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ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Hey dingleberry! I just spent 10 or so minutes typing a response to your PM, and your inbox is full...and then I lost the response. I'll have to get back to you later [:'(].

Uhm...Oops? [:D]

[font="Verdana"]2nd of June -42[/font]
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More units appearing each day for the Samoans.

4th Tank Regiment is planning for an attack on Pago Pago.

Other then that no news. Loads of subs appeared between the Samoans and Fiji last turn. They are hanging around.

Looks like the Decisive Battle of '42 is in the making......

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Hey dingleberry! I just spent 10 or so minutes typing a response to your PM, and your inbox is full...and then I lost the response. I'll have to get back to you later [:'(].

Let me guess . . . it was about attacking Perth? [:)]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

Looks like the Decisive Battle of '42 is in the making......

Indeed. I got 100% confirmation he is coming this turn. For the allies its win or lose. If I lose the Samoans and Fiji its definitively game over and towel tossing time.

Not too happy with my position as I would have liked to reform the 1st and 2nd Marines. They are now scattered all over the map. But due to SL and the way the arrive I won´t be able to reform them. Would also have liked to put at least some smaller units on surrounding islands.

We are about even strength in LCUs I think but I have terrain, forts and local CAP while he has control of the seas.

Place your bets! He is bringing ALL he has.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

[font="Verdana"]2nd of June -42[/font]
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More units appearing each day for the Samoans.

4th Tank Regiment is planning for an attack on Pago Pago.

Other then that no news. Loads of subs appeared between the Samoans and Fiji last turn. They are hanging around.

With the influx of new units prepping for Pago Pago as well as the appearance of subs it seems a lot more likely that the Japanese intend to make a move here. Priority for you is to keep your major air bases secure here and prevent the Japanese from capturing them; other bases are not really important. It's hard for me to imagine the Japanese invasion of Upolu (or any base with a small/no air base) going well for them. It would not be difficult to prevent the Japanese from building up and utilizing those sorts by this time in 1942. Then of course any LCUs that were landed needs to be loaded into ships again, move to the island with the actual fighting, then unload under your watch.

Given that, I would concentrate on reinforcing and building up the major air bases in Suva and Pago Pago. It's pretty much a guarantee that any Japanese attack will require heavy suppression on those air bases so get as much AAA and engineers as possible with lots of aviation as well (I'd say at least 100 per base, preferably more). The best way to turn the Japanese invasion into a disaster with half the KB on the ocean floor is to make your LBA as disruptive and difficult to suppress as possible; honestly I see LCUs being less important than support units for the potential upcoming battle. 4E bombers can attack to and from Pago Pago and Suva respectively (though not every plane model can) which will present quite the problem for Japan if you can get your 4E bombers flying during a campaign.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister
Place your bets! He is bringing ALL he has.

Savor it! This is where the game is great fun!

I have always wanted to use those P39's in a strafing naval attack, but never get the chance because of range constraints.

It sounds like you brought the kitchen sink too.

You have towels in northern Europe? I mean, I know they surf in Norway, but...

I don't know if this is really a win or lose situation for the entire campaign. It could be a large brick in a wall, but will it really finish off the wall? I'm not so sure...

Try to bag some ships! Yours have longer legs. It might be painful for SAGs, but SAGs (when used correctly) can make KB scurry in a hurry.

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

You have towels in northern Europe? I mean, I know they surf in Norway, but...

I don't know if this is really a win or lose situation for the entire campaign. It could be a large brick in a wall, but will it really finish off the wall? I'm not so sure...

Try to bag some ships! Yours have longer legs. It might be painful for SAGs, but SAGs (when used correctly) can make KB scurry in a hurry.

You won't convince him that this isn't the final fight...I tried earlier. [:D]

He should be in a really good place for an epic battle. He has been preparing for a long time, better intelligence...I am ready to read all about it!

Got the coffee on

Waiting for news!

Does anyone here really believe I can come back if I lose the Fijis and Samoans together withm 6-7 IDs worth of troops and most of the Allied BFs and Engineers?

Especially considering Tom is already ahead with about 4,2:1 in VPs. Add the troops, ships and bases in SOPAC + Chungking and the rest of China and he will have a 6-7:1 lead and I will have no troops and no ships to try and bag 10.000 VPs in 6 months...

If anyone believes that person have way more faith in me then I deserve! [:D]

You spend more time thinking about losing than you could actually losing! [:-]

Can't see how Japan takes these heavily defended islands. Beware losing your fleet to defend islands he couldn't take anyway.

That said, if you lose them, AV is pretty likely. Get him stuck in the tar baby and THEN drop the air/naval hammer when he tries to use his fleet against your ground forces.

PS - I hope every single Allied sub on the face of the Planet is headed toward the battle zone.

[font="Verdana"]4th of June -42[/font]
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Intel keep pouring in. And invasion fleet is coming!

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China
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Tom has started bombarding Chungking. Despite level 6 forts we take big losses each turn from bombardments and from the air.

Ground combat at Chungking (76,45)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 3348 troops, 247 guns, 399 vehicles, Assault Value = 507

Defending force 75639 troops, 279 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1772

Allied ground losses:
350 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 12 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled

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OZ
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Perhaps Tom wasn´t trying to fool me when he said he ran out of A6M2s. Only seen M3s on sweep after that. A good day in the air as Tom sweeps Sydney.

Morning Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 33 NM, estimated altitude 37,700 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 27

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 11
P-39D Airacobra x 65
P-40E Warhawk x 15

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 6 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 3 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Morning Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 30 NM, estimated altitude 32,700 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 36

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIb Trop x 10
P-39D Airacobra x 47
P-40E Warhawk x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 1 destroyed
P-39D Airacobra: 6 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

26 allied losses for 28 Japanese. I´ll take that! [:)]

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Burma
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I´m starting to get more and more Recon in from the Mitchel group flying from Chittagong. Tom looks dangerously light in Burma. I know of only 2 IDs in total but I suspect the Imperial Guards is here as well bringing the number up to 3.

This is dangerously low IMO. Although I need more time to buy out more Indian IDs and they need more time to get EXP/MRL up I will make a move here before 42 is up.

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SOPAC
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Major activity at Rabaul and Noumea.

Here is some interesting SIGINT. There is more but I´ll keep that to myself for now.

2nd Division is planning for an attack on Pago Pago.

That makes it 2 IDs, 3 Artillery, 1 Tank and 1 HQ for Pago Pago.

ORIGINAL: witpqs

You spend more time thinking about losing than you could actually losing! [:-]

Well, technically I AM losing. [:D]

You are right though. I should be more confident then I am but its hard to keep confidence up as the allies in 42.

ORIGINAL: Cribtop

Can't see how Japan takes these heavily defended islands. Beware losing your fleet to defend islands he couldn't take anyway.

That said, if you lose them, AV is pretty likely. Get him stuck in the tar baby and THEN drop the air/naval hammer when he tries to use his fleet against your ground forces.

PS - I hope every single Allied sub on the face of the Planet is headed toward the battle zone.

Thanks, I´ll not commit the fleet unless I get a golden opportunity or its all that is left that can avoid defeat.

Yep, 80% of the sub fleet is in SOPAC. A large portion is in the yards for the radar upgrade but should be available shortly. Right now I have about 20 subs in the area including all the Dutch ones. [:)]

[font="Verdana"]Japanese Planning Map[/font]
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Updated an old map. The allies are now in possession of Nadi.

[font="Verdana"]Updated list of Japanese Divisions[/font]
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Imperial Guards - Unknown but probably Burma
2nd ID - Planning for Pago Pago
4th ID - Planning for Perth
5th ID - Northern Burma
16th ID - Planning for Pago Pago
18th ID - Rangoon
21st ID - Brisbane
33rd ID - 1/3rd at Noumea. Planning unknown but probably Savaii.
38th ID - Brisbane
48th ID - Planning for Upolu.
56th ID - Last seen on Java. Planning for Perth.

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SOPAC
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As can seen by this list 8 out of 11 Japanese IDs are currently in SOPAC and/or planning for Operations in SOPAC/OZ. So Tom has placed a big significance on the area just as I have.

We have 3 IDs preparing for the landings in the Samoans with a probable 4th. He has spent a lot of time prepping for those targets and I would be surprised if he didn´t come. What I don´t understand is the fact that he is going in COMPLETELY blind. [X(] I went back and checked every save for 60 days back + his KB cruise around the Samoans 3 months back. Not at one time has there been a single point of DL on any of the bases.

All he know is that I have 4 RGTs at Nadi. Everything else is just a black hole. For all he knows I could have 2 IDs on each of the Samoans. That is the only thing I can think of that speaks against him coming.

But SIGINT suggest he is already on his way. Allied shipping has left the combat zone while the Allied fleet is in position.

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

ORIGINAL: witpqs

You spend more time thinking about losing than you could actually losing! [:-]

Well, technically I AM losing. [:D]

You are right though. I should be more confident then I am but its hard to keep confidence up as the allies in 42.

My 2 cents for what its worth. In my current game against Wargmr, my world (Japan) started to crumble in late 42 when he started to fight
back aggressively without taking large risks.

To a degree a large part of the Empire's advantage in 42 is psychological. Of course the trick is to fight back hard without losing carriers
which against this guy might be dangerous.

Looking forward to big naval and carrier battles which are likely to happen unless you deciede otherwise! [:D]

Really don't see any other scenarios considering all the events and signit intel... Good luck.. you might need it.