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Before I go back to Gibbet, which I will do as I input orders and such, here's a nugget. The Adventures of LCDR Dick O'Kane, dated August 14, 1944. He is leading a small DESRON from the bridge of DD Jenkins.

Messing with Fletchers is dangerous business whether you're a destroyer, cruiser, battleship, aircraft, or sub. Perhaps the only thing in the game that doesn't have a real counter.

ORIGINAL: Sangeli

Messing with Fletchers is dangerous business whether you're a destroyer, cruiser, battleship, aircraft, or sub. Perhaps the only thing in the game that doesn't have a real counter.

Kamikazes do better but still have a rough go of it.

Interesting you put O'Kane on the surface fleet. He is awesome, and you should give him four more Fletchers. [:)]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Operation Hangman - August 15, 1944

The supplement to Gibbet. This one, and its timing, just kind of materialized out of nowhere. I started the march through the jungle in the hopes that the timing would line up, but I couldn't be certain. Then there was the sudden ability to take Chiang Mai and conduct paradrops from there (why he hasn't bombed it again to knock it out of action is beyond me - even if he didn't kill 100 transport planes again).

I love this Op. The timing seems perfect and you've made so much out of those isolated explorers setting off through the jungles. This kind of stuff is so unexplored in the game. So many big ops and concentrated forces, and I like the commando and behind the lines approach that really challenges the opponent to do something that will require troops and resources he'll need elsewhere to stop your main op.

Well conceived and executed! [&o]

PS - I love your master-class tips. I didn't know about being able to scroll around during the night phase with the replay paused. That is useful.

ORIGINAL: obvert

Interesting you put O'Kane on the surface fleet. He is awesome, and you should give him four more Fletchers. [:)]

A while back he was in charge of a few more (I think 6 or 8 or even 11) but lots of them are repairing. His little flotilla needs repairs this time around also, but Biak and Manus should be able to handle it easily. I'll send him out again in a few weeks.

I couldn't let his 91 Naval be "wasted" on a submarine. I would've loved to give him command of a surface fleet, but due to his rank he can only command a destroyer - so I have to transfer Jenkins into the TF last.

He has to be pushing the panic button at Moulmein...in fact all the way back to Lang Son.

Well done!!!

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

He has to be pushing the panic button at Moulmein...in fact all the way back to Lang Son.

Well done!!!

The only thing that surprises me about Moulmein is that it's taken him this long to start moving. Maybe he didn't want a repeat of Burma where he just ceded the territory to me, but he's in actual danger here as I've already got him halfway encircled and am not just advancing on a front with maybe-superior forces.

Got some work to do before I post more updates.

ORIGINAL: obvert

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Operation Hangman - August 15, 1944

The supplement to Gibbet. This one, and its timing, just kind of materialized out of nowhere. I started the march through the jungle in the hopes that the timing would line up, but I couldn't be certain. Then there was the sudden ability to take Chiang Mai and conduct paradrops from there (why he hasn't bombed it again to knock it out of action is beyond me - even if he didn't kill 100 transport planes again).

I love this Op. The timing seems perfect and you've made so much out of those isolated explorers setting off through the jungles. This kind of stuff is so unexplored in the game. So many big ops and concentrated forces, and I like the commando and behind the lines approach that really challenges the opponent to do something that will require troops and resources he'll need elsewhere to stop your main op.

Well conceived and executed! [&o]

PS - I love your master-class tips. I didn't know about being able to scroll around during the night phase with the replay paused. That is useful.

You can actually scroll around the map at any point that the replay has paused, day or night (or even semi-paused: you can do it during search phases but it will bounce back to where it wants to be). It's a bit tricky if you are running 2 monitors, but it can be done if you put your mouse in the right spot at the break between the 2 screens.


As for the sneaky stuff... it just requires patience and a willingness to shrug if it doesn't work, which requires designating some forces as expendable - which changes the calculus into a low risk, high reward kind of thing. I think the payoff for this one is still undetermined, but it has to have him scrambling a little bit at least. I just need to not think "what if he hadn't had that tiny engineer unit marching to Luangprabang on that particular day..."

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Checking back on the unloading at Sabang. Many TFs are completely unloaded. Others of note:

TF 407, the xAKs with supply/fuel only, unloaded from 80172 supplies on 17 ships to 58954 supplies, and from 3207 fuel to 2649 fuel. That's an average unload of 1300 points per xAK. This unloading occurred while we did not hold the base, so it was true amphibious unloading over the beach. Per the manual, xAKs unload at 250 per phase, so the presence of an AGC with a 100% prepped HQm boosted them from 500 points of unload to 1302 points of unload. Not bad. On the upcoming turn I'll be tracking them again now that I own the base. I've left the AGC and HQm there and kept the prep, in the hopes that it will boost unload at a friendly place as well (though I doubt it, a day or so isn't going to make much difference in my plans for the HQm after this).

Both of the LST TFs with AA and supplies onboard unloaded completely in a single phase, but this isn't surprising given that each LST only holds 1750 points of stuff.

Most TFs will begin retiring today.

Hrm.... decisions. I would guess that the CAP is there more to protect the ships than in anticipating a raid on the airfield, although anything is possible. I wonder if he'll try to move them. I'm still deciding if/how to shift my subs that are in the Strait of Malacca over to the other side of the peninsula, but since I have more subs on the way and almost to Sabang now I think I will set up around Singapore and try to bag any of them attempting to leave. Or KB attempting to refuel at Singers.

Singers itself is mined, although clearly without an ACM now (looks like everything else fled already, or is at least in one of the TFs there) and I haven't had success in mining it without a sub getting hit in return.

Looks like this unit took the brunt of the casualties at Sabang. Only this regiment, the Indian Division, and the African Division actually attacked. The 2 Divisions are more or less in perfect shape, but an understrength IJA division beat these guys up.

Time to start prepping for another target...

Operation Gibbet - August 15, 1944

Not done putting in orders yet, but I think I'm just about done over here.

PG Soerabaja hit the very last mine at Sabang. The minefield is completely cleared now.

APA Calvert is disbanded along with PG Soerabaja at Sabang. I think they're relatively safe there for now, but won't be in action for quite a while.

TF 353 encounters mine field at Sabang (44,70)

Allied Ships
AM Advent
AM Heed
YMS BYMS-2205
YMS BYMS-2181
YMS BYMS-2059
PG Soerabaja, Mine hits 1, heavy damage

61 mines cleared

Already posted the results of the KB strikes. Looks like I shot down about half of the strike packages. I'm shifting my southern CVs to the hex that is 3 hexes from Sibolga, and 6 hexes (2x cruising) from where my Sibolga TFs were sitting in case I was going to land them at Sabang. My assumption was that, while I knew he was sending KB right away, he would try to get into a better position. Yes, he can strike from where he positioned himself, and no I did not think of that (even though he's done that sort of thing before). However, I think it was a suboptimal choice in the extreme. I suppose he had the chance to deal more damage to my APAs and such, which would have hurt me in future, but it's not as if he had the chance to drown much in the way of troops - which I suppose he couldn't have known.

More importantly, with where he placed the vast bulk of his CVs (and perhaps all that are available, but I think 3-4 are in another TF...), he's only able to cover the Strait of Malacca. It will take him 2 days to sail down the east coast of Malaysia and then up into the Strait if he wanted to do real damage to me.

His LBA has been weak so far, and striking at the high-DL on the CVs and invasion forces covered by LRCAP. I don't really fear it, especially after shooting down what looked like 50-60 LBA bombers without him landing a single hit in the previous day. I'm taking a risk moving my guys to a hex uncovered by CV air, 5 hexes to the west of Sabang (and some ships may only move 4 hexes), but I think we'll be alright. As a precautionary measure, we are sending Fletchers to bombard Medan. The 2 CAs will hold back and await recon on Taiping and Georgetown airfields. I think he might have some at Taiping, but the only dangerous fields in the area right now are Medan and Singapore. The rest are either small or out of range.

I am concerned about a possible high speed run by surface forces, as my aerial search only covers as far south as Medan on this turn. I'm laying 200+40 mines in 2 fields in the deep water hex with 2 subs in it in the picture, 2 hexes SE of the "Sabang" text. Another 200 mines are being laid at Sabang itself. My British BBs are going to grab a drink from the AOs, while the fast USN BBs move to Sabang.

Lots of pieces on the board now.

Sabang - added all these fighters to the mix, but airfield damage is close to closing the place. This is why we're leaving the CVs adjacent for one more day, and hopefully tomorrow things are in good enough shape that I can leave the hex on its own while I move on.

Assuming these guys are able to fly CAP, then LBA is going to have a really rough time trying to penetrate this hex. I'm anticipating sweeps at this point, too.

If he tries to bomb, things might get nasty.

All 3 divisions are heading out to the SE. The combat engineers will stay for now, helping to fix the airfield.

Still waiting on the next turn.


Forgot to mention that I took Sansapor last turn. Sorong won't be far behind. The troops at Sansapor are prepping for Peleliu now... we've long had some prepped for Babeldaob. We'll see if I ever actually invade, but at this point I'm thinking it more likely that I move that direction now than continuing to the west and south, considering what's going on at Sabang and such.

I don't have any long term designs on the Marianas at the moment. They are well-garrisoned and have been for at least a year, and unless KB is completely out of the picture I have no desire to brawl under several large airfields.

Look at VF35! [X(] One of the reasons why I dislike super sizing your carrier squadrons.

I realize MM has done it a lot, even more than, you...there is enough squadrons and planes without this kind of exploit, imho.

Good win for you I think.[&o]

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Look at VF35! [X(] One of the reasons why I dislike super sizing your carrier squadrons.

I realize MM has done it a lot, even more than, you...there is enough squadrons and planes without this kind of exploit, imho.

Good win for you I think.[&o]

Are there? I'm forced to actually use the FM-2 in a PDU On game if I actually want to use the unit. The limits on the Allied aircraft pools mean I don't have as many size-90 squadrons as I could (not all VF/VMF units have a resize option), although I am using at least one for training at Pearl.

TBs is another story - I have TBM's coming out of my ears, relative to fighters. I'll happily fly the former-CVE units as LBA with 90 planes each, especially if I'm facing size-81 TB and kamikaze units.


But honestly, the biggest advantage to having the 90-plane unit is that it's 90 planes that only take up 1 unit for base administration, which helps a ton in getting CAP up at smaller airfields without overstacking.

Got the turn finally. I have no less than 15 lines of notes of things I need to do or check on for this coming turn, plus whatever happens... each line is basically an item. A handful of them are basically "Load up troops at this place for this other place soon", so the slow pace of the game is killing my patience a little bit. I'm basically just waiting on the final 15 points of prep, so maybe 10 game-days. The timing is unfortunate on those in that it's happening in the midst of all the stuff over by Sumatra, although the action over there looks to be cooling off a bit.

The night phase is anticlimactic, but I notice that he finally has some modicum of escorts for his xAKs/TKs around Hokkaido. That's a shame. We still bag a small TK outside of Wakkanai. I'd like to ramp up the sub presence in this area, but almost all of my boats are tied up elsewhere and only 67 more USN boats arrive throughout the entire rest of the war. I guess the other 85 are British and Soviet (152 remain in the queue), which is disappointing.

This Ctrl-P to pause the replay stuff is super convenient:

Sweeps start. The N1K2 has a lower max altitude than he needs in order to sweep over here. Don't know what altitude he was actually set to.

Since he didn't send in any surface ships (which was unlikely in any case) and did no night bombing, Sabang's AF is open for business and can defend itself. Hopefully this is the case every day going forward. Today's CAP is fairly robust, although the Hellcats are from the CVs nearby.