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ORIGINAL: Erkki

If he keeps his units back and refuses to engage, we will have to go to him. We will see if he will fight for Java when its time comes within 2 months. So far, the Dutch air units have seen very little action and he clearly pulled back most of his units on the first week of the war. Stabs like the Brisbane raid should help keeping the Japanese initiative, make him spread his forces and last but not least, force him to fight on our odds while Japanese still have initial superiority. Raids like that will probably be very counter productive from late 42 onwards, just too many risks.

Hi Erkki,

That sums it up right there. In my game with Smeulders, he fought for Java, lost a bunch of Dutch CL's and DD's and I never saw an Allied Fleet again for nine months. Your opponent simply does not like to take losses. He'll only engage you on his terms and as long as his operations are successful he will continue them, if he suffers a moderate setback, that usually entails a complete withdrawal or redeployment out of harms way on his part until he can get the advantage back.

He'll draw a line in the sand somewhere, but on his terms not yours. If you don't threaten his MLR, wherever that may be, he simply will offer you no other targets...period. You'll have to take the fight to your opponent and find what he's willing to fight for.

A note on your Ops losses. I've encountered the same thing. My Ops losses are thru the roof, while the Allies' seem to have hardly any. I think it's a question of airfields, low durability of Japanese aircraft and inexperienced pilots trashing aircraft on a regular basis.

Jan 22nd

Chinese are underpowered and Japan can beat them easily... Be sure!


Ground combat at 84,42 (near Sian)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 104996 troops, 830 guns, 200 vehicles, Assault Value = 3241

Defending force 73201 troops, 361 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1770

Japanese adjusted assault: 1457

Allied adjusted defense: 2920

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
15972 casualties reported
Squads: 63 destroyed, 670 disabled
Non Combat: 34 destroyed, 380 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 52 disabled
Vehicles lost 29 (3 destroyed, 26 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
4925 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 360 disabled
Non Combat: 26 destroyed, 392 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled


Assaulting units:
16th Ind.Mixed Brigade
116th Division
1st Ind.Mixed Brigade
36th Division
6th Ind.Mixed Brigade
34th Division
3rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
13th Tank Regiment
138th Infantry Regiment
110th Division
14th RGC Temp. Division
18th RGC Temp. Division
9th Armored Car Co
35th Division
7th Ind.Mixed Brigade
32nd/A Division
11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
80th Chinese Corps
9th Chinese Corps
98th Chinese Corps
85th Chinese Corps
30th Chinese Corps
38th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Cavalry Corps
3rd Construction Regiment
12th Chinese Corps
93rd Chinese Corps
7th Construction Regiment
4th Chinese Base Force
1st War Area
31st Group Army
24th Group Army
14th Group Army
2nd Group Army
36th Group Army
15th Group Army
10th Chinese Base Force

This turn Allied subs get to fire at my transports 3 times, despite (What I thought were) overkill number of escorts. The same escorts then ignored the attacking sub or failed to find it.

EDIT: regarding that Chinese stack, do you guys think another 900 AV could beat it? The attacking stack is down to 2600 AV but I expect it to rise by at least 200 in 4-5 days. I have 1200 AV in adjacent hex but if I move it, the Chinese can move another 27 units to that hex from Sian.

ORIGINAL: Erkki

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 104996 troops, 830 guns, 200 vehicles, Assault Value = 3241

Defending force 73201 troops, 361 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1770

Japanese adjusted assault: 1457

Allied adjusted defense: 2920

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Looks like a bad roll for you ... or was this in jungle?

84,42 is forest+rough. 900 AV might not be enough. At least don't expect quick success. 

This is the current situation. The KMT units behind my lines are 4 separate Chinese corps without a single non-disabled squad back (or they didnt have when I last had any action with them). They are depleted, and probably been disorganized for weeks now as they havent moved. I have 2,6/3,2 kAV SE of Sian, 1,2 kAV E and about 700 available at 84,42 in 8-9 days, plus 600 more if required but I'd like to have some reserves, too.

Of the 27 units at Sian, 5 are depleted(retreated 5 times by the 1,2 kAV stack to the East), composition of the rest of it is unknown, other than that they have at least 1 base force that my bomber-recon Ki-21s bombed and got shot at by.

Jan 23rd

China: The huge 27-unit stack starts moving from Sian to the wooded hex with 1500-ish AV. 7 units approach from NE, I'm moving my 1,2 kAV in attempt to reduce them before they reach Sian. In the south, the 7 unit 4-corp stack, for some reason, starts retreating back west! It is bombed and looks like its supplies are very low, as we destroy multiple squads and disable about a hundred using just G3Ms and Ki-48s. Japanese regiment opens up the supply route to our pocket, while main bomber force keeps hitting the 29th Corps to the south... After 2 weeks of bombing it seems to finally be out of supply as for the first time we see some destroyed squads. Good news indeed!

Burma: Meiktila falls. We have Imperial Guards Division, a tank battalion and 2 artillery. In Malabalay there sits 29(!!!!!) units! An RAF base force is left behind other units and in strategic move mode gets badly hammered by Japanese. I think it lost everything destroyed but 2 support squads and 1 infantry as disabled. [:D] AVG reappears at Malaybalay, with they escort Blenheims and bomb Japanese troops. Tomorrow I have 15 Zeros, 42 Ki-43s sweeping Malaybalay and 30 Ki-48s escorted by 20-ish Ki-43s bombing the field. I'm hoping to get at least a few of them on the ground.

Tomorrow: First assault at Singapore, 2053 AV vs. 40 defensive units. All British air units seemed to have been pulled back now, probably Batavia. 90 Ki-43s CAP Palembang, there have been too many reports of enemy activity there and I know the field has some bombers.

Day after tomorrow: Horn Island invasion.

Jan 24th

China: our bombers get more success against the 7-corp enemy stacks in the southern front. KMT units keep moving from Sian to the woods...

Burma: No H-81s are set to CAP so our sweeps find nothing, and Ki-48s destroy 2 fighters on the ground and damage some more + Blenheims. [:D] I'll repeat that tomorrow, though I think he'll just fly them out rather than face 80+ Ki-43s.

Singapore: first assault went pretty well.. The destroyed unit is was a fragment of one SNLF(main unit at Palembang, dunno how that happened) with just 3 or 4 support units. I'll wait 5-6 days and attack again. Good news is only 1 regiment was decimated quite badly (strength went from 90/100 to 1/7) while the rest have just 1-2 squads destroyed and max 20% disabled.

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 66721 troops, 579 guns, 245 vehicles, Assault Value = 2082

Defending force 46195 troops, 483 guns, 437 vehicles, Assault Value = 738

Japanese adjusted assault: 1582

Allied adjusted defense: 1375

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
9259 casualties reported
Squads: 155 destroyed, 417 disabled
Non Combat: 157 destroyed, 214 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 42 disabled
Guns lost 33 (8 destroyed, 25 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Allied ground losses:
4774 casualties reported
Squads: 25 destroyed, 176 disabled
Non Combat: 49 destroyed, 520 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 19 disabled
Vehicles lost 70 (12 destroyed, 58 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Assaulting units:
16th Infantry Regiment
33rd Division
56th Engineer Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
12th Engineer Regiment
56th Recon Regiment
42nd Infantry Regiment
5th Recon Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
11th Infantry Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
5th Engineer Regiment
114th Infantry Regiment
21st Infantry Regiment
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
55th Infantry Regiment
I./4th Infantry Bn /1
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
25th Army
56th Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
5th Field Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
1st Manchester Battalion
Singapore Fortress
22nd Australian Brigade
1st Mysore Battalion
2nd Malay Battalion
3rd Cavalry Regiment
2/17 Dogra Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
2nd Loyal Battalion
1st Malay Battalion
11th Indian Division
SSVF Brigade
3/16th Punjab Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
5/2nd Punjab Battalion
109th RN Base Force
AHQ Far East
223 Group RAF
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
30 Battery/3 HAA
11 Battery/3 HAA
110th RAF Adv Base Force
3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment
Malayan Air Wing
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
224 Group RAF
Singapore Base Force
1st ISF Base Force
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
Malaya Army
29 Battery/3 HAA
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
111th RAF Adv Base Force
113th RAF Adv Base Force
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
III Indian Corps
112th RAF Adv Base Force
2nd ISF Base Force
5th Field Regiment

SOPAC: Despite being set to cruise speed, the Horn Island invasion force flank speed warps to its target and unloads only for the last phase. [:@] However that is more than enough, the nearly 300 Japanese AV secure the island losing just 8 squads, of all but one to surf. Defensive units are a base force and some understrength battalion.

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Japanese ground losses:
192 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Allied ground losses:
834 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 34 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2


Assaulting units:
4th/B Div /1
4th/C Div /2

Defending units:
Torres Strait Battalion
Horn Isl Base Force

In the meanwhile, CVL Shoho arrives to Yokohama. Her air groups will immediately resize to use all of the 30 plane capacity, and once her escorts arrive in 2 days(just 1 old destroyer with crap DCs, I know, I know...) she'll head to Truk.

ORIGINAL: Erkki


SOPAC: Despite being set to cruise speed, the Horn Island invasion force flank speed warps to its target and unloads only for the last phase. [:@] However that is more than enough, the nearly 300 Japanese AV secure the island losing just 8 squads, of all but one to surf.

And sometimes luck is on your side!! BANZAI!!!

We have reached January 27th

Going clockwise...

SOPAC: Kido Butai has refitted 100% and is ready for action. Replenishment TF has already moved ahead to island X that shall act as KB's forward deployment anchorage for the coming month at least. Tulagi Invasion is 5 days away from target. Tulagi has been been reconnoitered by IJNAF bombers and found empty, and we have some submarines in place in the case the enemy reinforces the island or interferes with our landings. In this operation, Kido Butai will at least initially stay further back, hopefully hidden, as I dont expect to need it. I'm still keeping my carriers in this area as my land based air is very strong elsewhere and phase 2 invasions of Java, Balikpapan and Timor are still at least 2 weeks away. CVL Shoho is passing Iwo Jima and will arrive to Truk within a week.

Sumatra/Malaya: now 1700AV at Singapore forts 2 I'm moving the hammered inf regiment out and sending in 5 more artillery units. Some units have both disruption and fatigue below 10 already so I expect to be able to do the next shock attack, that has 40-50% chance of getting through(my estimate, lol) in 3 days. At Sumatra my 3 armored units and 3 SNLF infantry units have captured Padang now a week ago and have already secured half of the island. They should be able to destroy the last bits of resistance by the end of February.

Burma: an Allied 31-unit stack is retreating to the North from Mandalay, chased by Imperial Guards and its support units. I'm not sure what this force includes(except a base force and at least 250 AV, but that 250 AV before at Prome was by 11 out of the now 31 units, soo....). Why this force is retreating is a mystery to me, but I'm going to take all the advantage I can and give chase, as tomorrow they'll be over a river making a counter attack unlikely, or at least costly. I hope.

China: tomorrow the 8-unit KMT stack from the North now NE of Sian (map direction) gets hopefully hammered and retreated by 1300 Japanese AV including lots of tanks, in open terrain. Of the 47 KMT units in Sian's immediate proximity 20 are now at Sian and 27, 7 more than week ago, have moved to the rough wood hex sharing it with soon 4000 Japanese AV. I have all units in place and ready to attack again in 10 days... In the south, the 400 AV KMT stack has been cut off for some time now, but today's deliberate attack still got 2x Japanese casualties(my mistake, a 140 AV unit was in reserve mode). Rough wooden hex that too. However lots of the Chinese losses were destroyed squads while none of the Japanese were, so they are in real bad situation, they got disruption and fatigue modifiers too. 60 more AV joins this force tomorrow, so day after tomorrow I'll try if I can retreat the Chinese and push south to Kanhisien! BTW Over 300 japanese bombers hit this hex daily, they usually get approx 30 units disabled 1-2 destroyed.

Home Islands: I have finally managed to stabilize the resource situation... In this scenario its not possible to turn off light industry, meaning that Honshu needs extra 80,000 tons of resources per day! [:'(]

Jan 28th

Ground combat at 84,40 (near Sian)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 38527 troops, 301 guns, 214 vehicles, Assault Value = 1256

Defending force 27284 troops, 147 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 645

Japanese adjusted assault: 999

Allied adjusted defense: 218

Japanese assault odds: 4 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
4016 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 227 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 174 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 20 disabled


Allied ground losses:
10388 casualties reported
Squads: 223 destroyed, 167 disabled
Non Combat: 196 destroyed, 135 disabled
Engineers: 16 destroyed, 16 disabled
Guns lost 5 (4 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 7
Units destroyed 1


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
37th Division
4th Ind.Mixed Brigade
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
15th Tank Regiment
41st Division
12th Tank Regiment
5th Armored Car Co
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
1st Construction Regiment
42nd Chinese Corps
4th Chinese Cavalry Corps
8th Route Army
2nd Construction Regiment
2nd War Area
18th Group Army
12th Chinese Base Force

Pretty good results but on the other hand the survivors are now at Sian. 1st construction regiment was the destroyed unit... The supply(-) is a very good sign as that stack has not been involved in any action before now and it has had clear road connection from Sian since the first turn.

Theres a 7-ship TF with reportedly SCs sailing NW from Batavia. Another Palembang raid? Chokai squadron and 2 smaller SCTFs are readier to meet them.

I have converted some xAKLs into ACMs, moving 4 of them to Truk, I'll need them to tend the planned two 300-mine fields I'm going to lay at Port Moresby and Tulagi.

Next turn: shortlands invasion
2 turns: Singapore round 2, more ground action in China
5 turns: Tulagi invasion

EDIT: Port Blair paratrooper invasion also planned for February 4th. I should have enough transport capacity to fly in close to 100 AV, which should be enough to deal away with the single unit my air recce has spotted there. Probably the <20 AV rifle company it has had since the beginning.

BTW the Allies still keep flying more sorties than the Japanese, and I have pretty much every squad in use... Today it was 3200 vs. 3600 sorties. Allies lost reportedly an Empire flying boat and a B-17E. Is he using B-17s as transports or what? What for and where? [:'(] Probably lost on a transfer flight, I know, but the Allies flying every single day at least 10% more sorties by me in January 42 worries me somewhat.

January 29th

Shortlands invaded

Mandalay falls, Banzai! 2 RAF base forces get mauled very badly(again), they were either in strategic movement or rest/training.

In China 2 KMT corps are destroyed to last man just North of Wuchow. Japanese casualties required to deal away with them were 0 destroyed squads, although it did take the attention of about 2 divisions and nearly 3 weeks.

Submarine I-160 finds the jackpot near Soerebaja:

Sub attack near Pamekasan at 58,106

Japanese Ships
SS I-160, hits 1

Allied Ships
BB Royal Sovereign, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Thanet
DD Tenedos

"Heavy flooding" reported twice, "engine damage" reported after first hit and "heavy damage" after second. I-160 is later mauled badly(15 sys 41 float) by 4 more escort DDs, but this enemy TF does not move from the hex the whole turn! I-160 I dont think will be able to attack any more and she has only 1 torpedo left any way, but I have 2 more subs in the immediate area and 5 more 1,5 to 2 days away, they are ordered to this hex as well as between this hex and Soerebaja. If Royal Sovereign continues to Soerebaja the southern route I will have 2 submarines on her way. If she takes the northern route, she'll have to face 2 subs tomorrow and probably 3 more the day after, as I dont think her cruise speed is 4 hex a phase any more. [:)]

EDIT: the Royal Sovereign TF: I-160 reports it to have 5 ships: 2 BB, 1 CL and 2 DD. We have had visual confirmed contact with 6 different DD and a BB. Its very possible that the Royal Sovereign is not the only BB in the area or even the TF. Is Smeulders trying a Fortress Java? Why else would he have his heavy units in the area?

EDIT2: email to Smeulders:

Turn 55



One USN CV less



nanananana banzai!

January 30th


China:

the 620 vs. 300 shock attack fails again, casualties are even. Gained disruption and fatigue are low, we will repeat the attack tomorrow. KMT units already get (-disruption) modifier, they get bombed by 350 bombers every day too... In the south, Pakhoi falls to the Japanese.

A 10-ship MTB squadron visits Hong Kong... They engage a 1-ship xAK TF first, failing to hit it. Then they face 4 Japanese battleships in a daytime engagement where Japanese ships open fire at 15,000 ft. Didnt end well to the torpedo boats.

Royal Sovereign is missing! The area is flooded with subs that fail to find a single Allied ship. Royal Sovereign is probably disbanded at one of the 3 nearby port-0 base hexes. All subs in position early hours tomorrow.

Solomons: Shortlands secured.

Tomorrow:

Second attack at Singapore, 1850 AV with 650 guns and some tanks vs. max 600 defending AV, forts are 2. Tulagi will also be invaded, and CVL Shoho arrives to Truk, with strong escort of 10 PBs from Truk and a DD.

January 31st

China: we finally rout a nice stack of Chinese and open route to Kanhisien:

Ground combat at 86,58 (near Pucheng)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 19499 troops, 180 guns, 58 vehicles, Assault Value = 567

Defending force 18459 troops, 113 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 345

Japanese adjusted assault: 810

Allied adjusted defense: 130

Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
1252 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 68 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 52 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Allied ground losses:
5267 casualties reported
Squads: 189 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 318 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 14 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 6 (5 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 5


Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
22nd Division
102nd Infantry Regiment
2nd RGC Route Brigade
1st RGC Route Brigade
17th/A Division

Defending units:
28th Chinese Corps
86th Chinese Corps
88th Chinese Corps
3rd War Area
32nd Group Army


Singapore: the second attack goes well, dropping forts from 2 to 0. Next and final attack is planned for February 4th or 5th, ie. as soon as all units have disruption and fatigue below 40. One small engineer unit was destroyed, very light casualties to the Japanese...

Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 62646 troops, 699 guns, 279 vehicles, Assault Value = 1865

Defending force 43116 troops, 481 guns, 426 vehicles, Assault Value = 636

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 1607

Allied adjusted defense: 761

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

Japanese Assault reduces fortifications to 0

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
6001 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 211 disabled
Non Combat: 68 destroyed, 273 disabled
Engineers: 40 destroyed, 48 disabled
Guns lost 5 (3 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 64 (1 destroyed, 63 disabled)
Units destroyed 1


Allied ground losses:
4140 casualties reported
Squads: 107 destroyed, 75 disabled
Non Combat: 108 destroyed, 245 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 15 disabled
Vehicles lost 88 (16 destroyed, 72 disabled)


Assaulting units:
56th Engineer Regiment
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
11th Infantry Regiment
56th Recon Regiment
21st Infantry Regiment
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
55th Infantry Regiment
5th Recon Regiment
1st Tank Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
5th Engineer Regiment
12th Engineer Regiment
33rd Division
42nd Infantry Regiment
148th Infantry Regiment
113th Infantry Regiment
41st Infantry Regiment
114th Infantry Regiment
56th Infantry Regiment
24th Infantry Regiment
5th Mortar Battalion
56th Field Artillery Regiment
18th Mountain Gun Regiment
25th Army
1st RF Gun Battalion
3rd Mortar Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
5th Field Artillery Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
2nd Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
3/16th Punjab Battalion
1st Malay Battalion
2nd Malay Battalion
27th Australian Brigade
22nd Australian Brigade
SSVF Brigade
Singapore Fortress
11th Indian Division
2/17 Dogra Battalion
2nd Gordons Battalion
3rd Cavalry Regiment
2nd Loyal Battalion
1st Mysore Battalion
5/2nd Punjab Battalion
110th RAF Adv Base Force
224 Group RAF
III Indian Corps
1st ISF Base Force
24th NZ Pioneer Coy
272/273rd Bty 80th AT Gun Regiment
Singapore Base Force
29 Battery/3 HAA
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
109th RN Base Force
Malayan Air Wing
223 Group RAF
113th RAF Adv Base Force
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
3rd HK&S Light AA Regiment
30 Battery/3 HAA
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
Malaya Army
2nd ISF Base Force
112th RAF Adv Base Force
11 Battery/3 HAA
111th RAF Adv Base Force
1st HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
AHQ Far East
5th Field Regiment

Java: Japanese submarines surround Soerebaja, every escape route for Royal Sovereign has at least 5 subs. Today we flew a Ki-46 unit and some G3M2s and Zeros to Palembang. If aerial recce spots a battleship at Soerebaja or some of the nearby bases, we will bomb the port - with some luck she'll receive a 800kg AP hit or 2. [:)]

Solomons: Tulagi invaded, no enemy units present.

2 days to Port Blair invasion
4-5 days to Singapore round 3 and Sian round 2(this time with 5200 AV instead of 3200)

A 10-ship MTB squadron visits Hong Kong... They engage a 1-ship xAK TF first, failing to hit it. Then they face 4 Japanese battleships in a daytime engagement where Japanese ships open fire at 15,000 ft.

A lot of battlewagons for what is now a rear area for the Japanese Empire. Did you mean feet or yards?

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

A 10-ship MTB squadron visits Hong Kong... They engage a 1-ship xAK TF first, failing to hit it. Then they face 4 Japanese battleships in a daytime engagement where Japanese ships open fire at 15,000 ft.

A lot of battlewagons for what is now a rear area for the Japanese Empire. Did you mean feet or yards?

Whichever is the naval combat at, feet or yards? [:D]

Not much work to do for the BBs before Java invasion where the enemy most likely doesn't do a thing and they'll act as floating flak batteries/torpedo magnets any way. [:'(]

February 1st

Tulagi secured, not much else going.

Port Blair invasion delayed by a day: one of the Raiding Regiments needs an extra day to unload from strategic mode.

Royal Sovereign: Ki-46 photographs her docked at Soerebaja, together with 41 other ships. A 6-ship TF of unknown ship types is anchored nearby. Lots of DDs at port too. We have 9 submarines patrolling both escape routes... Tomorrow, if weather permits(clear weather reported and forecasted, good!) 72 G3Ms will bomb Soerebaja's port escorted by 9 Zeros. Palembang's AF is expanded to 5 only tomorrow so I had to fly out all the CAP-Hayabusas, though. Soerebaja's airfield is reported to have only less than a dozen bombers and aux, so we arent expecting resistance. 72 bombers @ 10,000 ft should be able to score some hits, and hopefully some of them fly with the 800kg APs!

Watching with interest! Why exactly are you worried about sorties? The Allies have a LOT of planes from early on. If you put them on training missions and rebase various units, you will get a lot of sorties daily.

ORIGINAL: Graymane

Watching with interest! Why exactly are you worried about sorties? The Allies have a LOT of planes from early on. If you put them on training missions and rebase various units, you will get a lot of sorties daily.

Because I also have every single squad flying daily - and yet the Allies managed just last turn fly 1200 sorties more! [X(] Is he really flying CAP even over West Coast?

ORIGINAL: Erkki

ORIGINAL: Graymane

Watching with interest! Why exactly are you worried about sorties? The Allies have a LOT of planes from early on. If you put them on training missions and rebase various units, you will get a lot of sorties daily.

Because I also have every single squad flying daily - and yet the Allies managed just last turn fly 1200 sorties more! [X(] Is he really flying CAP even over West Coast?

It depends. I fly CAP and build my west coast bases from day 1 =) But then, I role play more than the next guy probably. But even if I don't fly CAP, I'm flying 100% training missions at 0 range. My bet is that is where the sorties are coming from. He is probably trying to train up ASW, Search and Escort. The allies start with very low levels of exp/skill in most squadrons.

When you say you are flying every single squad daily, do you mean 100% for the mission? Are you also taking into account Soviet planes?

What scenario are you guys playing? I'd fire up turn 1 of the allies and see what they have.