Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: PetrOs
Would you regularily concentrate on 2-3 directions or go with just one?

quote:

ORIGINAL: PetrOs
I actually done it once vs AI, just for fun. Worked! It were 15 divisions landed at once in jan 1943...

quote:

ORIGINAL: PetrOs

While my opponent makes his turn, I am planning the training for the allied pilots.
I am going to make it 1 squadron diff tasks method.
For the USAAF the west coast squads will be training on the pattern of "Train Escort 20k to Air 70, Train Strafe to Def 70, graduate". Then, the CAP 100% groups in backwater area would take over, for example CAP for Fiji, Hawaii, Aleutians, etc. For brits, NZ, australians and others - same squad would rotate to CAP when the basics is done.

For LBs, I will go for Ground Bombing skill only for all, with about 25% being trained also in low naval.

For USN guys - I am going to train the DBs in naval bomb only, and TBs in NavT/LowN only. Fighters would be same as army. I am going to use those neat kingfisher groups for additional fighter training - they can fly CAP ;)
USMC bombers would go also to a ground/low training for DB/TB. USMC 2E would be skip bombing only. USMC 4E would be ASW only resource.

British and commonwealth bomber boys would only train ground bombing to 80%, and remaining 20% ASW.

Patrols would be Nav Search, and if reasonable also ASW and primary attack (LowN/NavT)

Recons are recon only.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Sorong at 82,107
 
Weather in hex: Overcast
 
Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 2,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
 
Allied aircraft
      139WH-3 x 3
      B-339D x 2
      Do-24K-1 x 2
      Hudson I x 4
 
No Allied losses
 
Japanese Ships
      CM Itsukushima, Bomb hits 4,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
 
Aircraft Attacking:
       3 x 139WH-3 bombing from 1000 feet
               Naval Attack:  1 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
       2 x Do-24K-1 bombing from 1000 feet
               Naval Attack:  4 x 300 kg SAP Bomb
       4 x Hudson I bombing from 1000 feet
               Naval Attack:  2 x 250 lb SAP Bomb
 

Day Time Surface Combat, near Donggala at 69,96, Range 21,000 Yards
 
Japanese Ships
      DD Tokitsukaze, Shell hits 1
      DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 1,  on fire
      DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 1,  heavy fires
      DD Umikaze, Shell hits 1,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      DD Suzukaze, Shell hits 1
 
Allied Ships
      CA Houston, Shell hits 4

Day Time Surface Combat, near Donggala at 68,97, Range 24,000 Yards
 
Japanese Ships
      CA Haguro, Shell hits 6,  on fire
      CA Nachi, Shell hits 7
      CL Nagara, Shell hits 5
      DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 2
      DD Oyashio, Shell hits 2
      DD Hatsukaze
      DD Natsushio
      DD Yukikaze
      DD Hayashio, Shell hits 1
      DD Amatsukaze, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
 
Allied Ships
      CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 16,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      CL Marblehead, Shell hits 9,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      CL Boise, Shell hits 7
      DD Paul Jones, Shell hits 4,  on fire
      DD Parrott, Shell hits 2,  on fire
      DD Whipple, Shell hits 1
      DD Stewart, Shell hits 4,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      DD Banckert, Shell hits 1
      DD Witte de With, Shell hits 4,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      DD Kortenaer, Shell hits 5,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      DD Piet Hein, Shell hits 2
      DD Van Ghent, Shell hits 2

quote:

ORIGINAL: Yaab

Did you change leaders in fighter air groups in PH? Some of the starting leaders have very low AIR skill.

quote:

ORIGINAL: PetrOs

Just sent in next turn. I think I spotted his tankers for KB to the north of Midway, about 12-15 hexes. I have Lexington and Enterprise converging on them. I hope I can stop his KB ops if I can sink those. It can of course be an invasion force, but it can also be well used as a target for Dauntlesses and Devastators.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 55,87, Range 18,000 Yards
 
Japanese Ships
      DD Shinonome, Shell hits 3
      DD Usugumo, Shell hits 14,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      DD Shirakumo, Shell hits 1
      DD Hatsuyuki, Shell hits 8,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      DD Uranami, Shell hits 22, and is sunk
 
Allied Ships
      CL Java, Shell hits 1
      CL Danae
      CL Dragon, Shell hits 3
      CL Durban
      CL Mauritius, Shell hits 2
      DD Vampire, Shell hits 1
      DD Vendetta, Shell hits 1
      DD Van Nes, Shell hits 4,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      DD Evertsen, Shell hits 2,  heavy fires
      DD Stronghold
      DD Tenedos, Shell hits 1
      DD Electra, Shell hits 3
      DD Jupiter, Shell hits 3,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
 

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Catanduanes at 83,81
 
Weather in hex: Clear sky
 
Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes
 
Allied aircraft
      PBY-4 Catalina x 5
 
Allied aircraft losses
      PBY-4 Catalina: 1 damaged
 
Japanese Ships
      xAK Huzikawa Maru, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
      xAP Rakuyo Maru
 
Japanese ground losses:
      1064 casualties reported
         Squads: 38 destroyed, 15 disabled
         Non Combat: 28 destroyed, 13 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
      Guns lost 15 (13 destroyed, 2 disabled)
 
Aircraft Attacking:
       3 x PBY-4 Catalina launching torpedoes at 200 feet
               Naval Attack:  2 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo
       2 x PBY-4 Catalina launching torpedoes at 200 feet
               Naval Attack:  2 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo

Day Time Surface Combat, near Mersing at 51,82, Range 21,000 Yards
 
Japanese Ships
      DMS W-1, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
      DMS W-4, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
      DMS W-5, Shell hits 14, and is sunk
      DMS W-6, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
 
Allied Ships
      CL Java, Shell hits 1
      CL Danae
      CL Durban
      CL Mauritius
      DD Thanet

Day Time Surface Combat, near Mersing at 51,81, Range 23,000 Yards
 
Japanese Ships
      CL Sendai, Shell hits 5
      CL Jintsu
      CL Isuzu, Shell hits 3,  on fire
      DD Arashio, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
      DD Asagiri
      DD Yugiri
      TB Kasasagi, Shell hits 1
      TB Kari, Shell hits 1,  on fire
 
Allied Ships
      CL Java
      CL Danae, Shell hits 2
      CL Durban
      CL Mauritius, Shell hits 4
      DD Thanet, Shell hits 1

Day Time Surface Combat, near Mersing at 51,81, Range 25,000 Yards
 
Japanese Ships
      CL Sendai, Shell hits 5,  on fire
      CL Jintsu, Shell hits 4
      CL Isuzu,  on fire
      DD Asagiri, Shell hits 1,  on fire
      DD Yugiri
      TB Kasasagi, Shell hits 3,  heavy fires,  heavy damage
      TB Kari, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
 
Allied Ships
      CL Java
      CL Danae, Shell hits 2
      CL Durban, Shell hits 4,  on fire
      CL Mauritius, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage
      DD Thanet, Shell hits 7,  on fire

quote:

ORIGINAL: PetrOs
Can AKEs also reload toredoes? I thought only AD or big enough port can... I converted nearly all Hog Island and Harriman freighters to AKE, so i think in a few days I have around 30 of them ready, spread from India to Australia to New Zealand to US. I think even 1-2 in DEI.

Lassen AK to AE - makes sense.... these are valuable, but I need as many fast transports as I can to shuttle reinforcements, especially planes. AE cant load a group, right?
...
I am building up a fortress at Bandoeng, to bind his forces. Nearly all DEI regiments are being moved there, mountain terrain and heavy forts, and inland. I am also using Lodestars to fly out some regiments from nearby bases, like Barisan regiment from an island near Soerabaja. That fortress should sustain a direct onslaught by a few divisions before annihilated. Or they have to isolate it fully, block all ways and wait until 60000 supplies run out.

quote:

ORIGINAL: GetAssista

quote:

ORIGINAL: PetrOs
Can AKEs also reload toredoes? I thought only AD or big enough port can... I converted nearly all Hog Island and Harriman freighters to AKE, so i think in a few days I have around 30 of them ready, spread from India to Australia to New Zealand to US. I think even 1-2 in DEI.

Lassen AK to AE - makes sense.... these are valuable, but I need as many fast transports as I can to shuttle reinforcements, especially planes. AE cant load a group, right?
...
I am building up a fortress at Bandoeng, to bind his forces. Nearly all DEI regiments are being moved there, mountain terrain and heavy forts, and inland. I am also using Lodestars to fly out some regiments from nearby bases, like Barisan regiment from an island near Soerabaja. That fortress should sustain a direct onslaught by a few divisions before annihilated. Or they have to isolate it fully, block all ways and wait until 60000 supplies run out.

Yes, AKEs can load torps. On carriers too. Immensely useful ships them are.

AKEs and AEs can only load supply.

Do not rush your infantry to some undeveloped base yet, let them rest and recover squads in Batavia and Soerabaja. You have rails on Java so you can bugger out on rather short notice. Also TVA flying boats are good transports for collecting folks from nearby islands. I even used some Dorniers for long-range transport to Java, but that was against AI Ironman. The human enemy naturally would require more NavSearch.

60k supplies will melt in a month under bombing, so don't hold your breath. And you better not build up the Bandoeng airfield too much, its damage would hinder your fort repairs. And larger airfield seems easier to hit by bombing, hence to hit your supply dumps. Your air force is not a factor after the first couple days of Zeros sweeping so no airfield is actually better. But then, you need to prevent excessive spoilage too. Decisions..