The Good The Bad & The Indifferent

[Canoerebel]

Mouseover of CV class is pretty unreliable.  The seven CVL could be other stuff, including CVE, CS or CV.
 
I haven't looked at RA in months, but the early-war carrier OOB isn't much different.  Some CVE/CS can convert to CVL.  I don't think he has any additional fleet carriers this early - IE, he should have eight of them.  Mouseover shows only seven, but I can't believe he'd detach one of them for duty on the front lines.
 
To answer Houtje's question, it appears likely that he threw essentially everything into this operation, either because he feared my carriers might be present or hoped to draw them into battle.  I suspect he left Cocos defended only by LBA, figuring if I took it he could isolate it and probably retake it...or something like that.
 
He might have some CVE and CS covering other peripheral areas - I wouldn't be shocked to encounter a few in the Gilberts in the next ten days.  But I consider it fairly unlikely that I'll bump up against two fleet carriers.  I hope.

[paullus99]

Getting a read on John from his other AARs - he doesn't do operations like this 1/2 way. Given those numbers, I would expect you're seeing the "A" team - i.e. most, if not all, of the heavy carriers. He could have a couple of second stringers with him, but I would expect that he might have a few smaller carriers in other areas, but given his commitment....well, I think you're seeing the whole "dog and pony show," off New Caledonia.

[Canoerebel]

Andre, I haven't eaten at the wildlife supper in something like 30 years.  Your comments make me glad.  But surely wild game is better than McDonalds, Cheetos, or Little Debbie snack cakes?
 
At the last wildlife supper I attended, I enjoyed a cup of sassafras tea.  This is reportedly mildly carcinogenic in large enough amounts.  But, dang, I think I'd drink gallons of sassafras tea before I'd drink stuff sweatened with aspartane or other chemicals. 

[Chickenboy]

Yeah, I wouldn't drink tea 'sweatened' with anything either. Ick.

[:'(]

ETA: Hey, you said you wanted fluff for post counts right? That's my specialty (well, that and poultry) and I'm glad to help. [8D]

[Saros]

Judging from the plane numbers and what the IJN has at the moment that looks like all the 'fast' carriers, i.e. the six big ones plus the fast CVL (3?). Maybe a CS in there too. The fleet CV's start with their aircraft fully expanded in RA so there will be more planes than in a normal game at this time. I'd expect about 500 planes total.

So yeah don't try anything too crazy with this lot but is you see carriers anywhere else you can bet its probably his B-listers.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Yeah, I wouldn't drink tea 'sweatened' with anything either. Ick.

[:'(]

ETA: Hey, you said you wanted fluff for post counts right? That's my specialty (well, that and poultry) and I'm glad to help. [8D]

And tropical diseases - that's three. And the Spanish Inquisition. Oh, wait, that's four!

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Yeah, I wouldn't drink tea 'sweatened' with anything either. Ick.

[:'(]

ETA: Hey, you said you wanted fluff for post counts right? That's my specialty (well, that and poultry) and I'm glad to help. [8D]

And tropical diseases - that's three. And the Spanish Inquisition. Oh, wait, that's four!

No, no no....the fourth is "An almost fanatical devotion to the pope". [:-] Nobody EXPECTS The Spanish Inquisition.

[Canoerebel]

5/29/42
 
I'll take my seat in a comfy chair with the soft pillow to give you four...no five!...updates.

SoPac:  KB moves NW off the Koumak tip and re-bombs the stew out of Noumea, like I care.  In "retaliation," I move two USN PBY squadrons to Luganville.  They have orders to pick up N Force Detachment at Noumea and deposit them at Luganville, thus strengthening my little garrison.  I hope John has "ashes in his mouth" when his two or three divisions arrive at Noumea and found it vacant.  More sub activity around Wellington and vicinity.  SigInt of a big IJA HQ unit prepping for Port Kembla, which I personally don't believe but sock away just in case something else triggers a thought.

CenPac:  The Gilberts invasion TFs are 18 hexes from Tarawa.  No sign of detection. That should change soon, right?  SigInt yesterday of lots or radio activity at Jaluit.  I am expecting Japanese BBs, including Yamato.  I only have Warspite and Nevada, so I'm not prepared to hunt bear.  I'm thinking D-Day in five days unless I get cold feet, which is certainly possible.

China:  The orderly movement of Chinese troops to and through Kweilin continues. John said he wouldn't come further, but I'm waiting to see.  He's certainly giving alot of attention to Chengte, which isn't strongly defended (550 AV in rough terrain).

Burma:  The fast transport TF refueled at Trincomalee.  This one is just 18 hexes from Ramree and moves at 7 hexes per day, but I'm going to swing towards Calcutta to try to avoid detection until I'm ready to leap to the beach. D-Day probably four days.  John's patrols are getting low detection of some Allied shipping at Calcutta.  His spidey senses might be tingling...or not.  But this invasion goes.

Oz:  Everything looks good as Melbourne prepares to welcome 32nd Div., which arrives in two or three days.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel


CenPac:  The Gilberts invasion TFs are 18 hexes from Tarawa.  No sign of detection. That should change soon, right?  SigInt yesterday of lots or radio activity at Jaluit.  I am expecting Japanese BBs, including Yamato.  I only have Warspite and Nevada, so I'm not prepared to hunt bear.  I'm thinking D-Day in five days unless I get cold feet, which is certainly possible.


Burma:  The fast transport TF refueled at Trincomalee.  This one is just 18 hexes from Ramree and moves at 7 hexes per day, but I'm going to swing towards Calcutta to try to avoid detection until I'm ready to leap to the beach. D-Day probably four days.  John's patrols are getting low detection of some Allied shipping at Calcutta.  His spidey senses might be tingling...or not.  But this invasion goes.

I haven't been reading his AAR, so these are complete guesses. My feeling is that there won't be much in the Gilberts/Marshalls area. Maybe some DDs and a Nettie group with one or two groups of zeros and some Mavis. The sigint from Jaliut is probably a naval guard landing. Its early and he's focusing on the Southern reaches right now. I'd say go forth.

As for Ramree, here you might run into more escorted Nettie strikes or even a group or two of Kates. I would be wary, and have lots of LR CAP if possible. I always keep a few groups searching the Bay of Bengal, and usually some Glen subs patrolling around looking for sneaky moves like the one you're making now.

[Canoerebel]

5/30/42
 
Holy cow!  I did something today that nobody's ever done before.  I am embarrassed to have to admit it, but I shall in the name of forthrightness and thoroughness. 

Burma:  I somehow configured my fast transport to "unload," so when it stopped at Trincomalee to refuel it did just that.  (I ALWYAS check this, so I'm just flabbergasted I didn't this time.) So the marine raiders are at Trincomalee and the fast transport TF is nine hexes to the north!  That means I have to turn them around, reload, and sally forth.  D-Day likely four days away.  The one beneficial aspect is that it does allow my major second-phase TFs to be much closer to the beach, meaning follow up should be considerably more effecient.  John is also paying very much attention to the Allied shipping at Calcutta - a couple of small combat TFs and supply TFs.  So his spidey senses may be tingling.  I will have hundreds of decent fighters that I can cycle forward to Akyab to provide LRCAP, plus Hornet and three RN carriers.

CenPac:  The Gilberts invasion TFs are 12 hexes from Tarawa and 13 from both Abemama and Makin.  No sign of detection, which is amazing.  Two flanker/picket ASW TFs will spring forward tonight to take position much closer to Tarawa and Makin, meaning this should trigger detection if there's even one patrol in place.  I have an AVP sprinting to a green dot hex island south of Tabituea.  If it makes it in time - it might - I might be able to support some PBYs.  So, after all, this invasion will go first and act as the decoy to clear things out (hopefully) for Ramree Island.

SoPac:  KB position north of Koumac.  Three AV of N Force Detachment has transferred from Noumea to Luganville.  Not much, but every bit may count.  Question:  How in the heck did John screw up the Luganville invasion so badly?  This one, in addition to the botched Midway invasion at the start of the war, will make him that much more reluctant to invade atolls.  If the Allies get ashore in good shape in the Gilberts, that augers well for staying there.  I just don't think John is going to be nimble and decisive when facing the prospect of hard landings.

China:  The Chinese withdrawal towards the new MLR continues to proceed in order.

[ny59giants]

I have tried to beat into John's head since your old game in WITP with him is prepping his troops for bases. He is better at it, but still isn't as OCD about it as I am. If your troops at Luganville and now for the Gilberts are well prepped, then you should be fine. I would have lots of subs around the Gilberts to get your shots in when he reacts, which he will. [;)]

[Canoerebel]

5/31/42
 
CenPac:  Gilberts invasion TFs are just seven hexes east of the targets (with advance picket TFs as close as four hexes).  No sign of detection.  D-Day two days.  Picket ships will be within a hex of the targets tomorrow.  The fly in the ointment is that the KB is only 30 hexes SW of Tarawa in the northern Solomons.  That's too close for comfort, but probably John would want to refuel and replenish (after two massive sorties against Noumea).  In any event the invasion is on.
 
Burma:  The fast transport TF made it back to Trincomalee.  Raiders board tonight and hopefully the TF moves out.  D-Day probably three or four days away.  Japanese patrols still paying attention to Calcutta.  One Aussie division reached the front lines - now the Allies strongly hold three continguous jungle hexes - two by solo and high experience UK brigades and the third by a very good Aussie brigade.  The next Aussie brigade is marching east from Kalemyo to occupy the next hex to the north.
 
Australia:  32nd Div. has reached Melbourne.  The masive, two-month sea lift to Oz is complete.  Australia can stand on its own.
 
China:  The Chinese withdrawal to the new MLR continues in good order.
 
Luzon:  The Allies still hold Clark Field.  [X(]  Into June, for goodness sake!  That wouldn't be a big deal if John had isolated the base and left a mixed brigade to serve as prison camp guards, but he's had two or more divisions there since the start of the war.

[Crackaces]

Burma: I somehow configured my fast transport to "unload," so when it stopped at Trincomalee to refuel it did just that....

That is an inner beauty of this game IMHO. Not only are results of strategy and operations detemined by AV Odds, random die rolls, air strikes etc . But multiple tiny details ranging from leaving airgroups on "training" while going in on a CV strike .. all the way to forgetting to station a sufficent AE that can reload the BB's you just sent on a bombardment mission ...Then there are all the hidden nuances that classify as what you don't know you don't know...

The combination of these between two players I beleive has a lot to do with the outcomes in games ...the better players have an eye for these details ...and even then it is easy in the hundreds of clicks in a busy to turn to forget one little detail .... [8D]

[Canoerebel]

Yeah!  Darn it! 

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Yeah!  Darn it! 

Yeah. I can't believe you, Dan. Here I thought you were one of the better players! I've never heard of ANYONE ever inadvertently unloading a transport or amphibious TF before. EVER. Goodness knows I've never made such an aggregious error.

John will win this game for sure now and the Allies will go down in ignominious defeat. Also, down is up and night is day. [;)]

[Canoerebel]

Oh, I know we all do it, but...still, how could I do it?!

Here's the situation in Burma - very promising for the Allies.

[Crackaces]

Yeah. I can't believe you, Dan. Here I thought you were one of the better players! I've never heard of ANYONE ever inadvertently unloading a transport or amphibious TF before. EVER. Goodness knows I've never made such an aggregious error

The better one IMHO is the leave the "do not unload" on while hitting an atoll .. [:'(] You know you want to sail right into the hex so you can get 4 full phases to off load .. .well that mistake involves sailing into range taking the full brunt of reponse and then "Doh!" .. It took me two episodes to fully ingrain that lesson deep inside my thalamus [:D]

[pws1225]

Quick question: can troops landed at Ramree Island cross over to the mainland on their own, or do they need to lifted via an amphibious TF? I'd check myself but since I'm at work (sigh) ...

[Canoerebel]

No detection showing for the amphibious TFs just seven hexes from Tarawa? This sounds like something that might have happened in the real war.

[crsutton]

ORIGINAL: Crackaces

Yeah. I can't believe you, Dan. Here I thought you were one of the better players! I've never heard of ANYONE ever inadvertently unloading a transport or amphibious TF before. EVER. Goodness knows I've never made such an aggregious error

The better one IMHO is the leave the "do not unload" on while hitting an atoll .. [:'(] You know you want to sail right into the hex so you can get 4 full phases to off load .. .well that mistake involves sailing into range taking the full brunt of reponse and then "Doh!" .. It took me two episodes to fully ingrain that lesson deep inside my thalamus [:D]

I have had them unload when they end the phase in a turn and are in a partial land hex in the middle of nowhere. That was a long time ago and may be fixed by now.