The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Bif1961]

If after Wake you next phase is to attack the Marianas you might want to speed up that date or go north to Bonis Islands skipping the Marianas altogether. He will now be reinforcing the Marianas and might not expect you to by pass them. An invasion of Japan in early 1944 would be a shock to him.

[Canoerebel]

9/22/43

Thin Man: The final Japanese CV TF made a clean break to the NW and avoided the combat TF sent her way. But she lashed out with her strike aircraft, sinking BB Nevada with 5 TT hits.

Allied combat TFs fanned out during the nighttime hours, seeking crippled carriers, but instead found a few combat TFs that John sent in to confuse the radar and serve in rear-guard capacity. There were a series of combat TF clashes, with the Allied TFs showing their lack of ammo. A few hits were scored to slow some enemy DDs, and DD Cony, a Fletcher ate a TT (she had 98 FLT damage, so I scuttled her).

During the afternoon, Death Star strike aircraft hit some of the Japanese combat vessels, sinking CL Yahagi and scoring HF/HD hits on DDs Sagiri, Amatsukaze and Kisaragi.

Over in the Marshalls, Beauforts escorted by Lightnings once again hit a transport TF, sinking 2 xAK and 1 AKL. 20 combat squads and 23 non-combat went down with the ships.

So the great naval battle is winding down, it seems, though subs from both sides are in the vicinity in large numbers and who knows what action might occur to John, who has been hard hit and may be a bit desperate. I don't think he'd send in BBs or reverse course with KB, but it is remotely possible.

All told, I have confirmation that the Allies sank 8 CVE and 1 CV. I'll be very surprised if the total doesn't include an additional 2 CV and 3 CVL. I think John also lost two CL and perhaps 10-15 DD. Other ships took damage, including a CB hit hard. I regret that Akagi, which was out their for the plucking, seems to have gotten clean away. In fact, I was shocked that my NavSearch didn't pick up a single carrier except in the KB TF that hit Nevada. Where'd they all go? Did they sink? Did John scuttle them? Did the damage reports exaggerate so that I'm overestimating the damage? Any of these are possibilities. The points for Ships Lost didn't increase dramatically this turn, so I think there are cripples out there. I just don't know where they are.

But this battle was a staggering defeat for the Japanese navy. Apart from the carrier tally, the loss of CLs and DDs was signficant for John. And his yards should be filled with damaged ships for a long time to come.

But the Allies didn't emerge unscathed. I lost 2 Fletchers and BB Nevada. BB Massachusetts, CL St. Louis, and CVs Enterprise and Hornet suffered moderate damage. And a host of combat ships have light or moderate damage from surface clashes. Pearl Harbor isn't too distant, but enemy subs may claim additional victims.

But I think I can proceed with the Wake invasion sooner rather than later. I have enough combat ships that weren't engaged in surface gunnery that they still have main gun ammo. That will allow the bombardments so critical to atoll invasions. And I have time to quickly replenish some of the smaller combat vessels at Midway, where I'll also see if the carriers can replenish sorties and possibly replace some lost aircaft. Too, fresh SBD squadrons are island hopping to Midway via Johnston from Pearl to take the place of depleted squadrons.

CV Bunker Hill and CVL Cowpens arrived at Pearl today. They refueled and will follow an ASW TF to Midway. Three NoPac CVEs are just a couple of days out of Pearl. The invasion TF is moving so quickly (fast APAs and AKAs) that they'll be on station and chomping at the bit while the replenishing stuff is happening at Midway. Truly, speed is everything. John probably will scramble to reinforce Wake, so I don't want to dally.

I have a great deal of clicking to do. I've decided on a plan that builds on the Battle of Wake Island. There's a huge amount of troops and shipping that needs to be moved. But given current locations and positioning of the bulk of the transport ships, this can be done relatively efficiently and quickly.

So the sequence is this: (1) Replenish at Midway and invade Wake Island within 7-10 days while, at the same time, working on ships and troops and supplies for the next big thing; (2) after Wake, retire to Pearl to make good all air losses, etc., while continuing to bring ships, troops and supply forward to Pearl; (3) proceed with Operation (to be named) possibly as soon as a month from now.

[obvert]

Your pace is definitely picking up. I'll be interested to see how John begins to shift to the defensive and if he can take on that plucky and resilient mindset so necessary for the late game.

Any plans in Burma or China?

As always, the more supply and resource drain you create for the Empire the better for your later operations.

[BBfanboy]

While on a carnival theme, I suggest you name your next op "Fun House", since everything will have new perspectives!

[Canoerebel]

I'm thinking John will choose to go on the offensive in China and possibly in Burma, with Ramree Island a possible target. China is a bit fragile for me if he sends a bunch of divisions to concentrate on a narrow front (ala Battle of the Bulge). For now, I'll remain on the defensive in both theaters. I don't want to excite his attention here as I have a particular operation planned about four months out.

In the Pacific, I hope John keeps concentrating forward. I think he's somehow managed to significantly reinforce Kwajalein. I'm getting SigIn regarding some further back destinations. For instance, 116th Div. is still prepping for Adak. She was shown two weeks back as aboard marus bound for Ulak (in the Aluetians). But I just received SigInt that it's now bound for Babeldaob.

I'll be watching carefully to see where John deploys his troops over the next month or two. Does he press forward to keep a stiff front line, or does he back off and fill in more?

Now that Death Star outnumbers KB, he'll be wrapping his head around the fact that I can (conceivably) go anywhere on the map and invade in strength. So I think he'll be working hard to fill in key interior bases. And he'd already started working hard on the Marianas after what happened in the Aluetians.

[Canoerebel]

BBFanboy, I forgot to mention that the invasion of Wake Island has been dubbed Operation Trapeze.

[Canoerebel]

I'm checking over aircraft and pilot numbers in the carrier squadrons.

Hellcat numbers are fine. SBDs and TBFs are trashed mostly, though a few ships still have nearly complete squadrons. I've transferred one SBD and one TBF squadron to Midway to begin the replacement process (replacing lost aircraft so that the squadrons can rejoin the carriers ASAP). I think I can get enough aircraft up and running to permit a quick turn around. In fact, were it not for the need to replenish sorties and torps, I'd probably leave Death Star at sea while only the DDs and CAs replenished ammo.

Pilot numbers seem fine. For instance, one big SBD5 squadron is down from 36 planes to 9, but still has 31 pilots.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

BBFanboy, I forgot to mention that the invasion of Wake Island has been dubbed Operation Trapeze.

But where are the clowns? Send in the clowns!

[Canoerebel]

I wanted to use Bearded Lady, but it's just too clunky.

[Mike McCreery]

Leprechaun...

Cause you can never catch those guys!!!

[Canoerebel]

I refuse to use "Mime."

[Flicker]

I'm not too clear on this mod's OOB, but it seems that steroid KB may now be just KB (which is something I'm skeered of running into). Even though John lost many planes, doesn't he have the capacity to replace them rather quickly, so that much of KB may be available at full-strength fairly soon?

I'm certain that Operation Trapeze will be well-planned, however I recommend a visit to Trappeze Pub in Athens to ponder the operation more deeply.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

While on a carnival theme, I suggest you name your next op "Fun House", since everything will have new perspectives!

"Clown Car."

[jwolf]

And I have time to quickly replenish some of the smaller combat vessels at Midway, where I'll also see if the carriers can replenish sorties and possibly replace some lost aircaft.

In my game I just replenished two carriers at Palmyra with an AKE so I'm pretty sure you'll be able to do it at Midway. Don't know about replacing planes, though. Looks like good news on your pilots.

[Canoerebel]

"Fez"

"Shriner"

"Peep Show"

"Ziegreid & Roy"

[Canoerebel]

ORIGINAL: Flicker
I'm not too clear on this mod's OOB, but it seems that steroid KB may now be just KB (which is something I'm skeered of running into). Even though John lost many planes, doesn't he have the capacity to replace them rather quickly, so that much of KB may be available at full-strength fairly soon?

I'm certain that Operation Trapeze will be well-planned, however I recommend a visit to Trappeze Pub in Athens to ponder the operation more deeply.

Thanks to fog of war, I don't know exactly what was sunk, but I do know that KB can't take on Death Star anytime soon (unless KB teamed up with big LBA).

I can predict with some accuracy that John lost 9 to 15 carriers, mostly CVE but some decent decks. If the number is less than 15, the others are badly damaged and will need months in the yards.

Meantime, the Allies will be down Ent and Hornet (most of their damage is SYS, so I think they'll repair very quickly). But those two will be replaced immediately by Bunker Hill, Cowpens and three CVE.

So if I felt comfortable committing Death Star against Steroid KB and Mini KB, you know I"ll feel the same about committing Death Star against Trimmed KB.

[Bullwinkle58]

Maybe "Brazilianed KB"?

"Wax Job" KB?

[poodlebrain]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I'm checking over aircraft and pilot numbers in the carrier squadrons.

Hellcat numbers are fine. SBDs and TBFs are trashed mostly, though a few ships still have nearly complete squadrons. I've transferred one SBD and one TBF squadron to Midway to begin the replacement process (replacing lost aircraft so that the squadrons can rejoin the carriers ASAP). I think I can get enough aircraft up and running to permit a quick turn around. In fact, were it not for the need to replenish sorties and torps, I'd probably leave Death Star at sea while only the DDs and CAs replenished ammo.

Pilot numbers seem fine. For instance, one big SBD5 squadron is down from 36 planes to 9, but still has 31 pilots.

You haven't had much combat use for your 4EB recently. I assume they've been busy training. Can you give us an update on their readiness to return to action? You should have some pretty well skilled and experienced pilots to fly them.

[Encircled]

"Emasculated KB" too much?

[AcePylut]

Much like the real battle of Midway came down to the CA-Tone “not” launching it’s floatplanes 30 minutes earlier had such a dramatic effect on the battle, it seems as if this Clash of CV’s came down to a very similar decision wherein the US launched it’s search floatplanes at night.

I must ask, Canoerebel, when you clicked on “night operations” for those floatplane searches – did you ever in your mind think that THAT might have been the “one mouseclick difference” between success and utter failure? Over all the agonizing you did over the decision to give battle – did THAT decision ever enter your mind?

I ask because it seems like in every “tide turning battle” in every war fought, it’s often the seemingly insignificant decision that changes the course of history.

I said something similar to this in John’s AAR – but imagine how the course of the Civil War may have been different, and thus US history, had Chamberlain not given the famous order to “fix bayonets”.