Going The Distance: BTS 4.6 MichaelU/lb4269 (A) vs bristolduke (J)

[BBfanboy]

Missed your question earlier:
"As well as spotting carriers off Wake, one of our fleeing xAKs gets hit by Vals flying from Badelboab. Are there are any Vals that are not based on carriers? Or does Vals definitely mean carries in the area? "

In stock Japan has a few land based Val and Kate squadrons on the south Japan coast. I forget whether they are assigned to a restricted HQ or not, but they could be bought out. I think Kates have a pretty good transfer range and could be in Babeldaob early in the game but the Val's might have needed a lift from a ship. Of course, this mod could have played with different starting position of squadrons for the IJN and IJA.

[BBfanboy]

If Marblehead is in a position to go to Soerabaja first, it would likely be better to go down the west coast of Australia to the SY in Melbourne and not be caught limping along in the North Oz pocket when KB inevitably cleans house there. Also, I try to keep Sydney's 30K SY for ships larger than 10K tons rather than tie it up with a bunch of small fry. Your US carriers (save Lex and Sara) really need a place they can go to repair and upgrade if they want to operate down in SOPAC.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

If Marblehead is in a position to go to Soerabaja first, it would likely be better to go down the west coast of Australia to the SY in Melbourne and not be caught limping along in the North Oz pocket when KB inevitably cleans house there. Also, I try to keep Sydney's 30K SY for ships larger than 10K tons rather than tie it up with a bunch of small fry. Your US carriers (save Lex and Sara) really need a place they can go to repair and upgrade if they want to operate down in SOPAC.

Second that. I send cruisers and smaller ships to Auckland, Melbourne and Perth for shipyard repair.

[MichaelU]

I'm wondering whether the Japanese might be hurting for Zeroes. Here's the air losses to date. As you can see it has not been a good war if you are a Zero pilot. 18 of those went down with the Ryujo.

How many Zeroes does Japan produce at this stage of the war. At what point does this rate of losses start to hurt?

[ny59giants]

Japan starts with 120 Zeros per month. I didn't increase my monthly amount.

[BBfanboy]

The Flak losses the Zeroes took indicate a serious misuse of an air superiority fighter ...

[Kitakami]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy
The Flak losses the Zeroes took indicate a serious misuse of an air superiority fighter ...

I concur. It is being used as escort, most likely, instead of as sweeper.

[MichaelU]

The bulk of those were taken on turn 1, when he hit Manila and Singapore hard with strafing attacks. The flak losses over Singapore in particular were brutal.
Still, 120 a month means he is just about keeping up with his losses. Considering he won't be replacing his losses on the Ryujo. [;)]

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: MichaelU

The bulk of those were taken on turn 1, when he hit Manila and Singapore hard with strafing attacks. The flak losses over Singapore in particular were brutal.
Still, 120 a month means he is just about keeping up with his losses. Considering he won't be replacing his losses on the Ryujo. [;)]

Ryujo's air group will return in about three months or four, whether or not he has built a carrier to put them on. Of course they will arrive with partial TOE and rookie pilots until he swaps them out.

[MichaelU]

Quick update on the DEI situation. The below map shows the positions of the various enemy TFs, and what we know about them. Some we have no idea, some we're pretty sure what we are facing.

In terms of proper forces to oppose them, we have whatever aircraft are remaining, a smattering of light cruisers, and the British battlecruisers. The next turn could be one where we are left with only scraps to oppose further advances in the DEI.

[John 3rd]

Just caught up reading the AAR. Well done so far!

Really concur with some of the things you have talked about regarding having Scouting Force available. The Allies can mass a pretty decent Striking Force just about anywhere with this Mod.

Any constructive comments to this point in the game with the Mod?

[MichaelU]

Only been a week, but so far I'm liking the action. While the Japanese get extra goodies, and very nice for them, the Allies get enough extra forces that they can punch somewhere hard. Keeps the Japanese on their toes.

[MichaelU]

In the top ten list of things you least want to see as the Japanese, I imagine this is near to number one. Too tired to post more, but will put up the results tomorrow.

[Kitakami]

ORIGINAL: MichaelU
In the top ten list of things you least want to see as the Japanese, I imagine this is near to number one. Too tired to post more, but will put up the results tomorrow.

Yikes!!!

[ny59giants]

+1

[John 3rd]

+2

CRAP! "Evasive--HARD TO STARBOARD!"

"Little Boys: Get the Big Boys!"

[MichaelU]

Dec 15, 1941

Yikes is correct. I give a little yelp when the picture comes up, and may have used a word that I really shouldn't use in front of the kids.
Then there is a note saying that Ingersoll has crossed the Japanese 'T'. This can't get better, I think.

And the end result? Light damage on a few carries, two dead Allied destroyers and the Repulse heavily damaged. We got owned.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Balikpapan at 65,98, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CVL Karasu, Shell hits 2
CVL Ryukaku
CS Chitose, Shell hits 4, on fire
CS Chiyoda, Shell hits 3
CVL Tokachi
CVL Kushiro, Shell hits 3
DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Oyashio
DD Hatsukaze
DD Natsushio
DD Amatsukaze
DD Hatsuharu

Allied Ships
BC Repulse, Shell hits 4
BC Renown
DD Bulmer
DD Stewart
DD Paul Jones, Shell hits 1
DD Parrott
DD Vendetta, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD John Barry
DD Mayrant
DD Trippe, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk

Not a single hit on the carriers was from one of the big guns. And somehow 4 hits on the Repulse has left her with 38 systems and 12 float damage. What ship on the Japanese side is capable of doing that to a battlecruiser?

To add insult to injury, we then have a daytime engagement, and the BCs score zero hits and take 1.

[MichaelU]

Mystery solved, I watched the replay again, and there was a report that the Repulse had collided with the Vendetta. So it wasn't the Japanese, it was our own side doing the damage. Man, what a mess.

[BBfanboy]

Who was the TF commander and what were his Leadership and Naval skills?

EDIT: never mind naval skills - you can't check them while at sea.

[MakeeLearn]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Who was the TF commander and what were his Leadership and Naval skills?

EDIT: never mind naval skills - you can't check them while at sea.

Mouseover of Commander??