Lambs to the slaughter (Lowpe (J) vs Jocke; BillBrown (A)) Finished

[Lowpe]

Here you can see the Nagato managed to make it back to Singers for repairs. Quite a few ships at Singers repairing both sub torpedo hits and mine hits.[:(]

The IJN will be loading up shortly for Noumea. A fast transport fleet should leave Rabaul in two days which will comprise the first wave. More Iboats are enroute and the KB will provide cover. A full division leaves Luzon tomorrow. So, operation Noumea is off...




Nagato was hit by 3 Dutch torpedoes a while back.

[Lowpe]

For the West Coast Attack I have undergoing conversion to troop status or completed conversion 115 xak; 9 AKVs. Almost all xap will be allocated to the attack of which I have 62.

I am going to start staging units at Pearl Harbor and or Canada/Alaska now but the divisions will be running around for a little while more in India and Noumea. In China the 1st & 2nd Tank Divisions will continue their assault up the western road for a while yet...they are quite formed divisions. The Guards Tank is also there and will be heading for the west coast, too.

Each division will be allocated their own transport task force which will combine xak and xap and be dedicated to shipping that particular division now (along with escort vessels).

In a lot of ways moving the divisions will be the easiest, while moving all the support units will be more difficult. Each fighter squadron Identified will have an AKV for transport.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

I generally build the A6M3a the entire game. Range/performance for the IJN ... you just have to have that +12 hex strike range sometimes.

I was, but got burned on it a few times even with acceptable pilots, so stopped.

Ok, I think I am willing to sacrifice a little escort range for better fighter performance.

The A6M5 does OK, and some of the Jack/George models can go out to 10 or 11 hexes. Once you get to the Frances, your torpedo planes don't outrange your fighters so much anyway. It requires a shift in posture a bit, but at least in my game I haven't been able to get good 20-hex strikes off with Nells. Or 15-hexes with A6M3a for escorts...

[PaxMondo]

I have never been able to get any 2E bomber to attack any 'hard' naval TF. I know others do it, and it is possible. But I have never gotten the roll yet. I don't even try any more. [:D]

BUT, 15 hex attacks with 2E against ports ... that is completely different. I've been able to get those off quite successfully with both Nettie and Frances and A6M3a works. Losses? Heck yeah. 20 - 40% of the strike package. But we're talking 43/44. If I can take out some AKA/APA/DD/CL/CA, I gladly trade a couple hundred pilots and aircraft. After mid-42 I can replace pilots and aircraft with relative ease. Without escort though, either the raid doesn't fly, or it won't penetrate. For the cost of 50 - 100 fighters, I can make the allies pay for coming too close without the Deathstar in proximity. [;)]

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

I have never been able to get any 2E bomber to attack any 'hard' naval TF. I know others do it, and it is possible. But I have never gotten the roll yet. I don't even try any more. [:D]

BUT, 15 hex attacks with 2E against ports ... that is completely different. I've been able to get those off quite successfully with both Nettie and Frances and A6M3a works. Losses? Heck yeah. 20 - 40% of the strike package. But we're talking 43/44. If I can take out some AKA/APA/DD/CL/CA, I gladly trade a couple hundred pilots and aircraft. After mid-42 I can replace pilots and aircraft with relative ease. Without escort though, either the raid doesn't fly, or it won't penetrate. For the cost of 50 - 100 fighters, I can make the allies pay for coming too close without the Deathstar in proximity. [;)]

I don't consider a couple hundred aircraft for a handful of ships worth it [:'(].

[Lowpe]

Here we are in India...Jocke did not attack with his 40,000 troops and neither did I.

Better recon shows we have a parity of men, as I have 40K there too, but I do have 2000 guns a decided advantage over the Commonwealth.

Jocke sweeps and does well against my fighters protecting the base not surprising since I elected to LRCAP only. My bombers hit the troops to the south, two out of three units move north and join the Commonwealth group.

Forts are now at level 2.

I have two divisions plus tanks and AA heading west in an attempt to close off Jocke's spearhead.

One of the difficult aspects of this mod is understanding the improved AA. I would love to close Calcutta, but the losses to flak are simply prohibitive and so disrupt the aim of the bombers...this gives the Allies a huge advantage that I am not sure on how to counter.

I realize the more effective AA will be a boon to me, but somehow I doubt I can stack enough of it in one hex to make bombing runs ineffective. We shall see.

[SqzMyLemon]

Excellent news that you weren't attacked and forts are now level two, everything helps. The only thing I would worry about is the Allied occupied hex where your two divisions and armour will arrive. You'll have to attack to clear the hex, and that could give Jocke time to withdraw from the base and catch your two divisions in the clear with no forts and possibly rout them.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: SqzMyLemon

Excellent news that you weren't attacked and forts are now level two, everything helps. The only thing I would worry about is the Allied occupied hex where your two divisions and armour will arrive. You'll have to attack to clear the hex, and that could give Jocke time to withdraw from the base and catch your two divisions in the clear with no forts and possibly rout them.

That is a concern, especially with the great roads.

I took a risk and flew in two squadrons of fighters, both flying very low CAP, Oscars at 3K and Zeroes at 10K. If I can get his P38s to fight down low I win or if his bombers come first...plus I use an 80/20 ratio CAP/Rest so to put up a spirited defense against the first wave and be worn out very quickly. I will rely upon the AA present to protect the troops.

Looking forward to the Noumea offensive...The KB is heading back to Rabaul and is under a generous amount of land base naval search which makes me feel much better. I have a nice trap in the planning in the Bay of Bengal.

[Lowpe]

Dateline: Asansol![X(]

Better recon puts the Allied horde at over 78,000 men; 1000 guns and afvs. Oh my! [X(] Actually, I thought it was almost that large.

During the day, the P40s' come screaming in at 20K. This time, this day, our CAP is low, so low the soldiers can read the tail markings. A Sentai of Oscars are patrolling, doing figure eights at 4K. This is the new model, the IIa. Faster, not as nimble, but oh so sweet for July. The high CAP, (high), is the venerable A6M2 doing loops at the astonishingly high altitude of 10,000 feet. Where oh, where are the Tojo IIa's you may ask?

The answer, is classified. Well, there is only one Sentai of them.[:(] At least in this theater. Another is in the Pacific Northwest.

Two sentai, that is all. No radar. The warning is only 4 minutes, but the squadrons are at an incredibly high rate of readiness, 80 percent while 20 percent are stood down.

The P40's dive, but my goodness, we are nimble. So very nimble.

Later during the day, after two sweeps, the Blenheims come in. Transporting supplies, hm.... what does that tell you, and the Oscars and Zeroes are still there. Still there.[:)]

And as twilight approaches, neither side attacks. No deliberate attack. No bombardment attack. The 8th Tank Regiment rumbles across the bridge, expecting battle, ready to rush into the lines. A firegroup. But they are not needed today.

Tomorrow, however, who knows? But the forts get a little deeper, a little stronger. The 17th Independent Guards Regiment will arrive tomorrow....5000 veterans well equipped and supplied. Will the attack come then?

Meanwhile, the IJA is content to play in the air. An attritional fight that we have been waiting for. [:)] Will the Allies continue to play? The artillery is content at digging in, awaiting a devastating counter battery fire.

I suspect the Hurricanes will show up tomorrow, along with what else?

[Lowpe]

Dateline West Coast. The Pacific North West. Our reign of terror bombing continues.

20,000 Allied troops are at Prince Rupert. They get bombarded by battleships every now and again.

[Lowpe]

Noumea, it is low hanging fruit currently.

Not originally part of my plans, but then again, I don't dare risk a Midway here. This is initially a job for Destroyers and Cruisers.

I suspect Jocke has created a Deathstar, and my guess it was yesterday at Sydney. Our plan is to rush in with cruisers and destroyers and APDs and grab three bases. The Mavis, Emilies and Jakes will arrive the following day for some good naval search patrols.

Then we will assess and move from a position of knowledge towards the goal of securing Noumea and her 400 VP.

But, we want no carrier engagement. No Midway. This is a problematical time, a narrow window of opportunity for the Allies, where Japanese fighters are obsolete. In another month, the KB will have the A6M3a and A6M5. But now, we have the A6M2 and the Shokaku and her sister are undergoing upgrades. The Junyo is detached on special mission. The Allies could have carrier superiority, and Noumea is simply not worth risking the KB for at this juncture.

Bigger plans await.

[Lowpe]

Over in India, we are bombing, from a high altitude, his horde of troops at Asansol. Flak will be fierce. Draining his supplies I hope any disruption is a bonus. Fresh Zeroes are providing CAP, and more land reinforcements should make the base bolstering the defense.

Hurricanes and P38s today, I suspect.

Loading troops into Fast transport for the Noumea operation. Rufe's will be making their first combat experience of the war in this operation.[:)] I like the Rufe.

Helen IIa will start production on the morrow. Not a hugely important plane, but welcome.

The A6M5 should advance another month, it will start production in August, along with the A6M3a. The Kawasaki engine advanced a month...for the Tony. Hard to see how I will get the Tony anymore than 1-2 months early, but later versions should come quicker.

Graduated my first group of LowN pilots, have several squadrons training Army pilots in NavB for the Lilly IIb. Hope to get her two months early to help with protecting the SRA/Burma/New Guinea fronts.

[Lowpe]

A look at the Air War front...

[Lowpe]

More fighters for goodness sake...

[Lowpe]

Even more...so you can see Japan matches up very well in the fighter race so far.

[Lowpe]

No surprises here...heavy attritional dogfights. This is exactly what I am trying to accomplish. 4 Hurricane sweeps, and 1 P38 sweep. Very happy.[:)]

Two Sentai on CAP, 80/20 CAP/Rest, one at 10K, the other at 6K.

[Lowpe]

Over Asansol, flak was tough and I lost quite a few bombers. Identified the Allied divisions:

6th & 7th Aussie Divisions
18th British
70th British


Didn't even scratch the paint on a tank. But he did consume supplies. I was flying at 15k to 20K. Flak is tough![:(]

Very pleased with my fighter performance for the day![:)]



Lost two Nicks strafing the trapped forces at Ledo...trying to eat up their supplies. They don't fire at higher altitudes.

[Lowpe]

Indian Adventures...neither of us is willing to attack or bombard in Asansol. Funny.

[Lowpe]

With hex ownership.

[Lowpe]

I stood my fighters down in India. I have more fighters I could send to Asansol, but I want Jocke to think that he has hurt me with his sweeps...the troops will rely upon AA for protection, but I doubt he will bomb.

I am also interested in seeing what he does as my force designed to cut off his retreat and isolate his forces at Asansol can now be clearly seen. Need to be careful they don't get caught by his 80K.

Also worried about the shipping enroute to Chitt. Search is up; screens are out.

Noumea forces steaming towards destiny.

KB to Rabaul for replenishment.