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How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please keep... - 5/26/2007 7:02:15 PM

saj42

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Need some advice for my first PBEM which has now just entered May 42. BigB scen 192, Ext'd map

This is not about the KB Death Star - I know how to handle that

My build-up in CENPAC and SOPAC was delayed by KB staying NE and SE of Hawaii til mid-Jan 42. After some convoy losses they were routed via Panama (this takes soooo much longer.

My opponent has this wonderful collection of amphibious TFs travelling around the Pacific swallowing up islands and I need to find a way to counter it.
It first appeared at Canton Is in Feb 42 (with 3 IJA Inf Divs), then moved to PagoPago a few weeks later (same 3 Inf Divs). After a month rest it appeared at Fiji (landed 4 Inf Divs at Nandi and marched to Suva). After another month rest I was expecting noumea to be next (intel), but to my horror radio intercepts pointed to shipping moving SE from Suva.
Target is Society Is. I've got Bora Bora defended but Papaete is rather weak. anyway the IJA amph DeathStar has deposited 5 Inf Divs on Papaete

thats 90K troops ashore - 10k landing casualties, 50+ transports and escorts hit by coastal defenses (Mar Def Bn + CD unit). LBA from Bora Bora is getting some hits in. I've plenty of PBYs providing maritime surveillance.

I'm facing at sea the whole KB (except 2x CVL 1x CVE previously sunk), 8x BBs + 2x SCTFs (both 25 ships).

My standard defence is to flood immediate landing area and main LOC with subs. My CVs are used to strike where the KB is not - that means his vulnerable transport and supply TFs - but it's hit and run raids only.

This is what it looked like 4 games days ago

Attachment (1)

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/26/2007 7:26:02 PM

RUPD3658

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I would stick with the LBA and sub method for now. In another month you will start getting huge numbers of B-24s and by September the KB will not be able to sail with 14 hexes of a level 4 AF.

Let him over expand and then try to keep these outposts supplied. You can clean out the starving garrisons later.

Unless you are in danger of an auto-victory loss, just lay low.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/26/2007 7:39:26 PM

saj42

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When the next turn comes back, it'll be 8 days from that screenshot and I expect Papaete to have fallen. LBA was hammered very hard by the first bombardment run on Bora Bora (57 x B-25s damaged).
When Bora Bora falls then the Pacific has been cut in two.
At least in other theatres I'm still holding Mandalay, Lashio (Burma road open), all Java, Timor, and P.M.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/26/2007 8:22:46 PM

Yamato hugger

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Well only 2 ways you can stop it. #1 sink his ships. You arent going to do that with LBA. You need carriers and surface forces for that. LBA will whittle him down some, but it wont stop it. Carriers alone wont stop it either. You need the surface ships also.

#2 is to have him run into a ground force he cant kill. A solid allied division will stop 3 leapfrogging Jap divisions. They have to be fairly disrupted by now. If they ran into the 2nd Marine for example, they would be stopped cold.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/26/2007 9:20:45 PM

AmiralLaurent

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Yamato hugger

Well only 2 ways you can stop it. #1 sink his ships. You arent going to do that with LBA. You need carriers and surface forces for that. LBA will whittle him down some, but it wont stop it. Carriers alone wont stop it either. You need the surface ships also.

#2 is to have him run into a ground force he cant kill. A solid allied division will stop 3 leapfrogging Jap divisions. They have to be fairly disrupted by now. If they ran into the 2nd Marine for example, they would be stopped cold.

I don't think so. With 5 Japanese division leapfrogging once every month with support of KB and 2 BB you will need two divisions.

A good trick for the Allied is to build a MLE at start, it will arrive in June and then sail her with a group of ML to the Pacific. 4 ML laying mines at the same base where the MLE is may mine each day and before a month tens of thousnads of mines will wait any invader... put two divisions in this base and you will have a nearly untakable stronghold.

By the way the fact that Australia will be cut from the US is far less improtant in WITP than it would be IRL (where IJA will never have agreed to send 5 divisions to Society Islands, but that is another matter).

The best way to deal with this advance is to prepare a good offensive in Burma with probes in DEI (Timor) and New Guinea/Solomons. These troops will lack somewhere else and you may try to exploit it in theaters where the full power of Allied LBA may apply without fearing BB nuke attacks and KB surprise visit.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/26/2007 9:56:19 PM

aztez

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quote:

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

quote:

ORIGINAL: Yamato hugger

Well only 2 ways you can stop it. #1 sink his ships. You arent going to do that with LBA. You need carriers and surface forces for that. LBA will whittle him down some, but it wont stop it. Carriers alone wont stop it either. You need the surface ships also.

#2 is to have him run into a ground force he cant kill. A solid allied division will stop 3 leapfrogging Jap divisions. They have to be fairly disrupted by now. If they ran into the 2nd Marine for example, they would be stopped cold.

I don't think so. With 5 Japanese division leapfrogging once every month with support of KB and 2 BB you will need two divisions.

A good trick for the Allied is to build a MLE at start, it will arrive in June and then sail her with a group of ML to the Pacific. 4 ML laying mines at the same base where the MLE is may mine each day and before a month tens of thousnads of mines will wait any invader... put two divisions in this base and you will have a nearly untakable stronghold.

By the way the fact that Australia will be cut from the US is far less improtant in WITP than it would be IRL (where IJA will never have agreed to send 5 divisions to Society Islands, but that is another matter).

The best way to deal with this advance is to prepare a good offensive in Burma with probes in DEI (Timor) and New Guinea/Solomons. These troops will lack somewhere else and you may try to exploit it in theaters where the full power of Allied LBA may apply without fearing BB nuke attacks and KB surprise visit.

Totally agree with this.

You need to start givin him headaches elsewhere: Burma and Aleutians are good places.

The KB deathstart is overwhelming at start.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/26/2007 10:53:15 PM

Yamato hugger

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quote:

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

I don't think so. With 5 Japanese division leapfrogging once every month with support of KB and 2 BB you will need two divisions.

A good trick for the Allied is to build a MLE at start, it will arrive in June and then sail her with a group of ML to the Pacific. 4 ML laying mines at the same base where the MLE is may mine each day and before a month tens of thousnads of mines will wait any invader... put two divisions in this base and you will have a nearly untakable stronghold.

By the way the fact that Australia will be cut from the US is far less improtant in WITP than it would be IRL (where IJA will never have agreed to send 5 divisions to Society Islands, but that is another matter).

The best way to deal with this advance is to prepare a good offensive in Burma with probes in DEI (Timor) and New Guinea/Solomons. These troops will lack somewhere else and you may try to exploit it in theaters where the full power of Allied LBA may apply without fearing BB nuke attacks and KB surprise visit.

Missed the part about the 5 divs (my error), but still. Unless he has been running supplies with him, he has to be pretty fatigued by now. I always build a bunch of MLEs at start (both sides) but I suspect this game is still in early 42 and the MLEs wouldnt even be out yet. If they are, you still have the problem of the KB bombing them in port and hitting the minelayers at sea. Even getting a division or 2 in position to stop them is going to be hard if the KB is supporting.

My advice is this: Hole up in Hawaii. Build a MASSIVE supply base there. Dump a few divisions on outlaying islands and dig in. Time is the allies friend. The more the Jap takes the more he has to defend, the longer his supply lines are. My guess is he is just playing Pac-Man with them bases. Killing the troops that are there and moving on. When he has gobbled them all up, he will pack up and head back to more defensible areas. Evac any units he hasnt killed yet by air and wait it out.

< Message edited by Yamato hugger -- 5/26/2007 10:54:21 PM >

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/26/2007 11:26:12 PM

ctangus

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Tallyho!

At least in other theatres I'm still holding Mandalay, Lashio (Burma road open), all Java, Timor, and P.M.

I agree with AmiralLaurent's assessment to apply pressure somewhere else.

Java could be another option for you - have you reinforced it at all? You must have good fort levels now that it's May '42. Reinforce with a couple divs (maybe one of the UK and one of the AIF divs) and some loose brigades and you could make Java all but impregnable. There have been several AARs where Java never fell.

I think it's very risky for the IJ to be sending so much to the South Pacific before the SRA is secure. Sure the girls on Tahiti are pretty, but he needs the oil/resources of the SRA.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/26/2007 11:55:20 PM

Yamato hugger

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Its true. If you hold Java, every major oil center in the SRA is vunerable to 4E bomber attack.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/26/2007 11:56:13 PM

racndoc

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If its May 1942 already and you still control all of Java with 5 IJA divisions in the South Pacific I think that you have virtually won the game already.

Just make sure that the Hawaiian Islands are heavily reinforced and fortified and get some SEAC LCUs into Java. Id use PPs to convert newly arriving air units and LCUs to SEAC command to have them arrive in Aden....then ship them to Java. Build Batavia and Soerabaja into lvl 5 airfields and then use your 4Es to take out the oilfields in Palembang and Borneo.

Let him take the south Pacific islands....he cant garrison all of them and by 1943 you can have a two pronged offensive....one directly across the central Pacific and the other due north into the SRA from Java. Additionally you can advance overland through Burma into Indochina.

Good luck!

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/27/2007 2:07:21 AM

saj42

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Thanks guys

I'm a bit concerned with reinforcing Java. You see there is an IJA Land juggernaut roaming the DEI. After P.I. was conquered a bunch of units reinforced his Malaya campaign. Now i'm facing the 35 unit stack sitting in Palembang (2 Divs + 5 Bdes + ARM/ARTY/ENGR).

From the units names I've been tracking I'm sure he has a lot of units in the front line, but the recent conquests/rear areas are sparcely held - not that I can exploit this at this time. It also seems he's been using his PPs solely for releasing Inf Divs from H.I. - in Papaete is 4/38/53/54/56 Inf Divs.

Too many months playing AI means i'm made some mistakes - not built any MLEs

- so that option isn't on.

Just going to have to sit tight in CENTPAC and SOPAC. Its 08 May 42 and the clock is ticking towards eventual victory

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/27/2007 6:26:48 AM

Mynok

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With that much committed to the Pacific, Burma is wide open. I would go on the offensive in serious manner there. Take it from a Japanese player. He hasn't got anything to counter you with in Burma now. Burma is the road to Singapore. If you can take that back...and you can with his current commit levels....his economy is sunk. Literally.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/27/2007 10:47:29 AM

AmiralLaurent

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I missed the Java part... Well I will strongly reinforce it with troops coming from India rather than try to invade Burma. Only 3 Southern Army Area Div are in Papeete (4, 38, 56) and 2 in Palembang that left 7 to be elsewhere, including Burma.

In fact what you I will probably do is sending 1 Div and 1-2 Bde from India and 1-2 Bde from Australia to Java, while initiating a limited land offensive in Burma towards Akyab if it is still Japanese.

In the Pacific I will concentrate troops in strongholds held by at least 2 if not 3 divisions..

By the way after 5 months, Japan can only have bought 2 Div (and may very soon buy a third)

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/27/2007 11:18:59 AM

Yamato hugger

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Mynok

With that much committed to the Pacific, Burma is wide open. I would go on the offensive in serious manner there. Take it from a Japanese player. He hasn't got anything to counter you with in Burma now. Burma is the road to Singapore. If you can take that back...and you can with his current commit levels....his economy is sunk. Literally.

3 Bdes and a division is more than enough to hold off the untrained Indian army, and you leave yourself open to a landing in force behind you. Be careful when it comes to attacking in Burma. Can be a death trap.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/27/2007 1:27:29 PM

saj42

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IJA Inf Div locations:
Burma - 5/33/55/IG
Sumatra - 2/18
Papaete - 4/38/53/54/56
Last seen in Malaya - 16/21

OK who have I missed?

The Burma Army is camped 1 hex south of Mandalay (has been for a month)

To be honest I never expected to retain Java so long. Many have said in this forum that it can be defended against AI but not against a human. So I expected a concerted attempt to take DEI, and did not reinforce. Question is have I got time to redeploy units from southern India and Oz?. Oz 6th and 7th AIF are on Noumea - its a long trip round Perth way unless I force a passage past the Amboina air blockade.

Sub activity in DEI is now focusing on the TK traffic that will be using Palembang soon

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/27/2007 9:06:51 PM

AmiralLaurent

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You forget the 48th IJA Div, also there are 4 Bde (21, 23, 24 IIRC and 56).

Don't move your Oz units out of Noumea. Rather turn it into a stronghold (with PH as another on the other side of Pacific) and dig in.

It's not possible to hold Java in PBEM in spring 1942 but it will certainly be in summer if your opponent waits for too long. With heavy bombers and Beaufort going in and out from Australia, P-40E and Kittyhawk I in good numbers, and some ground reinforcements it can be a bloody affair for Japan.

Right now are you able to sneak ship to Java or not ?

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/27/2007 9:57:53 PM

saj42

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I'll have to consult Bohdi's Utility to find 48ID.

As for shipping to Java, I could still get into Tjilitjap, as long as I unload in one phase/turn and retire. Kuching has been the main LBA base used against me since Dec 41, so nothing except subs operate in Batavia area. Soerabaja will soon be closed to surface traffic once Makassar gets operational (fell 2 weeks ago).

I don't think I'll have time though - sigint reports units prepping for Batavia - and there are 2x Div + 4x Bde sitting in Palembang, currently unemployed. Japanese assault shipping took heavy damage from Martins and Vildebeasts, so I might have two weeks oppontunity. However my shipping is out of position (Sydney). There are AKs at Perth that could lift a Bde - 2x Oz Inf Bdes there and a Cav Bde at Darwin.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/28/2007 5:31:20 PM

Yamato hugger

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If he has Palembang, you should be bombing it every day.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/28/2007 5:48:31 PM

niceguy2005

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus

quote:

ORIGINAL: Tallyho!

At least in other theatres I'm still holding Mandalay, Lashio (Burma road open), all Java, Timor, and P.M.

I agree with AmiralLaurent's assessment to apply pressure somewhere else.

This is traditionally the way to keep an army from massing its assets at the point of attack...kick 'em somewhere else that is soft and kick 'em hard.

I have now played enough of this game though to see a pattern of play that Japan can employ that is virtually unstoppable. Swallow up a level 4 AF and move Bettys/Nells in to control the seas for 17 hexes. Move in bombardment TFs to smash the AFs and prevent LBA from attacking transports. Finally gobble up the next AF.

I am contemplating some very simple house rules to try and restore a little balance back to the game. Some players like to ban bombardment TFs from attacking unless it is in support for an invasion. I am thinking of the following.

1. No 4Es on naval attack until a certain date...maybe June 43
2. No Bettys/Nells without fighter escort - in other words set their max range to the range of the fighters.

There are in fact only two instances I know of in the entire war where Bettys and Nells made a successful attack on warships. Usually if they were sent in unescorted they were slaughtered.

The rules above make air power slightly less potent and give both sides a shot at using naval forces to defend against invasion.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/28/2007 7:30:57 PM

saj42

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OK its time to launch a diversionary attack. Hadn't contemplated going so soon, because of forum comments about impatient Allied CinCs going too early

So Burma will be my focus - as India now looks safe.
The initial plan is to maintain forces currently in Mandalay (all original deployed Burma units, forts 8+) and Lashio (all Chinese SEAC units less 2 Divs, forts 6+), to hold the IJA Burma Army in place (60miles S of Mandalay).
I have garrisons in all coasal bases from Colombo to Cox's Bazaar, and all inland bases from Burma border to Asansol. My opponent has used paras extensively to capture empty bases in PI and DEI, and I didn't want to fall to a PzB assualt on India - these are not now needed.
So forces will be congregated at Chittagong and push down the coast through Akyab (still mine) and threaten Rangoon. 1x UK Div, 2x Ind Div, 2x Ind Arm Bde plus support can be gathered in about a week. At Madras is additional UK Inf Div, UK Arm Bde plus support that can be brought forward. I've 200k supplies in Diamond Harbour. A convoy of 60k supplies will be diverted to Chittagong today (must LRCAP it).

Japanese air power is based Rangoon/Moulmein - 150 Sallies, 100 Zeroes, 27 Nells plus recon/patrol. I've got 50+ US 4e, 150 UK/US 2e, AVG, 200 fighters (P-40 and Hurri). more US airgroups are at sea for India.

Does this sound doable ???

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/28/2007 7:54:29 PM

ctangus

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quote:

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: ctangus

quote:

ORIGINAL: Tallyho!

At least in other theatres I'm still holding Mandalay, Lashio (Burma road open), all Java, Timor, and P.M.

I agree with AmiralLaurent's assessment to apply pressure somewhere else.

This is traditionally the way to keep an army from massing its assets at the point of attack...kick 'em somewhere else that is soft and kick 'em hard.

I have now played enough of this game though to see a pattern of play that Japan can employ that is virtually unstoppable. Swallow up a level 4 AF and move Bettys/Nells in to control the seas for 17 hexes. Move in bombardment TFs to smash the AFs and prevent LBA from attacking transports. Finally gobble up the next AF.

I am contemplating some very simple house rules to try and restore a little balance back to the game. Some players like to ban bombardment TFs from attacking unless it is in support for an invasion. I am thinking of the following.

1. No 4Es on naval attack until a certain date...maybe June 43
2. No Bettys/Nells without fighter escort - in other words set their max range to the range of the fighters.

There are in fact only two instances I know of in the entire war where Bettys and Nells made a successful attack on warships. Usually if they were sent in unescorted they were slaughtered.

The rules above make air power slightly less potent and give both sides a shot at using naval forces to defend against invasion.

I agree the Betty/Zero/bombardment combo is an unrealistically tough nut to fight, though I'm not sure if your house rules would completely solve it.

1. IMO 4Es on naval attack are one of the few deterrents, early game, to strategic bombardments. Beauforts don't have the range to torpedo shoot & scoot bombardments. 500 lb. bombs won't penetrate Jap BB or CA deck armor in stock, but they can knock out gun mounts and drive up sys damage and make a Japanese player think twice - they at least make me think twice in my Japanese game.

2. Would this really make much of a difference? Playing allied I generally don't worry about Bettys/Nells outside of zero range as long as I'm flying LRCAP or have CV escort. The CAP's usually enough to keep them from flying and if they do, even P-39s can chew up unescorted Bettys.

Short of coding changes I think treespider has the best idea I've seen so far - limiting AF size drastically so potential level 4 AFs are few and far between. This should cut down the effectiveness of both Bettys/Nells and allied 4E bombers.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/28/2007 8:12:07 PM

ctangus

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Tallyho!

OK its time to launch a diversionary attack. Hadn't contemplated going so soon, because of forum comments about impatient Allied CinCs going too early

So Burma will be my focus - as India now looks safe.
The initial plan is to maintain forces currently in Mandalay (all original deployed Burma units, forts 8+) and Lashio (all Chinese SEAC units less 2 Divs, forts 6+), to hold the IJA Burma Army in place (60miles S of Mandalay).
I have garrisons in all coasal bases from Colombo to Cox's Bazaar, and all inland bases from Burma border to Asansol. My opponent has used paras extensively to capture empty bases in PI and DEI, and I didn't want to fall to a PzB assualt on India - these are not now needed.
So forces will be congregated at Chittagong and push down the coast through Akyab (still mine) and threaten Rangoon. 1x UK Div, 2x Ind Div, 2x Ind Arm Bde plus support can be gathered in about a week. At Madras is additional UK Inf Div, UK Arm Bde plus support that can be brought forward. I've 200k supplies in Diamond Harbour. A convoy of 60k supplies will be diverted to Chittagong today (must LRCAP it).

Japanese air power is based Rangoon/Moulmein - 150 Sallies, 100 Zeroes, 27 Nells plus recon/patrol. I've got 50+ US 4e, 150 UK/US 2e, AVG, 200 fighters (P-40 and Hurri). more US airgroups are at sea for India.

Does this sound doable ???

If he doesn't reinforce, he'd have to withdraw his 3 divisions to Moulmein or risk them getting surrounded. He could stop it if he does reinforce, but that would be a strategic success for you too - either he'd need a month to take it from South Pac or he'd need to postpone his Java invasion.

I'd keep some reserves to deal with the possibility of an amphibious flank attack though the Royal Navy should be able to stop anything that doesn't have full KB support. You might also want to keep one armored unit in reserve for anti-para work. The caribineers don't have a lot of offensive punch but could deal with a few isolated para squads. You should be getting the 5th Indian Div pretty soon, too.

My two cents.

(in reply to saj42)

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/29/2007 7:20:14 PM

saj42

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Thanks 'ct'.
Its 420514.

Just had Ind Div and UK Bde arrive at Aden. These will be brought forward as India garrison troops. Also arrived in Aden is US 101BF/101AvRegt these will be moved to Dacca to act as USAAF airbase (with 10AF HQ already at Calcutta). This will release UK BF/AvRegt/AF HQ for Rangoon.

I've got a free hand for 3-6 months in IO - KB has just ceased to exist as a effective fighting force

Mind you the joint US/UK carrier force did not get away lightly. The RN in India has 1xCV 1xCVL
It means however that the 5 IJA Divs (the original reason for this thread) are now, for all intents and purposes, trapped in deepest South Pacific - and already suffering BB bombardments every other day.

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RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/29/2007 7:28:17 PM

AmiralLaurent

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If I understand well you defeated the KB, or at least did enough damaged to it to send it back to Japan.

More details please, it's not something you were expected to be able to do!!!

By the way having 5 Japanese divisions in S Pacific with waters around controlled by the Allied is an awful situation for Japan.

I don't know which mod you play, but marching from Akyab to Rangoon may leave enough time for the Japanese troops in Palembang to invade Java, take it and be shipped to Burma.

(in reply to saj42)

Post #: 24

RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/29/2007 10:20:19 PM

saj42

Posts: 1125
Joined: 4/19/2005
From: Somerset, England
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

If I understand well you defeated the KB, or at least did enough damaged to it to send it back to Japan.

More details please, it's not something you were expected to be able to do!!!

By the way having 5 Japanese divisions in S Pacific with waters around controlled by the Allied is an awful situation for Japan.

I don't know which mod you play, but marching from Akyab to Rangoon may leave enough time for the Japanese troops in Palembang to invade Java, take it and be shipped to Burma.

BigB Mod v1.31 Scen 192, 2 day turns, FOW on

Using the screenie in post 1 above i'll try to describe how things went.
My plan was to remain out of range of KB and savage the supply and transport TFs streaming in from W and NW. 3x PBY squadrons on Bora Bora give complete picture.
KB is the two TF 2 hex NW of Bora Bora moving SE. 2x UK CVs are south of Aitutaki, 2x US CVs are 4 hex N of Aitutaki, 1x US CV is racing down from Palmyra from NE.

KB moves to 2 hex SW of Bora Bora, UK CVs react resulting in torp damage to Formidable (later detatched to return to Aukland). US CVs (Hornet/Yorktown) fail to launch strikes because I forgot to set SBD & TBD to naval attack !!!!!.

Now cover is blown I take US and UK CVs full speed 6 hex SW of Rarotonga (out of 6 hex range of IJN search a/c). Thinking KB will move west, Lexington TF moves to reef NE of Papaete to launch strike on Amph TF in Papaete hex. I find as well Kaga/Akagi TF 1 hex East of Bora Bora and put 1x 1000lb bomb into Kaga (must have been retired as took no further part). Lex then runs full speed NW to evade (centre top of screenie)

PBYs confirm KB still off SW of Bora Bora supporting invasion. Yorktown/Hornet TF and Indomitable TF again move full speed back north of Aitutaki to hit convoys. Not many convoys found so little damage done. Fuel now extemely critical. Was not checking expenditure closely with full speed settings and now have to retire to position 4 hex SW of Aitutaki to meet replen TF coming from New Zealand.

KB still reported off Bora Bora, Papaete under seige but not yet fallen. Take risky decision to move back to 1 hex SW of Aitutaki, Lex having speed down from north to join up and refuel.

Now the main act.
Day 1
KB has moved to N of Aitutaki, one KB TF reacts SE, range 3 hexes.
Allies strike first hitting 4x CVs in one TF (Sho, Zui, Hir & Sor). Multiple small strikes from the 3 Allied TFs overwhelm smallish CAP. IJN counterstrike hita all 3 Allied TF but concentrate on Lex TF and Indomitable TF(with Prince of Wales) - both CVs cannot launch a/c
Day 2
Honet/Yorktown TF reacts 1 hex NE and engages original IJN CVs doing further damage (no CAP). But another KB TF appears to NE and strike hits Hornet hard.

With severe damage all round and depleted air groups both sides withdraw and no further carrier duels occur.

damage inflicted:
Shokaku 4x 1000lb, 1x torp
Zuikaku 14x 1000lb, 4x torp, fuel expl - SUNK
Hiryu 8x 1000lb, 2x Ammo expl
Soryu 4x 1000lb, 1x torp
Akagi none
Shoho none

Immediate aftermath:
Lexington 4x bomb, 1x torp - 91/57/13
Yorktown 3x bomb, 2x torp - 40/34/30
Hornet 6x bomb - 99/27/41
Indomitable some bombs bounce off, 3x torp - 37/59/6
Prince of Wales 1x bomb, 1x torp - 18/0/1

6 days later:

Sho / Zui / Hiryu confirmed sunk
Soryu ??? - but opponent says sunk

Lady Lex - sunk
Yorktown - 44/9/0 - flooding falling
Hornet - 99/69/0 - flooding rising
Indomitable - 38/60/0 - flooding falling

FINAL RESULT 4 IJN CV for 2 US CV

< Message edited by Tallyho! -- 5/29/2007 10:27:56 PM >

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(in reply to AmiralLaurent)

Post #: 25

RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 5/29/2007 10:38:49 PM

saj42

Posts: 1125
Joined: 4/19/2005
From: Somerset, England
Status: offline

I might have waited too long in DEI - massive air strikes have obliterated half the Allied air power in the region when Batavia and Soerabaja were hit by big raids of 100+ bombers and 60-70 fighters each. I'm stripping Oz of every Beaufort, Hudson , P-39 and Kittyhawk to launch air attrition war in Java. Martins and Buffs need all the help they can get.
Every sub is sortied to area off Batavia to hit the convoys that will soon be appearing.

I think its too little too late.

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(in reply to AmiralLaurent)

Post #: 26

RE: How to fight IJA DeathStar ??? - Gillesthib please ... - 6/1/2007 9:19:10 PM

KPAX

Posts: 735
Joined: 6/3/2004
From: Where the heart is; Home of the Fighting Irish
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Yamato hugger

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mynok

With that much committed to the Pacific, Burma is wide open. I would go on the offensive in serious manner there. Take it from a Japanese player. He hasn't got anything to counter you with in Burma now. Burma is the road to Singapore. If you can take that back...and you can with his current commit levels....his economy is sunk. Literally.

3 Bdes and a division is more than enough to hold off the untrained Indian army, and you leave yourself open to a landing in force behind you. Be careful when it comes to attacking in Burma. Can be a death trap.

I would agree with this also. The Indians have crap troops and you do not want an end run on Rangoon, if you pull the troops out of there.

I would just use Rangoon and bomb the crap out of all his near by bases. Hit the resources, get some XP and dig in.

Unless Singapore gerts oil or supplies, their supplies are in trouble in the long run. Keep the pressure up as long as possible, but do not overextend as Japan does have enough firepower to amass troops, A/C and TFs to sink/hit anything that they want without much trouble until the later part of 1942.

Just try to nip him where you can and hide for a while. His supplies will run short soon.

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