RE: The door of India is open

Matrix Games Forums

Forums Register Login Photo Gallery Member List Search Calendars FAQ

My Profile Inbox Address Book My Subscription My Forums Log Out

RE: The door of India is open

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: The door of India is open

Page: << < prev 19 20 [21] 22 23 next > >>

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 12:43:01 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

Tomorrow i'll reply to your comments guys...now i'm falling asleep and have only the strenght to make a small resum�.

June 19-20 1942

Rader sent 1000 planes against Karachi this time. more than 300 zeros on sweeps and then 340 bombers escorted by 240 Oscars...my CAP did what it could but, despite inflicting to the enemy sweeps heavy losses, we weren't able to stop the flow of bombers...94 planes destroyed on my side against 210 on his...the ratio is shifting in his favour! My b17s tried to pay a visit at Surat...at 22k feet to avoid the AA...only 17 planes destroyed on the ground for the loss of 5 B-17s...again a bad ratio.

It's the KB in the Marshalls! One of my subs spotted a strong TF composed of a CS, 2 fast BBs and some 10 DDs...pretty sure is part of the KB fleet!

However now i'm too tired to write anything more. Tomorrow will describe these crazy days of furious indian battles...

Night guys...and thx

(in reply to ADB123)

Post #: 601

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 12:55:41 AM

Prydwen

Posts: 156
Joined: 2/23/2009
Status: offline

Do you have any house rules about night bombing? You could send your 4E bombers in at night and maybe catch a bunch of his planes on the ground. It's a two edged sword though. With his numbers advantage he has enough to split his forces between day and night and put some hurt on you around the clock.

ItsAMadHouse

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 602

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 2:35:51 AM

Bullwinkle58

Posts: 11302
Joined: 2/24/2009
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: GreyJoy

Rader sent 1000 planes against Karachi this time. more than 300 zeros on sweeps and then 340 bombers escorted by 240 Oscars...my CAP did what it could but, despite inflicting to the enemy sweeps heavy losses, we weren't able to stop the flow of bombers...94 planes destroyed on my side against 210 on his...the ratio is shifting in his favour

With FOW you probably got more like 140 of his.

You can't beat him in the air with 1942 models in the numbers he can bring when he's not pressed anywhere else. You're just burning precious supply and exchanging VPs.

< Message edited by Bullwinkle58 -- 5/21/2011 2:36:33 AM >

_____________________________

The Moose

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 603

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 2:45:29 AM

Canoerebel

Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline

GreyJoy's numbers could be right if he's aware of how to read the combat reports, the Intelligence Screen reports, and how to monitor the combat replay. If he's scoring three to one against Japan with total losses that high, his opponent has to be feeling it a bit. GreyJoy's certainly been taking his lumps gamely, so it's admirable to see him fighting back.

What could be interesting is the possibility that the KB is in the Paciific after all, giving GreyJoy carrier parity in the Arabian Sea. If he can push convoys - especially troop reinforcements - from Aden through to Karachi, who knows what might happen?

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)

Post #: 604

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 3:38:33 AM

Bullwinkle58

Posts: 11302
Joined: 2/24/2009
Status: offline

All right, I'll just ask then. GreyJoy, are you using the intel reports and doing math, or are you reporting the combat report numbers pure with FOW included?

While I'm asking, about how many ships capable of carrying LCUs do you have at Aden, Abadan, Karachi, or in transit between these?

_____________________________

The Moose

(in reply to Canoerebel)

Post #: 605

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 3:44:31 AM

Canoerebel

Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline

Good questions. (I hope my previous comment didn't come across harshly - darn the inability to communicate clearly electronically - as it wasn't intended that way).

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)

Post #: 606

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 3:55:33 AM

Bullwinkle58

Posts: 11302
Joined: 2/24/2009
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

� Good questions.� (I hope my previous comment didn't come across harshly - darn the inability to communicate clearly electronically - as it wasn't intended that way).

Not taken that way here. It's all good.

But if you would entertain one more question, one I've asked others in PM recently--what do you think GJ should be doing in the macro sense re an air war in India? I'm on record as seeing it as a waste of supplies he's going to need to hang on in Karachi and wait for relief, even more so when he's running a 100+ PP deficit per day due to skipped withdrawls and could be in the negative thousands of PPs pretty soon. Do you think it's a wise move or not, Oh India Defense Guru?

_____________________________

The Moose

(in reply to Canoerebel)

Post #: 607

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 4:10:33 AM

Canoerebel

Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline

Well, at some point he has to dig in and fight as best he can with what he has. Perhaps this is the time and method, though I see your point.

If rader continues to batter his airfields, GJ might need to withdraw most of his bombers. And if he reaches the point where the fighter battles are no longer productive, then perhaps he does the same with his fighters. But if he's getting 3:1 kill ratio with the enemy sometimes losing hundreds of aircraft in a day, I say keep it up until something changes.

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)

Post #: 608

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 4:15:42 AM

Bullwinkle58

Posts: 11302
Joined: 2/24/2009
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Well, at some point he has to dig in and fight as best he can with what he has.� Perhaps this is the time and method, though I see your point.

If rader continues to batter his airfields, GJ might need to withdraw most of his bombers.� And if he reaches the point where the fighter battles are no longer productive, then perhaps he does the same with his fighters.� But if he's getting 3:1 kill ratio with the enemy sometimes losing hundreds of aircraft in a day, I say keep it up until something changes.

Well, it's 3:1, or Something:1 of very large numbers. It's like my old Accounting prof saying, "Margin is nice, but you don't put percent in the bank." His pools won't hold out at 75-100 per day lost, but he could be 2000 PPs away from being able to activate a US division by then.

My bigger question is on his ship count. He's said he's lost about 35 merchants coming out of the Aden channel. If he plans to haul the five big reenforcement units to Karachi he needs to be very careful of his ships now. I doubt he can count on sneaking any into the Mideast through Mombassa.

< Message edited by Bullwinkle58 -- 5/21/2011 4:17:28 AM >

_____________________________

The Moose

(in reply to Canoerebel)

Post #: 609

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 9:16:11 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: hartwig.modrow

Honestly, I am slightly confused. If you are convinced you act on solid intel, it may be necessary to change plans. But

a) I was under the impression that you had come to the conclusion that your opponent's long range naval attack planes in the region are crack, deadly and take apart amphibious TFs. Now, you want to send them in without air cover.

b) can a "light and slow invasion movement" still achieve what the purpose of your operation was? Or parts of it? Can you provide a list of your original aims and those results the operation is still supposed to provide?

Just my 2cts.

Hartwig

My main goal was to distract him from his major goal and force him to divert some assets from India. The presence of the KB (presence that i'm pretty sure about the more and more every day) in CENTPAC already means something for me. If i can keep a decent pressure on his permeter at Marshalls i think i've already achieved my first objective of this campaign.
The other goal for sure was to create a breach into his defensive perimeter using surprise -and the fact that he haven't reinforced those islands before- to jump in and conquest them fast...but due to my mistakes (too realy recon that awoke his attention) and his capacities not to get caught with his pants down anywhere have substantially destroyed my plans for this second goal.
I know Rader knows the mechanisms of the game very well. I understand your point mate, but i really think a wise man now should work on his possibilities in the pacific now considering the presence of the KB as a fact and not as an option.

The light invasion for sure won't be a game-changer...but hopefully can force him to dedicate some assets to this area (he need to build his defences in the Marshalls now)...assets that could be sent somewhere else...

(in reply to modrow)

Post #: 610

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 9:21:08 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: ADB123

quote:

If i manage to create a level 1 AF there i can think about moving in some 50 fighters and estabilish a foothold in the Gilberts.

Are you aware that a Level 1 Air Field can only support defensive Air operations, such as CAP? You can't fly LR CAP or Sweeps out of a Level 1 Airfield.

What could happen if you put 50 good fighters on a Level 1 Air Field? Well, for one, IJN bombardment TFs can start to happily sail in, LR Capped by Zeros, and close your Air Field. Then, when your air field is closed, long range Bettys and Nells can start to have target practice on your troops, grounded air planes, emergency supply TFs, and so on.

Does this sound far-fetched? It doesn't to one of my Allied pbem opponents who happily invaded Tarawa in mid-42...

He now has some very good troops stuck on an atoll-prison... and this means that they aren't attacking somewhere else that is more useful to the Allies...

Take some time to think through what you would do in your opponent's place, and how you could take advantage of mistakes like this...

Good luck.

I got your point

Thanks.
I won't dedicate more than a base force, a infantry BN and a couple of seabees for a place like Abenama...but consider he has not built tarawa yet and most of his engeeneers are in India, along with his base forces...a level 0(2) AF can be built up pretty fast not only to level 1...but also higher...for sure the first weeks will be decisive...and i know if he wants to shut it he can...but again, if he dedicates his BBs and his precious planes to keep this little atoll shut down, it means that those BBs are not covering Iwo...or the Solomons.... At the moment in the Pacific i have enough troops to threaten more than one single spot...He needs the KB fully operational acting like a fire estinguisher if he wants to keep me honest (he can do that)...but as long as the KB is not in India and if my actions are keeping the KB far away from the major theatre...well, i'm happy

(in reply to ADB123)

Post #: 611

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 9:28:38 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: ItsAMadhouse

Do you have any house rules about night bombing?� You could send your 4E bombers in at night and maybe catch a bunch of his planes on the ground.� It's a two edged sword though.� With his numbers advantage he has enough to split his forces between day and night and put some hurt on you around the clock.

ItsAMadHouse

I thought about that.... we have a HR that says no night bombing below 20k feet...
So i really think it's worthless to use my 4Es in that role now...better to force him to keep some of his fighters on CAP instead of sending them all on sweep/escort.
The real threat now is the AA...even at 22k japanese AA is very very effective...pretty weird isn't it!?

Anyway i have more than 84 B-17s in pool now...i can master some losses and i will use my 4Es aggressively.
In the last turns he kept only some 30 fighters on CAP (nicks)... a decent and lucky raid and i can smash his AFs... i still think i can fight this battle!

(in reply to Prydwen)

Post #: 612

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 9:42:23 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

All right, I'll just ask then. GreyJoy, are you using the intel reports and doing math, or are you reporting the combat report numbers pure with FOW included?

While I'm asking, about how many ships capable of carrying LCUs do you have at Aden, Abadan, Karachi, or in transit between these?

I'm using the information screen which should be accurate and not affected by FOW.
Since the Battle of India has begun i've lost 166 fighter frames while he lost 460. I've got 40 pilots killed...while i cannot know the numbers of his pilots killed i bet they are way more than mine.

At Aden and Adeban i've got 62 transport ships...i think enough to ferry those reinforcements.

(in reply to Bullwinkle58)

Post #: 613

RE: The door of India is open - 5/21/2011 9:50:33 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

CR and Bullwinkle,

the air losses in India are very high for sure. My P-40Es pool is down to 166, while my hurricanes pool (all models included) is around 56. I won't be able to sustain this rate of losses for a long period...but consider that Rader got nearly 500 air losses in 4 days (2 turns)...especially the last turn he has lost 166 crack zeros...his daitais must have a very low morale and i don't think he has infinite amounts of supplies, even if he's conquered the southern india industry!...feed more than 10.000 AVs and more than 2000 a/c surely request a huge amount of supplies.

I have nearly every week a 20k supplies convoy running for Karachi. Not enough to survive but enough to prolongue my fighting capabilities.

The yesterday Jap raid didn't achieve much...Karachi AF is operational at 100% again and my fighter defence is again at their normal numbers (250 fighters for Karachi).

I really think i'm doing the right thing in accepting the fight here. I saw with my own eyes that i can hurt him in the air. Maybe i'll lose the attrition battle but he cannot lose hundreds of crack pilots every day. ...and if he crosses the LOD...oh boy...imagine the spitfires flying over Karachi

Seriously now. My defences are still stiff. And my nails are still there for the moment. I'll keep on fighting

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 614

The Battle Of India - 5/21/2011 10:03:21 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

JUNE 21-22 1942

Rader stood down his planes to lick his wounds and to R&R for this turn...i'm using these two days to breath and reorganize my defences. I've reallocated my AA units and gave some rest to my 4Es.
2 DDs have dared to get too close to Karachi and this time they got smashed by my torpedo bombers. They are now with the fishes

In the Marshalls my subs keep on reporting of Vals and Kates attacking...after we've spotted yesterday those fast BBs i'm pretty sure the KB is around moving now back towards Truk. My cats at Abenama reported a huge number of ships (DDs and AKs) moving up and down on the Marshalls...i'm pretty sure he's reinforcing all his islands...that's ok for me right now. Cannot stop this movement nor risk anything with the KB around. i'm reorganizing and unloading my units...no need to keep them aboard.

I'm thinking now about a new plan...just thinking so i'm not elaborating anything...but in a couple of days i'll come up with some ideas...

Tomorrow i'm sure the battle over India will start again...we're ready to fight. I'm collecting planes and pilots everywhere on the map to get them into the pool and send them to India.

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 615

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/21/2011 6:36:01 PM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

June 23-24 1942

A bad day today.
Japanese arrived again in masses against Jodpur. My air forces there was tiny and we paid the price of being overnumbered...46 planes lost against 45...a 1-1 ratio which is damned bad.
Tojos started to fly and they showed their superiority over hurricanes and P-40s.
He needs 4 days in a row to close Jodpur AF using 300+ bombers, while Hydebarand and Karachi cannot, at the actual state, be closed with these numbers.
He's using some 350 fighters very day...numbers that i cannot hope to achieve.
Anyway he's far from annihilating completely my Indian Air Army...and it doesn't seem he wants to cross the LOD anytime soon...
Think we still have chances. My AVs in India are slowing encreasing. New troops are flowing from Aden and my tank forces are now half equipped with Stuarts and Velentines...if i manage to hold in the air i think i can defend Karachi on the ground. I'm positive!

As ADB said, he came with a bombardment TF to smash Abenama...i'm not worried cause there i only had some minor units that have already been saved in fragments so i'm not really losing anything important.

still thinking about what to do in the pacific...should i follow Jeff's suggestion and redeploy at Pago pago and Suva? Or should i keep everything concentrated at PH ready to move?

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 616

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 2:07:58 PM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

June 25-26 1942

Another 2 days of passion in northern India.
This time the target was Hyderabad (S).
4 waves of 40 zeros swept the base, decimating my CAP.
the last sweep came from 91 zeros at 20,000 ft...
Then it came the bomber wave, escorted by 140 Oscars. 340 Bombers pounded the airfields, bringing destruction.
Despite having 7 AA units with lots of heavy AA guns, we only shot down a couple of bombers that flew at 13,000 ft...the inefficiency of my AA is really strange

Then my 4Es made a retaliation mission over Surat, pounding the base and fighting against a decent CAP and against the terrible japanese AA.
Lost 14 4Es in the process but manage to destroy 53 enemy planes on the ground.

Hyderabad is already active and close to level 9 AF...
His bombers are unable to close my bases (well fortified and with TONS of engeneers) and he must be losing hundreds of pilots in the process.
I'm not that sure that i'm losing this battle of attrition.

The results of the last 2 days are comfortable. Almost 3-1 in my favour. Now Karachi has more than 330 fighters ready to meet him...let's see.

In the meanwhile the flow of supplies and men keep on going from Aden to Karachi. His subs are becoming less effective due to my Air ASW which is now constant and effective.

During the last days a british Recce unit has arrived, along with a strong british base force (with radars) and the Eastern Army HQ...not bad.

Colombo and Trico both fell , leaving Cylon completely in his hands. Now he only has to cross the LOD cause there's nothing left to conquer for Japan south of Dehli.

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 617

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 2:08:49 PM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

Attachment (1)

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 618

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 2:21:32 PM

Canoerebel

Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002
From: Northwestern Georgia, USA
Status: offline

Strange that he hasn't imposed an unbreakable blockade on Karachi. Strange that he apparently doesn't have the KB there - or in its absence such a massive network of ships plus closing Karachi's airfield - to prevent you from bringing in supplies and reinforcements. I would think a Japanese player's paramount consideration in India would be to shut down any reinforcements so that you only have to deal with what's there.

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 619

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 2:52:39 PM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Strange that he hasn't imposed an unbreakable blockade on Karachi.� Strange that he apparently doesn't have the KB there - or in its absence such a massive network of ships plus closing Karachi's airfield - to prevent you from bringing in supplies and reinforcements.� I would think a Japanese player's paramount consideration in India would be to shut down any reinforcements so that you only have to deal with what's there.

Well, i know i don't have enough experience and i know i've showed many times my not-understanding of many game mechanisms...but i think you all are understimating the strenght of the actual allied position. Karachi can count on an airforce that still has 500 fighters, 50 torpedo bombers, 70 4Es, 26 wellingons, 250 between Blenheims and hudsons and some 20 patrol planes (plus a number of light bombers). Then there are the british CVs hidden in the Aden Channell and the whole RN waiting to pop up if needed....for sure he can defeat me...but the risk is not that small and we all know that if the KB takes a beating japanese chances of stopping an allied advance in the pacific are really small.

However the battle has just begun and he still has the strenght to put me down...

(in reply to Canoerebel)

Post #: 620

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 4:08:57 PM

Nemo121

Posts: 5821
Joined: 2/6/2004
Status: offline

quote:

but i think you all are understimating the strenght of the actual allied position.

No, they are over-estimating your opponent. From the last few days of combat reports it is clear that he doesn't know how to finish you off. He could crush you but I have a feeling that he will allow you to come back from this position. I also think you'll draw all the wrong conclusions from that...

< Message edited by Nemo121 -- 5/22/2011 4:16:01 PM >

_____________________________

John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 621

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 4:35:05 PM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

I don't wanna appear overconfident. I am not. Seriously.
I know my numbers are low and getting lower.
The Hurricanes pools are getting dry fast and soon i'll have to rely only on my american squadrons. I still have 116 P-40s in pool but i know these won't last long at these rithms.
However my positions are strong and he's nowhere close to shut down my airfields, while my 4Es keep on showing their fangs and bite him.

He has lost more than 1000 planes in the last 8 days, while i've lost 300. His zeros, above all, suffered the most. I bet that at least 2/300 of his crack pilots are lost and we all know that his superiority strongly relies on these pre-war pilots.

At the same time when he'll cross the LOD my pools are gonna get refilled with some late model crack british planes (spitfires above all) and i'm not so sure he can risk to face them under these conditions.

Anyway, if it's true that you're all overstimating rader...well, i won't spit on my own luck

....afterall i badly need some luck and if it comes under the dress of some doubts of him...well, the better!

(in reply to Nemo121)

Post #: 622

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 5:37:26 PM

Alfred

Posts: 6685
Joined: 9/28/2006
Status: offline

Just a few days into the preliminary operations leading into the siege of Karachi and the Allies' prospects already look bleak.

1. The supply costs just to replace the airframes lost on 25/26 June is over 1200 supply.

2. Over the first 8 days, the Allied airforce has lost 300 planes. That alone wipes out the emergency airframe replacements IF the LOD is crossed.

3. No additional fully trained pilots are released as part of the emergency reinforcements which are triggered IF the LOD is crossed. Not much benefit is gained from superior airframes if they are piloted by inexperienced pilots.

4. Only a small percentage of the emergency airframes which are triggered IF the LOD is crossed, are Spitfires.

5. Japan should be producing enough trained pilots and aircraft to sustain these losses whereas the Allied pools can sustain only a further 1-2 weeks combat at these airframe loss rates.

6. An entire months production of B-17E was lost just on 25/26 June.

Rader would be a very poor player if

(a) he could not adjust his air operations to improve their efficiency

(b) panicked over the air losses he has suffered to date

Alfred

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 623

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 9:17:58 PM

Nemo121

Posts: 5821
Joined: 2/6/2004
Status: offline

Alfred,

quote:

However my positions are strong and he's nowhere close to shut down my airfields, while my 4Es keep on showing their fangs and bite him. He has lost more than 1000 planes in the last 8 days, while i've lost 300. His zeros, above all, suffered the most. I bet that at least 2/300 of his crack pilots are lost and we all know that his superiority strongly relies on these pre-war pilots.

re: your point 6... Yeah and that was adjudged a successful operation within this AAR

. See above

As re: Rader: We'll see his mettle soon enough... but there IS a sense of a slackening of pace when reading this AAR.... this makes me think he isn't fully committed to delivering a killing blow... a blow which won't be successfully opposed if delivered but, if not delivered.... well then GreyJoy will survive and materiel, not nous, will gain him victory

I, personally, view the lack of KB in the area as follows:
1. Greyjoy isn't spotting it - most likely.

2. Rader determines the risk too great - he is on the cusp of winning a truly war-altering strategic victory. This is the sort of thing KB's builders dreamed of risking KB to win. If he is in this position and won't risk it then his strategic judgement is flawed.

3. Rader thinks a "leaky cordon" is sufficient... Possible but for such great gains a bit more certainty is preferable.

4. Rader has decided not to attack Karachi and trigger those reinforcements- looking increasingly likely. Possibly he wishes to practice his defensive preparations in the 44/45 timeframe in a live game?

5. Rader believes there is something more valuable for KB to be doing elsewhere right now - aka the Marshalls. This would, IMO, be a sign of significantly poor judgement. This seems the second most likely outcome given the recent spottings of planes etc etc. Retaining the Marshalls potentially at the cost of Karachi is a terrible trade.

Of course I think that even in spite of such possible missteps if Rader tries for Karachi it will fall.

Wars are not won by the most brilliant army. They are won by the least incompetent one.

< Message edited by Nemo121 -- 5/22/2011 9:25:07 PM >

_____________________________

John Dillworth: "I had GreyJoy check my spelling and he said it was fine."
Well, that's that settled then.

(in reply to Alfred)

Post #: 624

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 11:11:14 PM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

Hi Alfred and Nemo,

well, your considerations are all wise and well agreable. Numbers talk. And they talk clearly: my production is simply too small to hope to win a battle of attrition (despite some days i feel my guys are doing terribly well!).

The true point, imho, is that at this stage (with the decisions taken, good or bad) there simply nothing else i could do but fight till the very last men, ship or plane. And i don't see how my indian defensive strategy could be changed now.

Rader clearly wants to gain the full air superiority before crossing the LOD is crossed. Under this point of view the longer i fight, the longer it will take him to get to Karachi.

It's also true that my retaliation raids will cost me more than the damages inflicted (at least if we consider the production of the b-17s), but keeping them on the airfield, waiting to be destroyed on the ground, doesn't sound to me a viable alternative.
Supply isn't my biggest problem at the moment. I still have 490.000 supplies in my 3 main bases in India and something is still flowing from Aden...so my only real concern is about my fighter pools.

but again, i don't see what option i have now if not capping my bases and fighting for the air supremacy over northen India....

June 27-28 1942

Today Rader decided to stood down his bombers and let the dirty job to his fighters. 200 zeros and 250 oscars swept Adebarad (S).
We put a decent defence and again we won the day with 70 planes lost for me and more than 140 for him...but as we know these numbers aren't enough. Note that today we only lost 13 pilots...not bad i'd say

Tomorrow we'll send again our B-17s hoping to find a place where the AA is less strong than Surat...i'm sure tomorrow will arrive the jap bombers...luckly today both Karachi and Hyderabad gained level 9 AF and forts are building again...now i can operate all my squadrons without problems of coordination (it's been hard to decide every day which group has to stay down and watch their comrades fight and die for the crown...).
hope to reach forts level 9 to Karachi before he arrives here

Today a jap raider CL attacked one of my TF near Adelaide...how could he get so far south is for me a mystery

...however i had 2 DDs escorting and he eas able to sink only an AK full of american squads...

...then he retreated...we should be safe now...

Again we lost contact with the KB which, imho, has got back to Truk...

I will send some recon in the solomons in the next week...let's see if we can find a soft place in his perimeter...

He sent 2 Bombardment TFs to Abenama...we evacuated the place...mission aborted...

oh, for those interested...the VPs situation is 9.000 to 30.000 in his favour...

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by GreyJoy -- 5/22/2011 11:15:14 PM >

(in reply to Nemo121)

Post #: 625

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/22/2011 11:23:49 PM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Alfred

Just a few days into the preliminary operations leading into the siege of Karachi and the Allies' prospects already look bleak.

1. The supply costs just to replace the airframes lost on 25/26 June is over 1200 supply.

2. Over the first 8 days, the Allied airforce has lost 300 planes. That alone wipes out the emergency airframe replacements IF the LOD is crossed.

3. No additional fully trained pilots are released as part of the emergency reinforcements which are triggered IF the LOD is crossed. Not much benefit is gained from superior airframes if they are piloted by inexperienced pilots.

4. Only a small percentage of the emergency airframes which are triggered IF the LOD is crossed, are Spitfires.

5. Japan should be producing enough trained pilots and aircraft to sustain these losses whereas the Allied pools can sustain only a further 1-2 weeks combat at these airframe loss rates.

6. An entire months production of B-17E was lost just on 25/26 June.

Rader would be a very poor player if

(a) he could not adjust his air operations to improve their efficiency

(b) panicked over the air losses he has suffered to date

Alfred

Alfred,
my pilots pool looks still decent, so that's not my first worry. What i really fear is the little numbers of airframes i get even if the LOD is crossed...but what can i do differently now?
I'm sucking every possible P-40 airframe from every theatre...probably i'll be able to collect more 50/60 of them around, exchanging with p-39s....i know it's not much but that's what i have and have to live with it. I managed to get more 18 P-38s today collecting from a west coast group...again not much but maybe a couple of days of fightings are gained...now every day gained is a treasure to my eyes.

And for what concerns b-17s i still have 78 in pools now...enough i'd say

(in reply to Alfred)

Post #: 626

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/23/2011 2:38:08 AM

Fishbed

Posts: 1822
Joined: 11/21/2005
From: Beijing, China - Paris, France
Status: offline

Even though Alfred's advices are sound, still, that's quite a unfavorable loss ratio for Japan this early in the war... 2596 vs 1661? Seriously, I know GreyJoy isn't for the win, but at this rate, Rader is not going to get that closer from victory throwing away his air force like that...

_____________________________

(in reply to GreyJoy)

Post #: 627

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/23/2011 3:18:15 AM

WLockard

Posts: 183
Joined: 11/13/2005
Status: offline

Is there a reason you are using P-40Es and not P-39Ds?

From what I see, the P-39 is superior.

Attachment (1)

(in reply to Fishbed)

Post #: 628

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/23/2011 6:00:25 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: WLockard

Is there a reason you are using P-40Es and not P-39Ds?

From what I see, the P-39 is superior.

ehmmmm.... well, i always thought the P-40 was superior...but i have to say i never take a deep look and now you really catch me with my pants down

.
I'll give the P-39 a chance so---let's see how it plays!

Thanks for the very usefull info!!!

(in reply to WLockard)

Post #: 629

RE: The Battle Of India - 5/23/2011 6:03:27 AM

GreyJoy

Posts: 6750
Joined: 3/18/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

Even though Alfred's advices are sound, still, that's quite a unfavorable loss ratio for Japan this early in the war... 2596 vs 1661? Seriously, I know GreyJoy isn't for the win, but at this rate, Rader is not going to get that closer from victory throwing away his air force like that...

...and i seriously hope his pre-war pilots are suffering lots of casualities...those high exp pilots cannot be so easily substituted even with a good training program...not at this rate btw.

(i'm just trying to watch the "good side" of the whole situation...you know...)

(in reply to Fishbed)

Post #: 630