but I have to throw everything I can into the air there.

Everything else is proceeding smoothly in this theatre with very little interference from the enemy. Many submarines arrived in Townsville this turn, which has a big port and an AS - but no fuel. (Again!) Plenty is on its way, though. Then we'll have a real submarine force here.

Also, I wish the engineers at Baker would work faster.

CENTPAC: No action..

NORTHPAC: Kiska is 97% to level four on both port and airbase. Once we hit four I can start getting my bombers off the ground..

Also: Anyone want any screenshots? I still have the file.

I find screenshot very helpful especially with notes, that is why I try to post them frequently in my AAR.

Another pointer, the repair yard in Columbo is much better than the one in Bombay. Bombay does not have any effect on BBs its too small to get enough points to fix them. Columbo can.

I put together a series of posts on fixing BBs in the main forum, you might want to look them up.

Argh. I didn't think Columbo was that good. Shows you what I know, I guess. The cripples will head back. Your posts are extremely helpful. [:)] (BB data was definitely interesting. I have had Oklahoma sitting at Pearl the whole war.. waiting for Sys damage to hit 85 or so before I run her back to the West Coast.)

I may put some screenshots up here later today, but not too much has changed since the last batch, except in China and Java.

One final note. Cruft and I are discussing restarting the game, now that we have 1.5 and CHS. I'm in favor of this. This was originally a 1.0 game (I believe) and we still have to deal with many of the bugs from that scenario - for example, I can't upgrade my Brit carriers. And I know for a fact that I could do a lot better this round than before.

At the same time, we've gotten pretty far. So, we'll see.