The Power of Inexperience / GreyJoy(A)-Rader(J)

[Erkki]

ORIGINAL: terje439

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
The Saratoga has 30 fld damage and she'll now limping back to PH chased down by what seems to be the whole japanese sub fleet (remember that he retired every single sub from karachi after my final victory on the aerial ASW battle fought there).

Some of the others will have to chip in here;
-does CV airgroups train while in dock? If so this would eb a good time to get some of your permanent "carrier capable" squadrons upgraded to "carrier trained".

Terje

Yes they do train, towards carrier trained as well as skills. Both docked and disbanded.

[GreyJoy]

August 30,31 1942

Bad weather over northern India prevented any japanese real aerial activity.
We've now in line the first 32 spitfire MkVIII! Really looking forward to see how they perform.
Tomorrow we should be able to put into the Karachi meatigrinder 32 spits, 32 Hurri MkIIa, 20 Hurri MkIIb, 32 Hurri MkIIc, 40 P-38s, 40 P-40s, 30 P.39s, 16 Buffaloes and 16 Mohawks. I know it's not much but it's the best i can do... All my pilots are very experienced and most of them are well above 70/60 (air-def skills).
We'll CAP at different altitudes (between 9k and 30k) with every group at 20% rest and 40 CAP.
Tomorrow will also start the P-40K production (65 x month!!)

Rader has moved a strong naval TF (don't know if it'0s the KB...bad weather and bad recon for me) at the usual attacking position 3 hexes north of Surat. I'm ready to welcome him (all my subs are in position and i still have a SCTF at Karachi composed of 1CLs and 2 DDs).

Japanese armoured stacks are advancing fast towards Jodpur, while he has already estabilished new fighter bases. Will try to hit them untill they are voulnerable (1 AF level) so to give some breath to my fighters at Karachi.

Supplies keep on following at Karachi with a good rate. (5k arrived today)

The Saratoga should be safe...she has still 30 flt and she's moving back to PH at 22knots...subs seem to have stopped their hunt...

In few days we'll start to recon NG and PM to see what he has there...

[Andy Mac]

I cannot remmeebr the condition of the emergancy reinfocrecements how experienced are they ?

[GreyJoy]

They are all (except for the division that comes at Adebadan) at 70/70 exp/mor... some of them even 75/75...

[GreyJoy]

.

[GreyJoy]

I'm pretty curious to see how my modern fighters with my best pilots will be able to deal with his overwhelming numbers...he's using 6/800 fighters along with 400 bombers (at least)...not counting the KB...i'll probably be able to put on air not more than 100 decent fighters at one time...so we'll be completely overwhelmed...let's see

[beppi]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

I'm pretty curious to see how my modern fighters with my best pilots will be able to deal with his overwhelming numbers...he's using 6/800 fighters along with 400 bombers (at least)...not counting the KB...i'll probably be able to put on air not more than 100 decent fighters at one time...so we'll be completely overwhelmed...let's see

One of the things you could try is to downgrade Squadrons with US plane types on the rest of the map where no fighting occurs to older types (or even disband them and let them reform in 180 days) to bring as much fighters as possible to Karachi. If you can strip existing squads somewhere else from their fighters it would allow you to have more in Karachi. An other "idea" or thing you could try is to send some additional squadrons of other countries/types (USN, USMC, Australian, Canadian, New Zeeland) to Karachi to get as much diversion as possible and to get a maximum of planes each month.

[GreyJoy]

Hi Beppi!
 
I've already stripped every single squadron all over the map to get as much P-40s and P-38s...unfortunately the battles of the last months (with the loss of more 300 P-40s) over Karachi have completely drained my pools, even using this method...
 
Nothing can enter from CT or Mombasa to the Arabian Sea and get to Aden (so to get then to Karachi). I've already tried at least 20 times during these months...even a single ship-TF is spotted by Mavis and betties at Scoodra and Diego and Rader keeps lots of combat TFs (mostly composed of 4DDs) ready to strike if the Netties don't do the job...
 
I think i'll have to rely only on those US and Brit units already in place

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: Erkki

ORIGINAL: terje439

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy
The Saratoga has 30 fld damage and she'll now limping back to PH chased down by what seems to be the whole japanese sub fleet (remember that he retired every single sub from karachi after my final victory on the aerial ASW battle fought there).

Some of the others will have to chip in here;
-does CV airgroups train while in dock? If so this would eb a good time to get some of your permanent "carrier capable" squadrons upgraded to "carrier trained".

Terje

Yes they do train, towards carrier trained as well as skills. Both docked and disbanded.

Yup, Good Idea Terje! I'll do that.
For any inconvenient however i've set up a very good umbrella CAP over PH, with 200 fighters and 200 bombers on naval strike...just in case[;)]

[GreyJoy]

Sep 1,2,3,4 1942
 
Rader has made a pause to his aerial attacks over Karachi. His armoured divisions reached Jodpur and tomorrow the base will fall (only 5 base forces left there). We tried to hit Amjere (south east of Jodpur) - which is the new most advanced Rader's AF - but without any real effect (bad weather and bad recon i guess)...losses are minimal but so the results.
My guess is that Rader is waiting to have Jodpur first so that he'll be able to use his Tojos which will be for sure a blast on sweep missions...
 
However...we managed to land 2 Indian divisions at Karachi along with 70k supplies...this is a great success imho...now the forces bound for Karachi have passed the 7300 AVs and supplies are finally rising. I managed to have again 300 fighters based there. Most of them are good modern fighters (spits, hurris, P-38s and P-40s). Tomorrow we'll try to attritt a bit his tanks using my 4Es...he'll get Jodpur nonetheless but i'd like to make him pay a bit for having it...
 
The striking force of Rader is still there...NW of Surat...still...no KB sighted...strange...
 
I'm pretty sure in the next 4 days the aerial combat will start all over again...Jodpur will be full of AAs and Tojos...i'm playing accordingly.
 
In the pacific the CV fleet is replenishing at PH and is ready to be moved to Christmas Island in order to start the Gilbert operation. (but first i wanna wait and see where the KB is....)
 
 
In SOPAC we're ready to invade Lungaville with a small para unit backed up by the 3rd Raiders...
 
PM seems almost unguarded with only 1 unit spotted there...Cairns is building up fast and within a couple of months we'll be able to base there a good number of 4Es which are already enroute from East Coast base.
 
For the rest...very quiet turns...
 
 

[GreyJoy]

Sep 5,6 1942
 
Rader attacked Jodpur with a tank army of 1800 AVs!!![X(]...for some strange reasons he did help his tanks during the shock attack with 4 para units dropped over Jodpur...this just to defeat 4 units (base forces...)...that seems a useless overkill to me [:o]
 
However my 4Es tried to get to those tanks...but Rader had more than 100 planes on LRCAP and my losses were a bit higher than expected...damage caused is minimal...now Jodpur is full of fighters...don't know if i want to try to hit the base and try to close it...could be bloody

[GreyJoy]

Karachi supplies level finally reached back the 450k. The last week, with this unusual pause, has been very important. The AVs are close to 8000 and the supplies got back to the old levels. My fighter force is again capable and, despite the front which is getting closer, my overall strenght has surely encreased.
 
Our 3 USMC Para unit dislodged a small garrison over Lungaville and conquered the base. Now a seabees units and a small base force will be rushed in from Suva and we'll soon estabilish a new Catalinas base right at the door of the Solomons.
 
A SNLF unit is the only unit spotted at PM...strange[&:]...seems that this part of the map is defenetly less defended than Iwo-Marcus-Wake area... Tomorrow we'll recon Lae and see what he has in there...
 
Night gents

[GreyJoy]

Sept 6,7 1942

Japan has already estabilished a powerfull base force at Jodpur, protected by 200 fighters and LOTS of AA.
We tried to send in our 4Es but results were awful...10 bombers down for no gain. We'll have to keep them on reserve and look for some future opportunities...it's useless to send the 4Es against bases so well protected.
A small japanese force is marching towards Dehli but Rader has concentrated all his main assets on Jodpur. I'm pretty sure he wants to reduce my air power first and then advance...but for sure it's a long way to Hyderabad and Karachi and my overall situation looks better than what i have hoped. 8000 AVs are massed at Karachi, with a good artillery park and very good tank units. The first P-40Ks entered into service today at Karachi. Now i have another modern fighter online.

Another 80.000 supply convoy will leave Aden in 3 days.

The supply situation is the following: 445k supplies between Karachi and Hyderabad. I'd like to keep these levels as long as i can.

Still no KB around...that's pretty strange...where is it?

i think i won't send anymore Division to Karachi (already sent 2, the 5th and the 10th Ind Divisions) from Aden. Now the priority will be rapresented by supplies. With 8000 AVs there, 9 forts and x2 urban terrain bonus, the city should hold as long as the supplies are in a good shape.

[GreyJoy]

Forgot to say that we also recieved an Indian motorized Bde during the last turn. It was supposed to spring at Madras but, being Madras in japs' hands, it arrived at Karachi[8D]. In the next weeks we'll also start to recieve the Chindits Bdes...hopefully they'll arrive at Karachi too[:'(]

[GreyJoy]

SWPAC:
 
Recon at Lae reports 5 units and a growing activity is reported overall the whole area of the northern coast of NG.
It seems that Rader isn't defending in NG anything south of Lae, while places like Wewak, Lae and all the surrounding bases keep on growing in dimensions and that tells me he's sending there engineers and base forces.
With PM so lightly defended and with the other bases like Milne bay and Buna pratically unguarded we must elaborate a plan about a landing there.
First of all we need to build supporting bases on NE coast of Oz. As soon as Cairns will be built at its max we'll move to Cooktown and then to the torret Strait base.
Port Moresby would be and incredibly important place to conquer... and the fact that it's pratically unguarded it sounds me very very strange...
 
Anyway, now it's too early to think about it. First i need to collect 4Es in Oz and build up NE Oz bases. We'll send to Sydney in the next weeks some base forces and seabees in order to give a boost to this logistical operations

[jeffk3510]

IMO, PM is a POW base for the Allies when Japan holds everything else, and your ships will be nice big fat targets trying to keep it supplied...just my 2 cents.  Very anxious to see how India shakes out for you.
 
Keep it up.

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: jeffk3510

IMO, PM is a POW base for the Allies when Japan holds everything else, and your ships will be nice big fat targets trying to keep it supplied...just my 2 cents.  Very anxious to see how India shakes out for you.

Keep it up.

Port Moresby in Allied hands will not be a POW. Too much enemy airpower is in India for that to happen. Should enemy air be relocated to attempt to make Port Moresby a POW, that would be a major strategic Allied victory as it would remove much of the enemy power projection in India. If worse comes to worse, far better to have Port Moresby as a POW than Karachi as a POW.

If Japana is really not defending south of Lae (see post #915) and there really is only a single SNLF at Port Moresby, then GreyJoy is once again failing to grasp what is important. Under these conditions, it is a waste of time and opportunity to build up the northeast Australian bases before moving on Port Moresby. Instead he should immediately move to capture Port Moresby even with units not fully prepped for Port Moresby and if necessary delay any moves in Centpac.

Capture Port Moresby and the other nearby PNG bases south of Lae. These are the bases which need to be built up, not northeast Australia.

Alfred

[GreyJoy]

Hi Jeffk and Alfred,
 
   I have no recon yet on the Solomons but i'm pretty sure in New Guinea there's almost nothing south of Lae (while north of it there have been an encreasing activity in the last weeks). My real concerns is the actual position of the KB. If the KB is in the pacific (let's say Truk) he could easily destroy my approaching fleets using the combo LBA (from Lae or Rabaul) + KB.
 
I have the feeling that the KB is in the pacific...it's been nearly 3 weeks now since i lost any contact with it and i cannot think another good strategic reason for it not being blockading Karachi (if the KB had been there the arrival of the reinforcements from Aden would have been impossible).
 
Alfred, would you risk an amphib landing at PM with the possible presence of the KB at Truk?
 
 
 

[SoliInvictus202]

I just did that, GreyJoy

in one of my games I have just invaded PM thinking that KB was at Truk!
what happened was that I was able to approach PM undetected (maybe he has no air-recon at PM - you never know - keep the invasion fleet close to the NE Coast of Aussieland), offload all my troops - covered by my CVs (I'm much later into the war - 6 Fleet CVs) - my opponent tried to interdict me with his LBA - I was able to shoot down over 250 enemy planes to the loss of 23 F4F4s - he sortied all his CVs from Truk (apparently he had ALL of them at Truk, including CVEs, CVLs) - but at the time he was in reach of PM (2 turns) - my invasion fleet was already gone, as well as my CVs...

of course you don't have APAs yet - but APs do a fine job as well - especially as you won't be facing an enemy division (as I did) but hopefully less!

so, really, SURPRISE is often much better than preparation! - if you have say 1 AussieDiv ready - 100%prepped for PM (which I ALWAYS have - one starts planning on the first day of the war) - or even just, say a Brigade (PM Brigade for example, if you rebuilt it already) and a few of those VERY HANDY Ind Coys at Sydney (very high exp troops) then set off an invasion right now! - say 2 weeks latest (might already be too late)

it's your choice as always - but you should be glad that you finally found a weak spot in the enemy's defences... - strike fast before he can react - before he realizes that these are your intentions - and has KB waiting....
also the Coral Sea and N of Rabaul are very nice places for a sub-based early warning grid!
(might even get a shot off on a few CVs as they approach!)
if you don't take just opportunities and use them to your advantage you will be able to advance eventually starting in 1944 - but it will be only by systematically closing all airfields in the region (where ever that may be) and taking your time to advance base by base... - that takes time and you might be stuck in NW Guinea in late 45 still!...

[Alfred]

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Hi Jeffk and Alfred,

  I have no recon yet on the Solomons but i'm pretty sure in New Guinea there's almost nothing south of Lae (while north of it there have been an encreasing activity in the last weeks). My real concerns is the actual position of the KB. If the KB is in the pacific (let's say Truk) he could easily destroy my approaching fleets using the combo LBA (from Lae or Rabaul) + KB.

I have the feeling that the KB is in the pacific...it's been nearly 3 weeks now since i lost any contact with it and i cannot think another good strategic reason for it not being blockading Karachi (if the KB had been there the arrival of the reinforcements from Aden would have been impossible).

Alfred, would you risk an amphib landing at PM with the possible presence of the KB at Truk?

Yes.

1. With only a single SNLF at Port Moresby you don't have to expose too much to possible KB interdiction.

2. KB confirmed in Pacific allow you to send naval forces to break the enemy naval blockade of Karachi and India. That allows for counter invasion in India behind enemy LOC.

3. Move on Port Moresby would be part of several potential simultaneous moves - (a) to break naval blockade off Karachi, (b) capture of adjacent PNG bases, (c) allows existing assets in northeast Australia to become involved in combat.

You are simply not creating sufficient pressure points with the consequence that Rader simply loads everything into the Indian theatre and does not have to worry about defending anything anywhere else.

From Port Moresby (plus adjacent PNG bases) you can bring unused Allied assets to bear upon the enemy. Your idea of going into the Gilberts and Marshalls doesn't do that and is again a waste of time. With the enemy so focused on India, now is the time to take action against targets which carry value now, not in 2 years time.

Alfred