Matrix Games Forums

JANUARY 28th and 29th

Northern Oz:
The KB has retreated back around to the north, and bombed Port Hedland airfield along the way. I have 2 Buffalo sqdns there and they took some more little chunks out of his air wings. I also have BFs with radar there, so I was able to detect early and get nearly my entire fighter contingent in the air to meet him. He flew again with a small escort, so my fighters were able to slog past his to the bombers and rack up some kills. Plus I have a couple AA units liberated from Malaya and Manila that added to the kill totals. The numbers of bombers flying these attacks also seems to be dwindling, so I am definitely taking a toll on his numbers.
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Afternoon Air attack on Port Hedland , at 57,129

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 51 minutes ...some nice early detection here.

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
B5N2 Kate x 73
D3A1 Val x 60

Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 28

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed, 12 damaged
D3A1 Val: 5 destroyed, 24 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Buffalo I: 5 destroyed

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 11
----------------------------------------------------------------

In other NOz news... Derby fell.

Port Blair:
His retreat continues back through the Malacca Straits. I'm hoping he runs over the SS Trusty and takes a few more losses with those troops on board. The Baby KB hit the airfield at Sabang. I onoly have Dutch float planes there at the moment, so no big deal. I've retreated every unit from central and northern Sumatra to Sabang, and rebuilt the base force there. If Rob gives me enough time, I will build up the airfield and stick some bombers/fighters there. I did this last game, though in that case I also added 2 experienced Bdes which forced him to bring more than a division to oust me. Again, buying me more time to do stuff in India... like build up Akyab and Chittagong, and reinforce Port Blair. I doubt I will put those Bdes there again this time around, as I'd rather keep them for either Port Blair or my future offensives in Burma.

Batavia:
I've emptied the base and fled my units back to Bandoeng. The IJA is still moving from Merak to Batavia, but it's slow going as there is no road or rail connecting them directly. When he captures it, I will hit the port and airfield facilities... and possibly the refineries and industry.

JANUARY 30th and 31st

Northern Oz:
Broome was invaded. Port Hedland continues to get its airstrip and port hammered by the KB and a 2xBB bombardment force. However, I've got several base forces and an EAB unit there, so by morning, the airfield is pristine! I had also noticed Rob had increased his escort to combat the 30 or so Buffalos I have there. High escort numbers mean low CAP number. So here was the plan:

I moved both Buffalo sqdns to Broome, hoping they would escort the Hudsons there against the invasion force that landed. I then emptied Port Hedland of all but a partial Catalina group, and the Vildebeest TBs I evacuated from Hong Kong (5). From Perth, using drop tanks, I was able to bring in 50xP40s and about 26 Banshee DBs. After setting the P40s on 10% CAP, I was hoping that I would get to watch 40 or so of them escorting 26 Banshee DBs and 5 Vildebeest TBs against a tired KB with a low CAP.

That's not what happened.

Instead I get 5 TBs escorted by 25 P40s fly against the BB force just outside Port Hedland (no hits, just 3 dead Vildebeests). Then I get about 15 P40s escort 12 Banshee DBs against the KB... who only had 12 Zeros on CAP. [X(] [:(]

8 of the Banshees got through and flew in 2 4xplane attacks against the CV Akagi and the CV Shokaku. No hits. Man... just brutal luck this turn.

Java:
Batavia fell today. I had emptied the base the day before, and this has really surprised Rob. Let me explain WHY I did this...

The way Java is set up, there are way too many potential amphibious landings to defend. No JFB in his right mind would land directly at Soerabaja, Tjilitjap, or Batavia. They always land at the empty, or nearly empty bases nearby and unload in peace, without CD guns blazing away at them. Also, they never land at just one base... it's usually 2 or 3 different simultaneous landings, and sometimes more follow up landings. Buitizong(sp?), Kragen, Merak, and Semarang are all popular choices. The landing at Kragen or Semarang can quickly cut off one half of Java from the other, leaving a poorly equipped and trained Dutch Army split in two and easily defeated.

So here is my strategy that I'm trying in this game...

Bandoeng is one of only two bases on the entire island of Java that cannot be hit by naval bombardments. Bandoeng is in a mountainous/jungle hex and thus VERY defensible, the other is only in a rough/jungle hex... also very defensible but not as good as a jungle/mountainous hex. I could potentially build a little mountain fortress for myself. Now I don't take every Dutch unit on the first turn and send them marching for Bandoeng, that would be foolish. I do however, start them prepping for it. I take all INF units and march them or strat-rail them to Bandoeng. I also take all the little scattered base forces and check their unit organization, then send them to Batavia or Soerabaja to rebuild them into North Java Base Force and South Java Base force. I will send the North Base force into Bandoeng, along with the Tjilitjap BF to begin building forts and getting the airfield up to 4-5. That is the one drawback, that the airfield is only a 3 (3). Lastly, I use the supply request to suck ALL extra supply to Bandoeng.

As soon as a major base like Batavia or Soerabaja is captured, I will use all the Dutch bombers to try and reduce the industry to rubble before he can get fighters on CAP.

When the landings begin at Java, I start packing up the nearest units and send them to Bandoeng. I hope to tie down at least 2+ divisions this way, and hopefully for a few weeks or more. I've added a pic to give you a better idea of what I'm trying to do.

Feel free to comment/critique this strategy.

FEBRUARY 1st, 2nd and 3rd

Overall:
Quiet couple days in terms of major or important engagements. Bombing continues at Manila, and in a couple pockets in China and has picked up at Sabang. No sign of either KB or the Baby. I'm sure the KB needed rearm/resupply and some replacement airframes and probably pilots as well. My wonder is where she will show up next. Will she come in to support the Battle for Java? Or will she lead a thrust into the SOPAC/SWPAC? I'm sure I'll find out in a few days.

I've been receiving a number of reinforcements lately and have several more on the way in the next 2 weeks. The Americal Division finished railing to San Diego from the East Coast, and I bought out the 1 odd (R) command unit, then rebuilt the division and it's now on it's way to Noumea in a larger convoy that will stop at Suva first. I've also sent 6 USMC air units that will be spread between Pago Pago, Suva and Noumea. I have a number of support and defensive LCUs at Suva that are tagged for Noumea, but I will wait for the Americal to arrive. No sense putting them on Noumea only to see a huge IJA invasion fleet arrive right before the Americal does, thus losing several valuable base forces and CD/AA units. I've had that happen in more than 1 PBEM, where the KB and invasion fleets popped up on search, 2 days from Noumea when I had an entire division + air units 2 days out.

FEBRUARY 4th, 5th and 6th

Overall:
More of the same. Like WITP and UV before, AE turns churn on in fits and starts breaking up periods of relative quiet.

So, here are some pics of my info screens so far:

INTEL SCREEN

AIR FRAME POOLS

IJN WAR SHIPS "ALLEGEDLY" SUNK

ALLIED WAR SHIPS SUNK

AIR FRAME LOSSES

FEBRUARY 7th

DEI:
More small invasions... more small bases fall.

And more surprises for Rob as he finds bases empty that normally aren't. Medan on the east coast of Sumatra he found empty. There are a few good units there, including a nice CD gun unit. I've long since packed them all up and railed them to the exteme north tip of the island at the Dutch base Sabang. Sallies have been bombing it repeatedly lately, and the airfield is pretty beat up (over 50 damage in both airfield and service). If he ever stops for a few days and allows me to fix it, I will absolutely fly in either a couple Hurricane Sqdns or maybe a P40 sqdn to help defend it. And if he doesn't take it within the next month or so, it will get further garrison reinforcements as well.

He's also landed at 2 more spots on Java, Buitenzorg and Kaladjati. Both were empty. He's also found my mountain fortress at Bandoeng and told me he sees 26 units there. Didn't think there were that many, but there are a large amount.

SWPAC:
Rob landed a very small group of units at Horn Island/Thursday Island, near Port Moresby. It's the little base that guards the SE corner of the sea passage between Guinea and Oz. He may have not brought enough troops as their first attack was made at a modified 1 AV vs. my 17 or so AV. I've also got 2 CVs in the area that will pay him a visit tomorrow morning hopefully. Any chance for my USN air crews to practice Naval bombing! I thought I saw a CA in the invasion TF, too...

PEARL HARBOR and US WEST COAST:
I've finally got a large number of tranports (40+ each at PH and SF/SD) based at both of these places... and that is after I sent several large convoys full of troops and air units out to various destinations in CENTPAC/SOPAC/SWPAC. I also put together a CS:convoy to start shipping 60k supply to Pearl Harbor. this is the second such convoy. I also need to get a few more xAKLs to Pearl Harbor so I can begin to supply all these little atolls that seem to be running out of supply one after the other. I feel a bit like I'm playing whack-a-mole with them. As soon as I supply Johnston Is., Palmyra gets a red exclamation point that it's very low on supply... so I send one to Palmyra, and then Midway pops up. Speaking of Midway, I've got 2 small xAKs and 2 small TKs in 2 seperate convoys now, running supply and fuel to Midway. There is also an AS. I will be making this a sub base for the subs that I station in and around the Japanese Home Islands and Korea. It should save 3-5 days sailing in either direction over basing them at PH... and that means 6-10 extra days on station.

China:
With the addition of 4 more divisions, the IJA finally kicked me out of Tsiatso, the dot base just north of Loyang and Chengchow. I probably should have added a couple more corps to reinforce it, as now he should easily be able to evict me from both of those bases to the south. They are both in clear/farmland hexes and not very defensible, especially for the Chinese. In contrast, Tsiatso was wooded/rough and very defensible. Now I have to worry about encirclement for the troops to the south.

FEBRUARY 8th and 9th

DEI:
Rob is sweeping over Bandoeng with great success. The Dutch fighters are getting torn to pieces. I can't keep up with this.

China:
Ditto the situation in DEI. Sweeps are tearing even the AVG up. I'm nearly out of air frames in both 2nd and 3rd sqdns, stationed at Changsha. The 1st Sqdn is in Calcutta and refusing to upgrade to P40Es, despite a level 7 airfield and well over 50k supply and an Air HQ present.

SWPAC Invasion:
I've been expecting this for a while, but Rob has finally gotten around to moving into the SWPAC. Units marched from Lae to Salamaua and Wau and captured both empty bases. I marched all the Aussie Ind/Co units to PM on the first day, and they arrived a few weeks ago, so other than Port Moresby, there is nothing left on New Guinea that is allied.

He's got a couple BBs leading an invasion force toward Buna. It will land tomorrow. I have 2 USN CVs (Enterprise and Yorktown) that are going to attempt to strike that invasion. I had them sailing into Rabaul about a week ago to strike at several CAs and transports that were unloading there, but they left the turn before I could arrive. So I sent them down to hover south of Milne Bay (Gili Gili), because I started to see signs of more invasions coming to the area.

Last turn, the KB struck Horn Island from the west. This is the base he invaded 2 days ago, but had trouble conquering. I never saw the KB itself, but the red line was rather long and extended to an area that is at least 2 days sail from my CVs. This will give me a small window (hopefully!) to dart in, strike the invasion, then flank speed away. I've attached a screen cap of the current situation.

FEBRUARY 10th and 11th

SWPAC Invasion:
With the KB bearing down on me, I struck against what I'd hoped to be an invasion TF carrying troops to Buna. Unfortunately, the TF hovered right near Finschafen and was apparently empty. Still, I was able to heavily damage a good number of his transports, and cause him some grief. No reported sinkings, but I'm positive some will soon if not already. Most importantly, I was able to escape without a scratch.

The reason I felt confident about this, even though I was counting hexes to estimate where the KB would be each turn, was two-fold. 1.) Rob has two slower CVE/CVLs with the KB to replace what I'm hoping is the permanent loss of the CV Hiryu. Secondly, Rob pretty much never uses full speed with the KB because of all the SYS damage it causes. And even if he did, my ships are faster. I just wish I had those other 2 CVs available right now, as I could be hitting TFs I see in the DEI while he chases me around New Guinea.

With these recent invasions, PM is definitely threatened. At Aden, I am currently loading up the Aussie 7th Division onto the xAP West Point and xAP Aquitania, two very large troop transports, who both top out at 24 knots. I'm hoping they can get the 7th down and around Oz and up to PM before he invades, but I seriously doubt my chances. A few xAKs will pick up the remaining motorized support and whatnot that gets left behind and sail them at regular speed to join up later.

Good news, I get the CV Yorktown in 3 days. I will leave her at PH, incase Rob starts some action in the Aleutians (which he did last turn) or tries to invade some nearby atolls. Mostly, I will wait for the CV Wasp to arrive in 3 months.

FEBRUARY 12th through 16th

A bit of a lull in major action. Rob has been quiet everywhere for the most part. I'm sure he's reorganizing his forces and naval assets for the next wave of expansion, though I'm not quite sure where he's headed. The only base of note to fall has been Sabang on the tip of northern Sumatra. I was able to hold this base for quite a long while last game, and reinforce it well. Rob remembered that and threw an entire division, plus 2 tank regs, plus artillery at it, and lead his first deliberate attack with a multiple BB bombardment. The Dutch were routed in a single attack.

Other than organizing my own defensive lines, I am looking forward to March 1st. I receive a TON of new reinforcements, including large base forces and AV support arriving in Sydney, numerous assorted LCUs and ENG units in India, as well as a large contingent of USMC air units. I have several large LCUs, including 3 USA divisions at San Fran that I would really like to purchase, but I'm really low in PPs at this point, and building them up to the required purchase price (approx. 1,600 PP for each Div.) is very slow going. At this point, SOPAC could use another division to reinforce Luganville/Efate (Americal is due in Noumea in about a week or so), and I could probably use 2 divisions for SWPAC... one for Port Moresby, 1 to help evict the Japanese from northern Oz.

The Aussie 6th Division is about 3-5 days ouside of Perth. The original plan was to unload there and then strat rail the 6th to Alice Springs, where it would start marching north to begin the counter-offensive via land. Now, I'm thinking about re-routing to Port Moresby as there is no way that the 7th will make it in time (it left today from Aden on 2 large, fast xAPs). It might be faster for the 6th to actually unload, strat rail to Sydney, then reload onto ships there and head to PM.

Burma:
Rob has stalled after capturing Pegu. He sees the large stack I have in Rangoon, so I'm sure he's waiting for reinforcements. He brought 2 Toyal Thai Divisions and a Tank Reg, but that may not be enough. Anything that will stall him, is a win for me. I'm bringing in Blenheim IVs to Rangoon to start bombing his positions along with the 4 units of B17s out of Calcutta that started hitting him a few days ago.

FEBRUARY 17th through 20th

Continued lulls. Nothing really to report other than a couple minor empty bases falling. Rob has established complete air superiority over China as well as the DEI. Daily sweeps have gutted the Dutch airforce of airframes. We started receiving Dutch Hurricanes at the start of February, but they arrive at a painfully slow replacement rate. I am starting to build up the SOPAC fairly well.

SOPAC:
A large convoy carrying a ton of stuff for Noumea will leave shortly. Just waiting on the Americal Division to arrive at Suva. I've also got a couple Base Forces prepping for Luganville. They will go as soon as I can get a Regiment of INF there to protect them. I may use the one from the USMC 2nd Division, but I would need to buy it out of restricted command and ship it from San Diego. I've only got about 350PP at the moment, and it costs over 600. A few New Zealander units (1 Inf BDE, a base force and a pioneer bn) all arrive at Auckland shortly, they will head to Efate. I've got plenty of air at Suva and on currently shipping there, so I can fill those bases up as soon as the base forces begin to unload. I am hoping for about 2-3 weeks to be completely up and operational in the Noumea/Efate/Luganville area.

USN CVs:
USN CVs have arrived at Capetown. The repair yard there is only 80. Perhaps I should have sent them to US West Coast? I have the BC Repulse, the CV Lexington, the CV Saratoga, 2 Northhampton-class CAs, and a couple DDs that need shipyard to compelete repairs. Needless to say, I can't fit them all at one time. Thankfully, most are rather low in ENG/FLT damage, and simply have large (30-50) SYS damage, including weapons systems that need replaced, which I can repair at pierside. So they will be rotating in and out so that all will be repairing at least something.

FEBRUARY 21st through 25th

SWPAC:
Action has heated up here over the past few days. Rob parked a few troop-laden convoys just off Finschafen. I figured Buna was his target, so I moved in a large CA/CL/DD surface force I had been keeping at Townsville for just this occasion. I was able to swoop in and surprise the invasion force before any boots hit soil. His 1 large screen ship, the CL Kiso, was hit very hard early on and did well to keep my large surface force from parts of the main body. I was able to sink a few (1 during the engagement, 2 more the next day), and set many ablaze, but I figure at least half escaped with minor or no damage. This was very disappointing... but not half as disappointed as Rob is in the search routines for AE. He's getting pretty ticked that I'm able to keep darting in and out and he never sees me until the engagement itself. This is the 2nd time I've done this in the area. The first was with my 2 CVs 2 weeks ago, then with this surface force.

Now that the KB is here, I don't see much I can do to stop it if he wants Port Moresby and the nearby bases like Milne Bay and Buna.

For the engagement itself, it was a little odd, but par for the course for this game I guess. For some reason, even though my ships were able to close to 2000 yards, the whole IJN task force managed to escape right after closing to 2000 yards. I'm guessing it was just counting the CL Kiso, and the rest of the transports and main body had been running for a while. Still, despite the fact that I killed a number of his troops, I'm disappointed it wasn't many more, as I had their force outgunned, outnumbered, and surprised. It seemed like a WITP surface battle where all your ships concentrate on just a couple screen ships while the main objective (the transports) escape nearly unscratched.

Here is the engagement:
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Buna at 99,129, Range 13,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Kiso, Shell hits 28, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Kamikaze
DD Okikaze
xAK Amagisan Maru
xAK Tokai Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Hiyoshi Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Senyo Maru
xAK Muroran Maru
xAK Syokyu Maru
xAK Unyo Maru
xAK Tensin Maru
xAK Tempei Maru
xAK Mitu Maru, Shell hits 2, on fire
xAK Syunko Maru, Shell hits 4
xAK Kyosei Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAK Nagisan Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAK Yosida Maru #3
xAK Yosida Maru #1
xAK Fukoku Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAKL Ina Maru
xAKL Yanagigawa
xAK Kinmo Maru, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Hiyori Maru, Shell hits 2
xAKL Kuramasan Maru
xAKL Naruo Maru
xAP Yoshino Maru
xAP Kanzyu Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire
xAP Montevideo Maru, Shell hits 1
xAP Dairen Maru, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAP Hoten Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
xAP Tsingtao Maru, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Keihuku Maru
xAP Shanghai Maru
xAP Ukishima Maru, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PB Yamahagi Maru #3
PB Tonon Maru, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
PB Mikitade Maru, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 1
CA Australia, Shell hits 2
CL Leander
CL Achilles
CL Java
CL Tromp
CL Perth
CL Hobart
CL Marblehead
CL Boise
DD Barker
DD John D. Edwards
DD John D. Ford
DD Peary
DD Stuart
DD Voyager
DD Vampire
DD Vendetta
DD Van Nes
DD Evertsen
DD Piet Hein
DD Stronghold
DD La Triomphant

Japanese ground losses:
611 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 8 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 64% moonlight: 12,000 yards
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Range closes to 13,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 13,000 yards
Allies open fire on surprised Japanese ships at 13,000 yards
..... (snipped this shorter)
DD Stronghold engages xAK Tokai Maru at 3,000 yards
DD Evertsen engages xAKL Hiyori Maru at 3,000 yards
Range closes to 2,000 yards
CA Australia engages CL Kiso at 2,000 yards
CL Kiso engages CA Pensacola at 2,000 yards
DD Kamikaze engages DD Peary at 2,000 yards
CL Kiso engages CL Hobart at 2,000 yards
Japanese Task Force Manages to Escape
Task forces break off...
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FEBRUARY 26th and 27th

SWPAC:
The KB swung south around the horn at Port Milne and hit a mostly empty supply transport tf I had sent to retreat from Cooktown the day before. Luckily there were only 4 ships and they had already dropped off the USAAF base force and EAB unit at Cooktown. The KB is on a SW heading and may strike Townsville after hitting Port Morseby for 3 days in a row. I've moved in 3 fighter units (about 65 fighters in total - 2 P40E, 1 P39D) along with a Banshee sqd. It would be nice if I could drop a few bombs on one or more of his flattops, but I think that's probably a pipe dream. I also moved the Banshee sqd I pulled out of PM a few turns ago, back in. There looks to be 2 large TFs moving in through the straits west of Port Moresby and I'm guessing that's his invasion force. Hopefully I can get a few hits on them before they make landfall.

Secondly, I've got my 2 CVs swinging wide to the east, near the Solomons. If the KB heads down to Townsville, I may attempt to dart in between Gasmata and Port Moresby to see if I can hit them. It's a big IF. But if the stars align and I pull it off, I will probably send Rob into a conniption fit about his search planes. He confided he has had 2 full Betty Sqdns on mostly search out of Rabaul, but never saw me move in the last couple times. If I can get to Munda without being seen, I could likely reach striking distance in a single night at full sprint, then get out the next turn.

Regardless, the next few turns should be interesting.

Phillippines:
Rob made another deliberate attack that came off at 1:2 and he lost about 2 times as many troops as I did. Im beginning to run out of supply however. I made the mistake of trading a few bombardments with him, and that has drained my supply far more quickly than I was expecting. I think I've got at least another couple weeks until Clark falls. He may have to get more troops. He's got a small force slowly moving north from his landing at Naga. It's currently 2 hexes away from Manila.

Burma:
His offensive has stopped for the time being. Probably waiting for some stuff to hike through the jungle. No way can he take Burma with just 2 RTA divisions and a tank regiment.

Reinforcements:
Got a TON of stuff today. Almost all of it for Oz (primarily base forces and assorted air support) and India/Burma (mixture of ENG units, support and air units).

FEBRUARY 28th through MARCH 2nd

SWPAC:
Well it looks as if my sneaky CV strike is over before it started. Rob has parked the KB in a hex adjacent to Port Moresby, instead of several hexes south, closer to Townsville, as I'd hoped. They are currently hovering just WSW of Lunga in the Solomon Islands.

Rob's invasion force is making very slow headway through the straits on its way to Port Moresby. I expect it to land in the next day or two. I do not see any bombardment forces, though at the rate Rob is hammering the PM air field with the KB, he may not need them as I'll be out of supply and fatigued. I only have maybe 150 AV there, so it should be a pushover if he brings more than a regiment or a few naval guard units.

Phillippines:
Yet another deliberate attack after 3 days of bombardments to rest and reorganize from his last attempt. Again he only gets 1:2 odds, and I end up killing 2100 of his troops while only losing just under 500 of my own. I also took out a large number of his vehicles (74) but only 4 were destroyed, the rest disabled. He's going to need more troops, or this is going to last a long time.

Java:
Nothing other than large daily sweeps by 25+ Oscars that keep me from putting any aircraft in the skies. I do get all the march upgraded airframes for the Dutch, including P40Es, and B25Cs, so once I can get a couple sqdns fully upgraded and air-worthy, I will pop them up on CAP at 70% or so and try and give him a surprise.

New Hebrides:
A large convoy carrying a ComEng unit, an artillery unit, a Port Services unit, and a triumvirate of base forces (1 USAAF, 1 USA, 1 USN base force) are currently unloading at Noumea. A second large convoy carrying the Americal Division and the USN Bobcats ENG unit is a day away. A 3rd large convoy carrying a Tank Regiment, an EAB unit and 3 Kingfisher sqdns will arrive in 2 days. Once they are all unloaded, and I'm guessing about a week for that, Noumea will be ready to go. I've already transferred over 2 fighter sqdns, a DB sqdn, and a Catalina sqdn to provide air support. Once I'm totally unloaded (and have the airfield up to 3+), I will probably add at least a 3rd fighter sqdn and another DB sqdn.

In about a week or 2, I plan to move in 2 base forces (1 USN, 1 USAAF) to Luganville from Suva, along with a port services unit, a USMC INF regiment, and USMC Def Bn... plus an ENG unit or two if I can scrounge them up.

A pioneer ENG unit, a NZ INF Bde and a NZ Base force are currently being loaded at Auckland to head to Efate.

MARCH 3rd through 5th

SWPAC:
Port Moresby fell after two days of deliberate attacks from an INF Division and a Tank Reg. It only took two days because I think Rob forgot to set the division to attack the first day, as a result, he lost like 20-something tanks in a 1:1 battle. Buna also fell to a small invasion force, completing the capture of all allied holdings on New Guinea.

What does this mean? Well, if I want to invade Darwin, or sneak up into the DEI, it has to be done around the south of Australia and up past Perth. Other than that, it's really not that big a deal. Last game he didn't do anything at PM, other than let a INF division kick it on the beach for a few months. He never put air units or air support, nor did he build up the base. Honestly, he didn't do that at ANY SWPAC base except for Rabaul and Lunga. So really, it's just going to be a speed bump. I'm more concerned with northern Oz. Port Hedland is fine, but that's the only base left in the North. Thankfully, it's close enough to support a sea-based invasion of Broome should I decide to go that route (which I might in order to keep his troops from getting fragments rescued).

Finally, the KB is driving SE, deep into the Coral Sea and is nearly between Noumea and Brisbane at the moment. Nothing is in danger, but I am hoping he doesn't bop on over to Noumea to see what's shaking. As I've got 2 convoys still unloading, and one still has a large part of the Americal Division on it. Curse its small port.

MARCH 6th through 9th

Sorry for the delay... real life got in the way for a few days.

SWPAC:
Rob is looking to parlay his Port Moresby victory into an invasion of Cooktown on the NE coast of Oz!! [X(]

I only have a RAAF base force and an EAB unit there building it up. I had a squadron of Air Cobras there that valiantly tried to attack the invasion fleet, but were only able to hit one transport with a bomb. I've moved them to Cairns and set them to 100ft. Naval Attacks. They aren't the most skilled pilots, but lets see how they do on strafe attacks. I've also moved 3 squadrons of Dauntless from the CV Enterprise and Lexington into Townsville and Charter Towers. I would have brought them up to interdict, or at least a good sized surface force, but the KB is sitting about 300 miles off the coast waiting for me to do just that. Townsville has a decent amount of Air support (96) and is a size 4 airfield, so it's where I'm basing most of my air. I'm not sending an escort since a.) the air cobras didn't face any on their attack last turn and b.) I doubt he would commit any more than maybe a single sqdn of zeros. I have 50 P40Es at Townsville on 50% CAP/escort, because I'd rather defend the ships in port at Townsville and possibly attrite some KB pilots. Plus, even with droptanks, it is at the extreme range limit to fly escort all the way to Cooktown.

In the grand scheme of things, Cooktown is a bit of an out of the way base, unattached by major road or rail to the rest of the big cities of Oz. Plus it's within easy striking distance of bases which ARE built up, like Townsville or can be easily, like Cairns and Charter Towers. Actually, I kind of like it as he is wasting time taking a place he couldn't hope to use or defend (simply denying me of using it), when he could be striking deeper into SOPAC, into places he COULD keep and use for a while.

SOPAC:
Everything is completely offloaded at Noumea. A convoy with NZ inf, ENG and base force are about 2 days from Efate. Luganville landing is about a week to 10 days away. After those 3 bases are up and running, my next stop will be to drop a a small INF force and a couple ENG units at Ndeni... and depending on what Rob is doing at the time, and what my recon is showing, and what forces I can muster, I may try to secure Lunga.... but only if I can get, at minimum, a regiment of INF, preferrably 2, plus a USN and USAAF base force.

The longer Rob ignores the SOPAC, the farther north I will creep.

Everywhere else:
Quiet.