Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, Docup(A)-Koniu(J)

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: koniu

ORIGINAL: obvert

Looks good. Hope he feels he caught you off guard and decides to stay a bit. If it's one of those in and out invasions that the Allies can do so well, you may miss him. Still, Tagula is not a prime spot to have only one base. He must go for more, right? If not, keep it suppressed. I've learned my lesson on that one from Terapo in my game.

From strategic point of view capturing Tagula alone will not change much for me. For him it can be base from where he can have some extra LBA support for future landings. Currently it is lvl 2 AF but it is enough for fighters and small bombers. I am sending K-49 from Burma. They are useless right now there and i will need them to suppress Tagula.


I hoping that he will try to land in another base. Maybe PM or Milne Bay, Woodlark is an option but probably to close to Rabaul
He was doing those two stage invasions earlier.
When He landing in Marshals he first capture and secure one Island, and few days later second. And because we are slaves of habits i hoping he will do that same.

Tomorrow he will unload and capture Tagula. To capture second base he will need another two days. So lets say i have 50% chances to capture him during second landing, maybe still with troop on ships.

For 100% i will know tomorrow. If Tulagi was only target he will be gone if he stay he will prabably land somewhere els also

If it is just Tagula, bombard right away with your surface elements and take out much of what he landed before they build forts. Then suppress and cycle in bombardments. One base in the area unsupportable from OZ will be more trouble than it's worth for him, I think. At least if you start quick and keep it at level 2.

[koniu]

Turn send.

All destroyers except tree fully refueled. Also two CLAA not refueled. Refueling them would cost to much ops point and i will not be able to move 7 hexes tomorrow.
If i will be not able to refuel them tomorrow they will not sail with rest of fleet to coral sea.

Last ships join KB today also last planes landed on carrier decks
Entire KB is composed from 65 ships and 820 planes

8x CV
4x CVL
1x CS
4x BB
10x CA
2x CL
2x CLAA
34x DD
16 subs (between Tagula and Oz)

299x A6M5
226x D3A1
223x B5N2
72x E13A1

LBA forces

119x A6M5, 36x A6M3a
14x Ki-45a
28x Ki-49IIa
30x G3M2, 40x G3M3, 115x G4M1
47x patrol planes

In total i will have 1130 combat planes and 119 patrol planes.

Time to strike 48h

[PaxMondo]

[koniu]

We all know that CV must operate on full ocean hexes to avoid air operations reduction by 50%

But what with hexes with one of hex sides is reef.
There is few of hex like that in Salomon See. 101,130 or 102,130
Can I use there CV without risking air op reduction

[koniu]

1 Feb 43

Allies are still unloading in Tulagi
Docup bring 3th Australian Div and 821st EAB

So far he land with 11k troops so i hope he need to stay one day to unload rest of them and supplies

KB detected. CAP shot down Catalina patrol plane. DL/5/5
To hope to intercept enemy i will have to live behind Battleships and two slow CV
It will reduce KB by 100 planes. I a am not sure that fuel reserve will allow me to flank 16 hexes.

Probably i will start plan B.
Isolation and destruction of enemy ground forces.
If i manage to close AF i will be able to destroy enemy forces or at lest make that Division useless for Allies for very long

[koniu]

I have two option now.

1)
Flank toward Salomons burning fuel , hoping that allies will not unload until morning an maybe we will catch something.

Risk is that i can end without fuel, finding nothing in area, or worst finding some secondary ships LCAPed from allied CV from safe distance out of range of KB bombers.
I will lose many good pilots for sinking few xAK

2)
Move slowly into Salomons and and start constant bombardment of Tagula from air ans Sea


For sure i need to fight for Solomons bases to give them time to rebuild.

[obvert]

I'd say option number 2, and if he is bold and stays around you will still have a shot at him. The sooner you bombard the troops and especially that base, the better.

[koniu]

I go with option 2

KB will park tomorrow close to North West Coast of New Britain
I also ordered heavy sweep of Tagula. If base will auto switch to allied hands before AM phase maybe i will find some enemy fighters in air. If base not switch sweep should not fly.

16 Japanese subs will try to sunk enemy ships. Fingers crossed.

Firs bombardment of Tagula shuld start in 48h.

Only way to stop me from that are enemy CV or SUBS.
I see at lest 10 of them on Salomon Sea. I have air units flying ASW but there is to many of them.

[obvert]

Make sure to keep some night search going to spot them and raise DL during the night phase if possible.

[koniu]

2 FEB 43

As suspected enemy end unloading at night and move forward Australia
At night Tagula switch to US hands and on AM phase 60 Zeros sweep. They found empty air.

Enemy sub try to get firing position agains one of CA from SAG protecting KB. Sub was spotted but destroyers not manage to hit.

One of fast Japanese subs south of Tagula manage to fire and hit enemy Cleveland Class CL.
No extra damage but it is better than nothing. During ASW attack he take some damage but sub will survive

Sub attack near Tagula Island at 104,140

Japanese Ships
SS I-169, hits 7

Allied Ships
CL Columbia, Torpedo hits 1
DD Clark
DD Hull


Most of AF in Salomon's is closed. I hope to get few operational soon. Presence of KB should help

[koniu]

2 FEB 42 continuation

Burma
Quiet. Docup is sweeping above troops south of Akyab but i choosing my battles.

I will soon start sweeping campaign over Akyab. I have 130 Tojos in poll and i am only waiting for subs entering Akyab Hex. I hope it will reduce pilots loses.

DEI
Salomon's invasion is giving me extra time to build defenses there. I stat building small lvl 2 AF everywhere i can. It should allow me to spreed my fighters when they will be facing hordes of 4E

Marshals
I have detected two TF sailing toward Marshals. Reckon show ADPs.
I have 50 TT bombers on Marshals. They launch to attack but fail to find targets. I sending extra search planes to help them tomorrow.

China
Tank Div and 3 IDs are moving forward Sian. Soon i will start liberating norther China from Communists
One of Tojo units downgraded to Ki-43. I need theres long range.

Salomon`s
All big AFs closed, but i see few opportunities to air traps from secondary AF. Especial where Docup is using medium bombers. KB presence should also help.

Tomorrow heavy sweep of Tagula is ordered fallowed by 130 bombers ride. I hope to close AF.
If that not work BB and CA will bombard island from see.

70k fuel is 3 days from Rabaul. Half of that will be eaten by KB, other half will create Rabaul reserve. From that moment BBs and CA will bombard island rotating between Rabaul and Tagula.

Subs will fallow enemy Fleet. I hope to have few more TT hits. It will also allow me have eye on enemy fleet.

[koniu]

3 Feb 43

Intensive day.

Burma
Over 150 Tojo's sweep Akyab. We find around 80 British fighters. Hurricane proof his quality as defensive fighter. Japan lost 17 Tojo's for 16 Hurries

China
I am bombing enemy troop on open. Every turn i am killing 500-700 enemy soldiers

Marshals
I look that Docup start using CVEs to escort Marshals convoys.
Today Japanese bombers attack enemy TF. Instead chose enemy CVEs they attack lonely xAK.
Japan lost 5 A6M3a and 2 G4M1 for nothing.

Salomon Sea
Very intensive night.
First enemy sub try to attack DD, sub miss and was engaged by escorts.
Later another, this time successful attack on DD from ASW TF sailing in front of KB

Sub attack near Kiriwina Island at 103,130

Japanese Ships
DD Shiranui, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yugiri

Allied Ships
SS O23

DD Shiranui sunk instantly.

And now prabably most important news of day.
Kaga eat fish.

Sub attack near Gasmata at 102,128

Japanese Ships
CV Kaga, Torpedo hits 1
CLAA Tatsuta
CLAA Tenryu
CS Nisshin
DD Arashio
DD Umikaze
DD Samidare
DD Arare
DD Minegumo

Allied Ships
SS Scamp

After hit Kaga look like that. And Still she is capable of 13 knots.[&o]



On night SS RO-34 sunk enemy xAK, and few h later she finish job with CL Columbia

Sub attack near Bowen at 100,147

Japanese Ships
SS RO-34

Allied Ships
CL Columbia, Torpedo hits 3, heavy damage
DD Hull

When planes star to fly. They find enemy xAK in Tagula hex. Vals finish with enemy ship fast

Morning Air attack on TF, near Tagula Island at 104,137

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 24
D3A1 Val x 15

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Oakbank, Bomb hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage

Later Japanese bomber attack Tagula AF. AF is prabably still open but at lest forts are not building.


In summary. Japan lost today 31 planes for 22 on allied side.
On sea Allies lost two carfo ships and modern light cruiser. Japan lost DD

[koniu]

Docup ask me why i have not attack him.
I will tel him when i will know that.[:D]

Tomorrow Naval Bombardment of Tagula is orders. 4 BB, CA and 8 DD will bombard base at day.
Bombers are on hold in case Docup will have some CAP over base. I hope to disrupt/disable/destroy as many ENG squads as passable.

With wounded Kaga KB is still capable of 3 hext/phase and will stay in area to give air cover to battleships. After that KB will sail nort to meet AO TF and KAga will sail to cTo Truk to take necessary repairs(goal is to allow it ti sail with 14 knots at lest)

I think Tagula forces are low on supplies. Flak was week and probably that xAK sunk by KB bombers have order to try to drop some supplies on base. That good. Australian ID is using many supplies especially forced to defend against bombers and naval bombardment. So no fort building.

I am preparing ID to Tagula. But this is plan B.

I think i will use advice that Pax give me. 300 bombes attacking ID on open ground without forts can destroy division very fast. I will have so many bombers i Rabaul in 4-5 days. They will fly on extendet range but with nbombardment support i have chance to make that ID useles for monts for allies.

[GreyJoy]

ORIGINAL: koniu

Docup ask me why i have not attack him.
I will tel him when i will know that.[:D]

Tomorrow Naval Bombardment of Tagula is orders. 4 BB, CA and 8 DD will bombard base at day.
Bombers are on hold in case Docup will have some CAP over base. I hope to disrupt/disable/destroy as many ENG squads as passable.

With wounded Kaga KB is still capable of 3 hext/phase and will stay in area to give air cover to battleships. After that KB will sail nort to meet AO TF and KAga will sail to cTo Truk to take necessary repairs(goal is to allow it ti sail with 14 knots at lest)

I think Tagula forces are low on supplies. Flak was week and probably that xAK sunk by KB bombers have order to try to drop some supplies on base. That good. Australian ID is using many supplies especially forced to defend against bombers and naval bombardment. So no fort building.

I am preparing ID to Tagula. But this is plan B.

I think i will use advice that Pax give me. 300 bombes attacking ID on open ground without forts can destroy division very fast. I will have so many bombers i Rabaul in 4-5 days. They will fly on extendet range but with nbombardment support i have chance to make that ID useles for monts for allies.

It's not a clear hex imho. It's a jungle one, so probably your bombers, on extended range, won't achieve that much on ground bombing. Imho it's better to bomb the hell out of the airstrip. Burn all his supplies. Send engineers to Woodlark Island and build a field there and from there keep on bombing.
Create a blockade and force him to risk his assets to save that precious division... this is, imho, a perfect environement for you...he cannot let a division rot without trying to do anything!

[obvert]

I agree with GJ on the fields first strategy. Get those to 100, bombard on cycles with the BBs, then try out the ground bombing to see how that goes. Maybe you'll destroy some, but better is you raise disruption for a few turns so that the units there are less capable in all areas, including engineers building forts and repairing fields.

[koniu]

4 Feb 43

Salomons
KB unmolested change position closer to Tagula, while BB TF sail toward it.
On morning 4 BB, 2 CA, 8 DD start shooting toward Island. Most of enemy fire go toward Australian ID but they score many hits on enemy AF, port and supplies.It look like enemy ENG repair most of it but at lest we burn many supplies and many enemy squads is disabled. Enemy not return fire, no CD guns that is good. (report later I am at work now
Tomorrow 5 CA and 8 DD will bombard enemy at night. and on morning bombers will attack from air.

I found small enemy unit (500 men) on Woodlark Island. No guns, no vehicles prabably ENG. Two SNLF units will land and recapture island.

I lost 2 A6M5 in from a2a. But there was no air combat. But i have report that transports over Tagula where intercepted. So probably those transports are escorted by fighters. I hope it is not bug fixed in 20c, we are still on 19h

Kaga repair 3 flotation points and is capable to 14 knots at cruise

Marshals.
Again my bombers attack enemy CVEs ( i think there are 3). Again only few bombers fly. Non of them get trough.
11 Zeros and 12 bombers lost.

I think i found reason of lack of coordination and low numbers of bombers in air. aHQ commander have air skill 27. Replaced for good one(air 74).

Tomorrow 100 fighters and 100 bombers will try again. I hope enemy will stay in range

Japan
I lost small TK (1250 tons) near Hokkaido

R&D
first P1Y1 factory repaired. That bomber will be main LBA bomber for navy soon. Good speed, enough range, armor. Will replace G4 and G3 on short and medium range missions.

Ki-67 factory repaired. Will not replace K-49 but can be useful because of range as ASW plane and to attack enemy AF behind lines.

[PaxMondo]

ORIGINAL: koniu

I think i found reason of lack of coordination and low numbers of bombers in air. aHQ commander have air skill 27. Replaced for good one(air 74).

Good catch as that will have an impact.

[obvert]

I lost 2 A6M5 in from a2a. But there was no air combat. But i have report that transports over Tagula where intercepted. So probably those transports are escorted by fighters. I hope it is not bug fixed in 20c, we are still on 19h

You might want to ask him as that is important if his fighters are getting extra range in escort of the transports. If so and you guys don't want to update, just tell him to stop escorting past the fighter's range.

[koniu]

ORIGINAL: obvert

I lost 2 A6M5 in from a2a. But there was no air combat. But i have report that transports over Tagula where intercepted. So probably those transports are escorted by fighters. I hope it is not bug fixed in 20c, we are still on 19h

You might want to ask him as that is important if his fighters are getting extra range in escort of the transports. If so and you guys don't want to update, just tell him to stop escorting past the fighter's range.

It can or it cant be bug. P-38 have enough range to escort over Tagula.
I will ask him. So far it cost me two planes, 1 pilot KIA, 1 MIA.

[koniu]

5-7 Feb 43 Three day summary

Burma
More enemy troops is marching toward Akyab and Crosing river South of it.
Enemy bombers close Lashio again.

I summary, Burma is very quiet

Cocos Island
On 4th i have detected anamy TF unloading on Island. Two CLs send to intercept.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Cocos Islands at 33,101, Range 19,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Sendai
CL Naka, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
xAK City of Canterbury, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Clan Mactaggart, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
KV Auricula, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
KV Aster, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage
KV Hollyhock, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
KV Fritillary, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
PG Yarra, Shell hits 15, and is sunk

It start good but not end good. Enemy CVE was ecorting those ships. Sendai have bad luck today

Morning Air attack on TF, near Cocos Islands at 34,101

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Martlet II x 2
F4F-4 Wildcat x 10
TBF-1 Avenger x 17

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
CL Sendai, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CL Naka

Worst news is that Cocos is now AF lvl 1


South DEI
Quiet. Salomon's situation is giving me some extra time to build defences there

Salomons.
Three quiet days. KB is slowly moving north. On 6 FEB KB refuel north of Kavieng and Battleships and Cruisers rearm from AKEs in Kavieng port. Kaga is again capable of moving with max designed speed. KB is gone for allied radars and that is good.

Tagula AF is closed.

I have detected enemy units on Woodlark. Two SNLF units captured island next day. I think Docup use that island as base for patrols. That way he was able to detect my ships so early. After fall he is now not detecting anything in area and i have many ships sailing around


Ground combat at Woodlark Island (104,133)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2216 troops, 24 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 65

Defending force 83 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Japanese adjusted assault: 45

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 45 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Woodlark Island !!!

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

Allied ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 24 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
66th Naval Guard Unit
81st Naval Guard Unit

Defending units:
73rd RAAF Wing /1

Shorthands AF repaired and now have 100 fighters defending it. Also Air HQ is in base. Tommarow i will have radaar there so cap should be strong.

Marshals.
What firs look for me as 3 CVE was CV Saratoga and CVE.
I have send two unsuccessful attack against them losing in two days 60 planes and 30 pilots.
Only one attack get trough CAP . Saratoga and CVE avoid TT attack. We manage to score hits on three xAKs.
Bad days. Bombers and fighters are now resting and building morale.