Andy Mac v PZB This time India will Stand !!!!

[Andy Mac]

Just that some dcevices in LCU's are limited in numbers so you need to use them in the most effective way.
 
 

[bbbf]

25 Pounders are always in short supply!
 

[Andy Mac]

True not a lot to say tomorrow the last of the phase 1 LST's arrive at Pearl that will allow me to load most of 3rd marines onto LST's for the atoll assault.
 
I am still not willing to get caught between KB and covering landings so I may wait the 15 extra days for my last three RN Carriers to arrive.
 
The extra 100 capacity they give me should allow me to multitask to some extent

[Andy Mac]

I am happy to fight KB OR cover an invasion att his stage of the war with an intact KB I dont want to do both at the same time unless I have to

[Andy Mac]

I currently have 4 main bases that are prepping operations
 
1. Pearl Harbour CENTPAC - 6 Divs plus numerous Indpt Bns and Regts fully prepped for various CENTPAC objectives
2. Aukland - 8 Bdes and 2 regiments prepped for various SOPAC objectives
3. Sydney - 5 Divs and 3 Regts plus 4 Motorised/Armoured Bdes prepped for SWPAC objectives
4. Madras - 8 Divs and 3 Regiments/Bdes plus 2 full Armoured Bdes prepped for SEAC objectives
 
All are currently accumulating Engineers, Aviations suppport and seabees but on land I am ready
 
At Pearl I have more air than I can shake a stick at dominated by Marine F4F and a few F4U Sqns with SBD's as ship killers.
Aukland is low on Airpower but SOPAC has plenty of P39's and Kittyhawks with a few Sqns of Mediums and SBD's to support
Sydney and the SWPAC theatre has lots and lots of air including nasty ship killing wings well over 100 4E's and 200 Mediums and Lights
India is weaker than it was but I have kept a solid core of fighters and a mix of RAF and USAAF Heavies in theatre

[traskott]

All those airpower on rear bases... What do you have on the front ? 

[Andy Mac]

Well they are all within one days transit of the front and can be at Johnson Island, New Cal, Coen/Cooktown or Assam in a day but I am holding them back slightly at present as I dont want to commit to much more for now

[Andy Mac]

A good example of this is Vengeance DB's - they dont really work in Ground to mud as they take to many casualties so I have a strike wing of 4 RAF/IAF Sqns of them training to be naval strike aircraft this gives the RAF some much needed oomph in this area as I have withdrawn FAA Sqns to support the fleet in the Pacific.
 
They are backed by a couple of Sqns of Beauforts but the Bay of Bengal would be pretty much wide open to a Jap SCTF if I didnt have them diverted to Surface Action

[traskott]

Yeah, they have been weak since WitP days...the die in droves....

[bbbf]

Vengeances are my nuimber one killer of IJA forces in Burma.
 
Everytime I get my opponents forces in clear terrain, I butcher them with my DB's (and everything else that can fly!).  Losses don't seem too bad either.  I have substantial pools in Apr 43.
 
I don't fly them against large airfields, etc. though.

[traskott]

Strange, I lose a good number of them in Ground Attack.

Well, I'll be waiting for more news.

[Andy Mac]

Just did a count of my AF#s in India/Burma
 
Now not all these sqns are at full strength in fact a lot are well under strength
 
RIAF 2 Fighter, 1 Medium Bomber and 1 Dive Bomber Sqn
RCAF 1 Fighter and 1 Medium Sqn
RAAF 2 Fighter and 3 Medium Sqns
RAF 20 Fighter, 14 Medium, 2 Heavy, 3 Dive, 2 FB, 1 NF, 3 Recon Sqns
FAA 2 FB and 2 TB Sqns
USAAF 9 Fuighter, 13 Medium and 6 Heavy
 
So thats a lot of air power held back at present

[traskott]

That's a lot of airpower !!!

Even understrengthed you should be able to mantain a good presure over the IAF on Birmania...

[Andy Mac]

Well the IAF Sqns are still awaiting more FRIIB's and the FAA Sqns are all trainign sqns for the fleet
 
The RAAF Mediums asre all Beauforts providing Bay of Bengal and Ceylon with cover.
 
So not all can be committed to the front I actually have more Sqns than air frames.
 
I want to have about 10 Fighter and 10 Medium Sqns directly supporting BURCORPS.
 
an 8 x Sqn Strategic AF in reserve with a mox of Wellingtons, Liberators and B17's
 
an expeditionary forces of 10 Fighter, 8 medium and 5 Strike Sqns (either Beaforts of Vengeance) the rest will cover rear areas 

[traskott]

the expeditionary force is for.......??

Or it includes other sqns with asigned duty ?

[Andy Mac]

Hydra Phase IV covering XV and XXXIII Corps

[traskott]

aaaaaah, I remember Hydra when all India was under japanese rule and Field Marshall Andy launched several Hydras to get as close as posible to Japan, and go and back to the Iwo Jima, and so....

Good luck [:)]

[Andy Mac]

Well Hydra 2 isa complicated multitheatre offensive desinged to chip away at the perimeter giving me bases for the 44 offensive.

The only issue is my carrier power as I have enough to defeat KB but not enough to defeat KB AND protect a multi divisional landing so while I could probably pull off the first attack ok the follow on phases in the Gilberts would be tougher.

I was toying with sitting still for another three months wait fora few more carriers and Hellcats and then just go strainght into the Marianas but I talked myself outof it asto big a risk

[Andy Mac]

I will be up to 9 Fleet, 1 Light and 7 Escort Carriers in 20 days which is enough to provide 100 and 130 ish bombers for the landing and allow my 9 fast fleet carriers (600 aircraft) to operate against KB.

[Andy Mac]

OK lots of news.
 
Burma
 
PZB hit my AF's in Burma I have assembled a counterstrike and it will go in tomorrow after Magwe - apart from that its quiet PZB took Kalmeyo but I just retook it.
 
CENTPAC
 
PZB pulled KB back with what appeared heavy casualties amongst his sub fleet so I went back in again - this time 3rd marines went ashore no sign of KB I had them spotted a few days ago in SWPAC.
 
Day 1 shock attack was dissapointing but I hope day 2 and 3 will suceed. Lets see what happens
 
So Hydra is go
 
Saratoga took 3 Torps and is at 50 float she should make it back to Pearl but the loss of Sara offset by the addition of the Eastern Fleet leaves me at best equal in carrier power which is not what I wanted.
 
SWPAC - no real action at present