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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [World War II] >> War In The Pacific - Struggle Against Japan 1941 - 1945 >> After Action Reports >> RE: ugly, ugly, ugly...

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RE: ugly, ugly, ugly... - 3/10/2005 1:33:31 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
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quote:

What I say is that BEFORE sending supplies and fuel to Lunga, Tarawa, or mid-bases David should send MOST of his fuel and supplies to Australian bases, Java and Perth: the ones that need them urgently in order to receive replacements and in order to attack the Japanese in the region.

Why do you assume that I'm not planning to resupply and reinforce Java?

BTW - try this for yourself - send some ships around the South of Australia from Brisbane to Perth, then Broom, then Java. Take a look at how long it takes. Then try it with no fuel in Adelaide, Perth, Broom or Java. And try it with the KB sitting out in the Indian Ocean, on the lookout for transport TFs.

Cheers -

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to toraq)

Post #: 61

RE: ugly, ugly, ugly... - 3/10/2005 3:19:19 AM

wobbly

Posts: 1095
Joined: 10/16/2002
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: ADavidB

quote:

What I say is that BEFORE sending supplies and fuel to Lunga, Tarawa, or mid-bases David should send MOST of his fuel and supplies to Australian bases, Java and Perth: the ones that need them urgently in order to receive replacements and in order to attack the Japanese in the region.

Why do you assume that I'm not planning to resupply and reinforce Java?

BTW - try this for yourself - send some ships around the South of Australia from Brisbane to Perth, then Broom, then Java. Take a look at how long it takes. Then try it with no fuel in Adelaide, Perth, Broom or Java. And try it with the KB sitting out in the Indian Ocean, on the lookout for transport TFs.

Cheers -

Dave Baranyi

man I hear you. that was why I was chancing the New Guinea Oz straits. I had Lae and Timor supressed at that time though

_____________________________

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 62

RE: ugly, ugly, ugly... - 3/10/2005 3:31:27 AM

toraq

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Joined: 10/24/2004
Status: offline

I�m not saying "Do not send supplies or fuel to Perth and Adelaide". I say:

-Do not sent supplies/fuel to Tarawa or Lunga and places like those, UNTIL the main theater (Java and suuply line to Java) is well supplied. Lunga is safe and Tarawa is safe, David because PzB will attack Java, Java, Java and Java after India falls. So you got some time....we will see what you do to avoid this....

-Java and supply line to Java: send the supplies/fuel to where is MORE URGENT. I think it is Perth (because it is your main base now) and Java. But, feel free to supply some other important bases (Broom or whatever, you got the map and the game, you know better than me).

-Because you�ve lost the entire fleet, sending your ships out Java�s ports, Java is isolated so you may be in trouble if you want to send supplies and fuel there. That�s another reason you should try to invade the bases at Java because:

a) They produce supplies
b) They�ll become the spearhead of his counter-offensive!!!

In Java, you�re making the same mistake the US did at Anzio!!!. Kesserling could not believe that the US had stopped just close to the beaches instead of attacking. Soon the Germans sent troops there and avoided future penetrations. That�s what PzB is going to do FOR SURE. (or worst, something that he has already done)

I promised to shut my mouth....

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 63

Supply routes - 3/10/2005 4:04:29 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
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quote:

man I hear you. that was why I was chancing the New Guinea Oz straits. I had Lae and Timor supressed at that time though

Lae has stayed quiet, and I can hammer it whenever I wish, but I'm letting my bombers continue to rest just so that I can hammer it better. (Or better yet, put some long range bombers into PM and hit Rabaul!!!) Timor is also quiet thanks to the B-17s you left at Darwin. But I've lost two of PzB's carrier TFs, and they may very well be sitting off of Timor, waiting in case something comes up the straight.

But beyond that, I want the flexibility to operate from anywhere in Australia that suits me. Therefore I will establish supply chain that allows me that freedom.

(in reply to wobbly)

Post #: 64

RE: ugly, ugly, ugly... - 3/10/2005 4:26:15 AM

byron13

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Joined: 7/27/2001
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I'm deleting my entry. It was posted during an immature fit of disgust. I disagree with Cricket that it was improper to have quoted from PzB's thread, however, because it was PzB's reflection on past events - after he discussed them with David - and it provided David with no information valuable in the future.

< Message edited by byron13 -- 3/10/2005 2:39:41 PM >

(in reply to toraq)

Post #: 65

PTO ain't ETO - 3/10/2005 6:57:22 AM

Central Blue

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Joined: 8/20/2004
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doesn't seem cricket to bring knowledge to this thread from reading PZB's thread... Quotes seem beyond the pale. If I were ADavidB I would now print nothing but disinformation. Someone else can warn PZB

I don't understand comparisons of the situation in Java to the situation at Anzio. The Allies currently control quite a bit of real estate on Java compared to early days at Anzio. Under the stragic circumstances it is more important to Japan that they control all of Java while the Allies need only control and develope Soerbaya to threaten Palembang, etc. Let the Japanese have all the malarial bases in Java.

FDR has ordered up a barrel of Grant's favorite whiskey to be delivered to ADavidB.

_____________________________

USS St. Louis firing on Guam, July 1944. The Cardinals and Browns faced each other in the World Series that year

(in reply to byron13)

Post #: 66

RE: PTO ain't ETO - 3/10/2005 3:22:20 PM

toraq

Posts: 405
Joined: 10/24/2004
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quote:

doesn't seem cricket to bring knowledge to this thread from reading PZB's thread... Quotes seem beyond the pale. If I were ADavidB I would now print nothing but disinformation. Someone else can warn PZB

I don�t think this could be called gamey. It is just a PzB opinion of what happened. No intentions, no plans, no secrets...

In regards of Java-Anzio comparations...forget it, I don�t want to discuss if they�re comparable or not. It is just an example to show what�s happening in Java. I think David�s strategy in Java is quite wrong. Those bases are very important to take. Wobbly knew that, that�s why he tried to take them.

(in reply to Central Blue)

Post #: 67

July 18/19 - 3/11/2005 3:08:13 AM

ADavidB

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From: Toronto, Canada
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Things are settling down to a routine in most areas - PzB attacks Ahmadabad and Delhi, I pull out aircraft and worn-out land units, PzB bombs Burma back into the Stone Age, and I try to do the same to Batavia. But on July 19, the situation in Batavia changed. PzB rounded up a ton of Zeros and put them on LRCAP over Batavia. So my incoming bombers got hammered. He has a nice, juicy bombardment TF there, but my planes couldn't get through. The first couple of attacks ran into 68 Zeros. Even with my best P-40 escorts I couldn't get bombers through.

This shows again why the whole Java thing is a poor idea in mid-1942. There just aren't enough decent Allied fighters around. All that is left in Australia are Wirraways, leftover Dutch fighters, and one group of P-39s. P-39s aren't bad, but they aren't good enough to take on Zeros.

In the meanwhile back in India, my air attack efforts are being hindered now by the number of planes that I've had to crowd into Karachi and Malir. Both are well over their limits - Karachi is only a level 4 base and I just built Malir up to level two which allows me to base torpedo bombers there. As more of the escapees from Ahmadabad make it back to those two bases they will contribute to the build up, but it means that it will still be quite a while before I get the air bases big enough to be able to use my planes well. The problem is compounded by the fact that I need to build up the fortifications at Malir and I want to make Karachi a level 9 port in order to replenish my subs and repair my damaged ships faster. Oh well, my land troops in Ahmadabad and Delhi are still fighting a valiant fight.

Elsewhere, PzB sent some LBA into Port Moresby to hit a DD there that was looking for that spy sub that is hiding out in the port. My fighters caught some of the bombers, but one torpedo caught the DD which is now sitting in port. Again, I don't have any decent fighters around. I don't want to waste Wirraways in PM, because once PzB sends some Zeros back they will just be cannon fodder. I have a couple of Hurricane squadrons around, but they are too short-legged to fly there. Oh well, I'll just tough it out for now.

PzB is also scouting Lunga a lot more - I'm moving some more force into that area just in case I get to fight on reasonably good terms.

BTW - PzB still has two of his carrier TFs in the Indian ocean, still chasing map-edge TFs from Karachi. Now, if I could only figure out where his third TF has gone.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to toraq)

Post #: 68

July 20 - 3/11/2005 5:09:23 AM

ADavidB

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My airraid on Batavia this day was not a repeat of the previous day - PzB must have been resting his LRCAP. But I didn't have a lot left either, so I caused some damage, but not a lot. PzB is marching a unit up the road to take on my troops. I'm "easy" - I'll happily bomb his troops, then attack them.

Meanwhile, I got off another bloody raid on Bombay. I'm keeping things messy there for PzB. He decided to rest his troops in Ahmadabad this day and did a bombardment attack instead. His deliberate attack in Delhi got 0:1 odds but did lower a fortification level.

PzB and I are reconning each other's positions in the Gilberts and surroundings. I finally have an F-5A group to let me do good recons.

This is the 14th day for me and things at sea are starting to have some shape. I'm still a long way off from bringing what I need to where I need it, but I am getting things going the right way.

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 69

an island too far - 3/11/2005 6:58:17 AM

Central Blue

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I'll try to stop playing Emily Poster.

quote:

I think David�s strategy in Java is quite wrong. Those bases are very important to take. Wobbly knew that, that�s why he tried to take them.

Here we will have to disagree. There were good historical reason to try to hold DEI as long as possible, but the USN had no intention of taking their long-legged carriers in the small sea room of the DEI regardless of US opinions about old colonial powers. The USN wanted to go for the neck and head not the groin and torso.

Until the supply line from the US is straightened out and more forces come on line, I would concentrate my main force in the Malaria free zone and put speed bumps in the malarial bases. Soerabaya is a major threat if he builds out the airfield to its top level. I see little use in dividing my main strength in the face of whatever storm that will come out of India or the rest of the Empire.

The fleet at T-town was more problematic. I think they were dead ducks anyway. But it seems that there is some genuine disagreement there. But I don't think the Allies have enough engineers, base forces, and aviation regiments -- not to mention decent fighters -- to realistically run all the potential bases on Java at this stage of the game.

At this stage of the war the Allies have the umph for one operation like Guadalcanal. And that was supportable from Noumea and Efate.

It's interesting how much passion this AAR is stirring up. Or... at least I got a little cranked up the other night....

I wonder if they have saved copies of the game from the break point where David took over. Seems like this would be an interesting choice for a competive ladder since so many people seem to think the Japanese have it in the bag. I think I would play it mostly the same way that David is.

I'm probably a couple of years away from trying to figure out what's going on with Japan and their production stuff. However... If I were Imperial Japan, and the Allies were sinking everything into Java, I'ld be looking at cutting them off by going around the corner of Australia from Darwin to Perth figuring there would be fewer assets there. Or, I might go after Lunga, Noumea, New Zealand, considering the current state of Allied carrier air.

In another 15 or 20 years of gaming this particular situation we might have the situation all gamed out.

--------------------------

David... can't the Hurricanes get there from Cairns?

_____________________________

USS St. Louis firing on Guam, July 1944. The Cardinals and Browns faced each other in the World Series that year

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 70

RE: an island too far - 3/11/2005 7:08:04 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
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quote:

David... can't the Hurricanes get there from Cairns?

No, and was I ever surprised at that! I've got one group of P-39's on the East Coast of Oz, I'm going to be sorely tempted to move some or all of it to PM. Right now I'd rather save the "space" for B-17s. As long as PzB does't get too rowdy in PNG I'll just continue to move forces, supplies and fuel until I'm in a position to get local superiority.

The amount of Reconning PzB is doing to Lunga and Tawara suggests to me that he serious wants to go after them again. He is starting to move his ships around - one battle fleet is leaving India proper. Will he bring it to Java or further East? The nice thing is that now I've got the shorter travel lines and will take full advantage of it.

Thanks for the comments -

Dave

(in reply to Central Blue)

Post #: 71

RE: an island too far - 3/11/2005 5:26:00 PM

toraq

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Joined: 10/24/2004
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quote:

The amount of Reconning PzB is doing to Lunga and Tawara suggests to me that he serious wants to go after them again.

Nooo!.

. Sending ships to Batavia means that he is reinforcing that place, isn�t it?. Java is the objective!

< Message edited by toraq -- 3/11/2005 3:27:08 PM >

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 72

RE: an island too far - 3/11/2005 9:55:44 PM

Fornadan

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Just curius, but how much is left of the RN?

(in reply to toraq)

Post #: 73

RE: an island too far - 3/12/2005 12:02:59 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
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quote:

ORIGINAL: toraq

quote:

The amount of Reconning PzB is doing to Lunga and Tawara suggests to me that he serious wants to go after them again.

Nooo!. . Sending ships to Batavia means that he is reinforcing that place, isn�t it?. Java is the objective!

That was a surface combat TF. It attracted my bombers (set to naval attack) like to lambs to the slaughter, and his Zeros slaughtered them very nicely. Next turn he pulled the surface combat TF out because he wanted to rest his LRCAP.

(in reply to toraq)

Post #: 74

RE: an island too far - 3/12/2005 12:04:13 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Fornadan

Just curius, but how much is left of the RN?

A nice amount, quite enough to keep PzB from trying to bombard Karachi Harbor. And since I have a huge amount of air cover and anti-ship air in the area, he isn't trying to force his way in either.

(in reply to Fornadan)

Post #: 75

Another milestone! - 3/12/2005 1:51:17 AM

ADavidB

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From: Toronto, Canada
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July 21, 1942 - the first refueling TFs from the east coast of Oz reached Adelaide today, after a 2 week journey. You may well ask, "What about Perth?". Well, I've got more TFs travelling that way - they ought to get there in another week or two. And once Perth is fueled up again, then onwards to Broom. All it takes is time.

In the meanwhile, my various TFs from the Indian Ocean continue to arrive at Adelaide and now at Melbourne. Melbourne went from 95K fuel to 40K fuel with just three TFs arriving. I'm now diverting some fuel TFs to replenish Melbourne too.

PzB was quiet on the Java front. That's cool - that allowed me to blast Batavia some more as I continued to repair bases and planes. He is reconning all of my bases in Java, but he has to decide to do something - I could care less about recon and I started to get some target practice on one of his nearby recon bases too.

Speaking of recon - PzB put some scout planes into Buna and used them to recon PM. That's enough of an "invitation" to me, so now that my tac bombers in PM are nicely rested, I'll let them plaster Buna. Just to add to the fun I did end up bringing some Wirraways in anyway. If PzB sends in Zeros, the Wirraways won't do much, but they will enjoy the practice against the airfield and ground troops.

PzB mentioned to me that he has brought his ace Zero pilots to Bombay to try to stop my bombing campaign. (Shrug) Cool - I would rather have them there than elsewhere. More and more troops are pouring into Bombay and Malir, getting supplies and rest, and building like mad. In the meanwhile PzB is still bombarding my troops in Ahmadabad, which is great because it has allowed them to rebuild the fortifications a bit. In the meanwhile, PzB's troops in Delhi did temporarily reduce the fortifications to zero, but his deliberate attack only got a 0:1 result, and my troops immediately rebuilt the fortifications back to level 2. As will Ahmadabad, I've been pulling weak troops out of Delhi, and if one "tit-for-tat" move works out this turn, I ought to be able to do more of that and more easily.

BTW - here is the result of PzB's "aces":

Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 11
Hudson I x 9
B-24D Liberator x 18

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 2 destroyed
Hudson I: 2 destroyed
B-24D Liberator: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Atsuta Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Zukai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Nikki Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
211 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 5
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

I'll take that any day, and I'm trying to replicate it again this turn. I've got lots of planes, and a fair number of aces of my own.

In the meanwhile PzB's troops are working their way "up the trail" into Burma. I have little or nothing there to stop them. Most of my ground forces have been reduced to support troops. My only hope is that the malaria and bad roads slow him down. I'm also trying some "tit-for-tat" there too, but I don't know if my troops can move fast enough to make anything happen.

In China PzB is bombing my "loose" troops that are stuck in isolation in various places. That's fine by me - that means that he isn't bombing my cities and good troops. And if he doesn't bomb my isolated troops I'll simply send them to the cities that he isn't defending.

Back in the Pacific, there was one more very nice "milestone" - Tarawa's air base reached level 5. I'm now like the cat in front of the spilt milk - I moved one of my B-17 groups in and have targeted one of his level 4 bases.

So things are going reasonably well, and I will soon be vexing PzB simultaneously at many fronts.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 76

Tit-for-tat - 3/12/2005 4:39:54 AM

ADavidB

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From: Toronto, Canada
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Right at the beginning of the turn, another of my cripples in the Indian Ocean sank: "DD Meredith sinks - LTC Hirabayashi is killed". Hmmm - that's right, I did get a number of Japanese commanders for the early TFs that I put together. I just didn�t happen to catch if any other of them "went down with the ship" - the Allied ships that is. This could turn out to be "The Secret Weapon that Won the War"�maybe I'll make more of my cripples into TFs, see if they also get Japanese commanders, and sail them into "harm's way".

Kidding aside, the air war heated up again this turn. PzB is determined to run me out of planes. I'm equally determined to run him out of air bases. Here's some of how it went this time:

Day Air attack on Bombay, at 20, 10

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 11
Wellington III x 37
Hudson I x 10
B-24D Liberator x 20

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed, 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 9 destroyed, 7 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington III: 7 destroyed, 3 damaged
Hudson I: 2 destroyed
B-24D Liberator: 6 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Atsuta Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Tatsutake Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
612 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 32
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

This time I'm going in with everything after the airfield. I'll rest the port bombers for a turn.

In Java, on the other hand, I can't reach his air bases, so PzB gets to send in big attacks:

Day Air attack on Bandoeng, at 19, 61

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 39
A6M3 Zero x 22
Ki-21 Sally x 77
Ki-49 Helen x 20

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 27
Kittyhawk I x 11

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 31 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 16 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 20 destroyed, 7 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 24 destroyed, 4 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 11 destroyed, 4 damaged
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 3 destroyed, 9 damaged
TBD Devastator: 2 destroyed

Airbase hits 4
Runway hits 10

And:

Day Air attack on Tjilitjap, at 19, 62

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 72
Ki-21 Sally x 80

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 4
P-40B Tomahawk x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
Ki-21 Sally: 10 destroyed, 33 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 7 destroyed, 7 damaged
P-40B Tomahawk: 12 destroyed, 8 damaged
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied Ships
AK Forbes Hauptmann, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP American Legion, Bomb hits 1
DD Van Galen, Bomb hits 1

Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 6
Port hits 2

Realistically, there is nothing that I'm going to be able to do against that many Zeros.

On the other hand, it is hard to knock everything out at an airbase:

Day Air attack on TF at 23, 60

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
SBD Dauntless x 16
Kittyhawk I x 4

Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 11 damaged

Japanese Ships
CA Nachi, Bomb hits 1
CA Mogami
CA Ashigara
CA Atago, Bomb hits 2

Maybe this will slow down his bombardments.

The big disappointment of the day was the "debut" of my B-17s out of Tarawa:

Day Air attack on Maloelap, at 82, 81

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 3
B-17E Fortress x 30

Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F-5A Lightning: 2 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 2 destroyed, 18 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported

Runway hits 4

Obviously, those boys will have to spend a lot more time on "naval search" before they are any good for bombing.

On the other hand, the attack on Buna went much better:

Day Air attack on Buna, at 55, 90

Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 9
B-26B Marauder x 40

Allied aircraft losses
B-26B Marauder: 5 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
24 casualties reported

Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 16

But then, I suspect that these guys had practice against Lae before I took over.

There was a ton of other air actions this turn, particularly in China. But if you seen Japanese planes bomb Chinese peasant soldiers once, you've seen it a million times, so I won't bore you with it.

On the ground, Ahmadabad withstood another "deliberate" attack, as did Delhi. But my "tit-for-tat" in India worked:

Ground combat at Rawalpindi

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 408 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Rawalpindi base!!!

This was important because without having an uncontested base to move to, I couldn't move any of my troops in Delhi. (The "move one hex at a time" rule-of-thumb usually doesn't work, and didn't work here.) Now, I should be able to move my depleted troops out before they are forced out in a retreat.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 77

16 days - 3/12/2005 7:07:45 AM

ADavidB

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From: Toronto, Canada
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Well, after 16 days fighting under my command, Ahmadabad finally fell to a shock attack. I had already pulled out about 2/3s of the forces there, and all the bombers. Three Hurricane squadrons were caught on the ground, but I've got more planes than I can use anyway. I also expect Delhi to fall soon. Fortunately, thanks to my capture of Rawalpindi the troops that I set to move actually did move. So PzB has commented to me that I now have "one more base to bomb", and I'll happily take him up on his offer. Bombay is having more and more trouble keeping planes in the air, so it won't be hard for me to spread some of the "joy from heaven" onto Ahmadabad too.

Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 9
Ki-43-Ib Oscar x 5

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 11
Wellington III x 18
B-24D Liberator x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed
Ki-43-Ib Oscar: 6 destroyed, 8 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Wellington III: 4 destroyed, 3 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
368 casualties reported

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 60

PzB has also brought a lot of battle TFs into the DEI as part of his attack on Java. My air force is still trying to get through all that CAP - sometimes they do:

Day Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 19,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 4
A6M2 Zero x 57
A6M3 Zero x 24

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
SBD Dauntless x 16
Kittyhawk I x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
SBD Dauntless: 30 destroyed, 7 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 8 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CVE Taiyo
CVE Unyo, Bomb hits 1, on fire

In the meanwhile, "back at the ranch", Baker Island is now a level 3 port, and I'm starting to work on the air base. As more TFs reach Pearl I'll be able to bring more troops and supplies into the area around the Gilberts. Eventually PzB will stop playing around Java, and I want to make certain that he gets an "appropriate welcome" when he strays Eastwards.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 78

Quiet air war - 3/12/2005 10:30:16 PM

ADavidB

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From: Toronto, Canada
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Yes, things have quieted down a bit as of July 24, 1942. I'm still bombing Bombay, PzB is still bombing Java, other aerial activities are going on, but otherwise we are both "catching our breaths". It looks as if PzB is sending several of his battle/carrier fleets up to Singapore for some decent replenishment. I'm still sucking ports dry, then refilling them.

My troops are repositioning themselves nicely in India - that's the advantage of pulling back depleted troops before they are defeated into a retreat. And the troops that I already pulled back are taking advantage of the unlimited supply to start to recover. PzB isn't following me yet - it looks like he is trying something "fancy". That's okay, I'm setting blocking forces of my own. I hope to jointly tie things up quite nicely in the region outside of Karachi.

Otherwise, bases are building as I planned, troops are starting to move, and ships are getting positioned. August promises to be interesting.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 79

The "Dreyfus Rule" - 3/13/2005 12:24:16 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
Status: offline

As Chief Inspector Dreyfus used to say in the old Inspector Clouseau movies, "Every day, in every way, we get better and better..."

July 24 saw PzB rest much of his air power, while I continued to exercise mine. And as he "invited me", I did go to a new target in India:

Day Air attack on Ahmadabad , at 24,8

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 6
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18
Swordfish x 14
Wirraway x 5

Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 1 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 damaged
Wirraway: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
155 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 10

My boys are also "getting better" in the Gilberts/Marshalls:

Day Air attack on Maloelap , at 82,81

Allied aircraft
F-5A Lightning x 3
B-17E Fortress x 17

Allied aircraft losses
F-5A Lightning: 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 5 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
4 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 8

And things continue nicely over Buna:

Day Air attack on Buna , at 55,90

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk I x 9
B-26B Marauder x 30

Allied aircraft losses
B-26B Marauder: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
82 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 21

Interestingly enough, one of my subs spotted what appeared to be a fast transport coming into the waters of New Britain, so I've switched those Marauders back to "naval attack" for a turn or so. In the meanwhile the Wirraways can continue practicing on Buna.

More of my air forces in Northern Oz are also starting to find the range to Timor and environs.

Also, apparently my flyboys in Java didn't exagerate regarding a hit on a CVE a couple of days ago. That's good news.

And Delhi got another bombardment attack. That's convenient, because it allows me to pull more depleted units out.

Yes, good old Chief Inspector Dreyfus was right.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 80

Delhi falls - 3/13/2005 4:13:59 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
Status: offline

But then, I wasn't planning on making any sort of "stand" at Delhi - all of my troops there were the collected remnants of other failed defenses. I got out what I wanted to get out, got the road to Rawapindi cleared and bought time. In the meanwhile, PzB hasn't started to move on Malir yet, so I get to enjoy more time to build everything. And the fly boys in Malir aren't doing too badly for themselves:

Day Air attack on Ahmadabad , at 24,8

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 9
F4F-4 Wildcat x 17
Swordfish x 20
Wirraway x 8
Kittyhawk I x 9

Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish: 2 destroyed

Japanese ground losses:
67 casualties reported

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 15

The fly boys at Karachi were grounded because of rain, but that's okay - a bit of rest will do all of them good.

In the meanwhile, PzB's own "tobi bozu" ("fly boys" in Japanese) did get into the air and continue to do to Java what my flyers are doing to Bombay and Ahmadabad:

Day Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 16
A6M3 Zero x 26
G4M1 Betty x 73

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 5 destroyed, 50 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 2 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Van Galen, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Admiral Wood, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Barnett, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
37 casualties reported

Port hits 2
Port supply hits 3

as well as this:

Day Air attack on Tjilitjap , at 19,62

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40
Ki-21 Sally x 64

Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 3 destroyed, 13 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 13 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied Ships
AK San Bernadino, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Mormacstar, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP American Legion, Bomb hits 1
AK Adelong, Bomb hits 1

Allied ground losses:
13 casualties reported

Port hits 1
Port supply hits 1

In contrast, my very tired pilots on Java couldn't get through the CAP and flak and scored no hits on the nearby Japanese TFs. I've actually pulled my longer-range bombers back from Java in order to rest them - there is no point trying to fly bombers with morale in the "teens".

Everything else is going as planned.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 81

More Death from the Skies - 3/13/2005 6:44:33 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
Status: offline

As the old saying goes, "Practice Makes Perfect", and my flyboys in Karachi are getting lots of opportunities to "perfect" their skills. Look at what happened on July 27th:

Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 7

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 12
Wellington III x 39
Hudson I x 9
B-24D Liberator x 32

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 3 destroyed
Wellington III: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Nikki Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Tatsutake Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Nichiryo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
744 casualties reported
Guns lost 4

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 62
Port hits 2

On the other hand, PzB got tired of my nuisance flights coming out of Colombo, so he decided to use a big mallet on the pitiful remnants sitting there:

Day Air attack on Colombo , at 14,24

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
Ki-21 Sally x 115

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 5
Lysander I x 3

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
Lysander I: 5 destroyed
Hudson I: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged
Vildebeest IV: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
Beaufort V-IX: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
SS Truant, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 20
Port hits 3
Port fuel hits 2
Port supply hits 4

(It's too bad that he won't move those 115 Sallys over to Bombay...

)

There were a lot of additional more "ordinary" air attacks on all the "usual suspects" in China and other places.

I'm getting more and more shipping where I want it, along with supplies and fuel. And soon I'll start to get my manpower situation straightened out too.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 82

RE: More Death from the Skies - 3/13/2005 5:17:46 PM

toraq

Posts: 405
Joined: 10/24/2004
Status: offline

David,

I�m curious about your plans in India. Are you thinking of evacuating your RN ships and your airpower? Or you will stay until the end???

Maybe this would be your last chance to withdraw the RN ships at Karachi. Seems that KB & Co are not around.

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 83

RE: More Death from the Skies - 3/13/2005 7:45:45 PM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: toraq

David,

I�m curious about your plans in India. Are you thinking of evacuating your RN ships and your airpower? Or you will stay until the end???

Maybe this would be your last chance to withdraw the RN ships at Karachi. Seems that KB & Co are not around.

Right now I'm in a very good position in India. Remember, Karachi gives me "infinite" supply and fuel and all my replacements. I have lots of planes there, and a number of good battle fleets. As well, my troops keep on accumulating there and once there they start to replenish themselves as well as rest. I'm also making it hard for PzB to move his troops forward because I'm bombing Bombay and Ahmadabad incessantly.

Having my ships and planes in Karachi has a number of advantages:

1 - PzB can't send in bombardment fleets without risking some very heavy casualties - and I've got plenty of aircraft on "naval attack" which make bombardments even more difficult for him - if he uses slower, bigger ships he has to come within range of my planes.

2 - He can't pull his ships out of Bombay, or he risks me sending in a bombardment fleet to hit it.

3 - If and when PzB finally gets some troops to Karachi, my fleets can bombard them every night, which causes no end of problem for attacking troops

4 - He can't use LBA to attack my fleets because I've closed the air fields at Bombay and am in the process of doing so at Ahmadabad. If he sends LBA in without fighter cover the hundreds of fighters that I have there will decimate his LBA in no time. (My fighters are all rested and the squadrons are at full strength)

5 - The more I destroy the airfields and port at Bombay and Ahmadabad, the better experience my air crews get, which means less damage to them and more experience. This means that they do more damage to supplies and troops, making it more difficult to rebuild the bases and send supply to the troops in the field.

6 - More experienced air crews means that it is more dangerous for PzB to risk the KB to attack Karachi - do he really want to face hundreds of experienced, rested and fully staffed fighter and bomber groups coming from multiple bases? If he really, really want to take Karachi out - he can, provided he risks both the KB and his surface fleet, but he will take big casualties while my air and surface forces in the Pacific continue to rest up, gather strength, and add Avengers all the while I build up big air bases for my ever increasing LBA power. When I start seriously hitting his bases in the Pacific he will think that it is Bombay all over again, but by then he will have to deal with Lightnings too.

So I see no reason to remove any of my forces from India. I'm still rationalizing their locations, and sure, I'm having lots of trouble in Burma, but PzB may soon regret having forces stuck in Burma as much as Wobbly did a couple of game months ago.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to toraq)

Post #: 84

RE: More Death from the Skies - 3/13/2005 7:57:31 PM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
Status: offline

And yet more fun with airplanes on July 28:

Day Air attack on Ahmadabad , at 24,8

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 11
F4F-4 Wildcat x 24
Swordfish x 20
Wirraway x 8
Kittyhawk I x 12

Allied aircraft losses
Fulmar: 2 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 damaged
Swordfish: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Wirraway: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
79 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 8

And Malir is still a level 2 airfield.

But don't forget the Karachi-Bombay "connection":

Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 10
Wellington III x 26
Hudson I x 9
B-24D Liberator x 32

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Wellington III: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
AP Nichiryo Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
AP Tatsutake Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Zukai Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Nikki Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
148 casualties reported
Guns lost 2

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 59
Port hits 3
Port supply hits 2

It appears that PzB has pulled most of his planes out of Bombay - he can't fly and I won't stop bombing. And now my planes are getting less and less damage.

I guess that PzB has decided to take his "frustration" out on poor, pretty much defenseless Colombo:

Day Air attack on Colombo , at 14,24

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
Ki-21 Sally x 99

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 4
Lysander I x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
Ki-21 Sally: 8 destroyed, 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
Lysander I: 2 destroyed
Hudson I: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied Ships
SS Salmon, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Allied ground losses:
19 casualties reported

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 23
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 1

But I'm happy to take out a few of his planes with my "lost patrol".

Speaking of "The Lost Patrol", a number of Allied field units have been able to get to some highways between Bombay and Ahmadabad while on their way to Karachi. This will help to goof up PzB's land supply and road control.

Not much is happening in Java, which is always good for me. My "blind squirrels" did get one hit in on what appears to be part of a fast transport TF:

Day Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 19,59

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
A6M3 Zero x 21

Allied aircraft
Beaufort V-IX x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 5

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 10 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CL Kiso, Bomb hits 1, on fire

Japanese ground losses:
44 casualties reported

PzB continues to bomb "lost patrols" in China too. The amount of effort that he is spending there suggests to me that he is using that to try to train up new pilots. That's okay, I'm doing similar things around Timor, PNG and the Marshalls.

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 85

RE: More Death from the Skies - 3/13/2005 11:27:04 PM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
Status: offline

The fly boys in India are keeping up the good work again on July 29:

Day Air attack on Ahmadabad , at 24,8

Allied aircraft
Fulmar x 11
F4F-4 Wildcat x 9
Swordfish x 17
Wirraway x 8
Kittyhawk I x 12

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
142 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 10

and:

Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 12
Wellington III x 41
B-24D Liberator x 29

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
AP Nikki Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Yasukuni Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AP Tatsutake Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PC Takunan Maru #2, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Zukai Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AP Nichiryo Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:
290 casualties reported
Guns lost 1

Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 51
Port hits 1
Port supply hits 2

Bombay's airfields are now at a damage level of 99.

I've got all my troops back and positioned in Karachi and Malir, and they are building up the bases nicely. Soon I'll be able to fly even more planes.

BTW - for those folks involved in the arguments over Allied LBA - somewhere between 40 and 50% of my bombers are flying - the rest are under constant repair. I've got lots of air support troops, so that helps out.

Things were reasonbly quiet elsewhere, except for Java where PzB did another big air assault:

Day Air attack on Bandoeng , at 19,61

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 35
A6M3 Zero x 25
Ki-21 Sally x 68
Ki-49 Helen x 24

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 5
Kittyhawk I x 6

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
A6M3 Zero: 7 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 8 destroyed, 1 damaged
Kittyhawk I: 6 destroyed, 1 damaged

Allied ground losses:
17 casualties reported

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 5

I've been flying planes in and out of Bandoeng in an attempt to keep some CAP there, otherwise PzB will do to me what I did to Bombay.

In other news, more ships are getting to where they are supposed to be and the first dedicated TFs are starting to go to support my bases at most risk. (Keeping with the theme of "Loose Lips Sink Ships", I won't be mentioning where these TFs will be going in harm's way.

) But I'm still a week's sailing away from having any fuel in Perth, so my original estimates for getting a serious response to the situation in Java still holds. (I don't think that the KB is far away from such a "juicy" opportunity.)

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 86

RE: More Death from the Skies - 3/14/2005 12:20:03 AM

toraq

Posts: 405
Joined: 10/24/2004
Status: offline

I see. You think you can hold India. That�s why you keep your forces there. For me, India is doomed. But even though, maybe it is a good idea to keep the RN there.

But knowing PzB, I�m sure he will deserve something special for those poor guys of the RN. And remember, PzB is committed in India so he will do as much as he can to finally conquer Karachi and destroy the last British pockets there.

How is the reinforcement pool in Karachi? Any troops, aircraft... coming in a few days?

< Message edited by toraq -- 3/13/2005 10:17:15 PM >

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 87

RE: More Death from the Skies - 3/14/2005 12:44:23 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: toraq

I see. You think you can hold India. That�s why you keep your forces there. For me, India is doomed. But even though, maybe it is a good idea to keep the RN there.

But knowing PzB, I�m sure he will deserve something special for those poor guys of the RN. And remember, PzB is committed in India so he will do as much as he can to finally conquer Karachi and destroy the last British pockets there.

How is the reinforcement pool in Karachi? Any troops, aircraft... coming in a few days?

As I said above, having the supply, fuel and reinforcements makes all the difference in the world. I keep on getting new forces and my old forces are being improved by the day. Remember, I deliberately pulled out a lot of troops so that they wouldn't be hit with huge fatigue levels. And these troops are getting reinforcements daily so that they are recovering their strength fast.

Right now it appears that PzB is forcussing on chasing my escapees from Delhi into the northeast corner of India. I guess that he plans to reduce all of India to Malir and Karachi then go in with what he hopes will be "overwhelming" force. But that continues to buy me time, and as the old song goes, "Time..., is on my side, yes it is."

In the meanwhile, his focus on India and Java is allowing me to continue to distribute my forces in the Central and South Pacific the way that I like. Soon I will have situations that will make Karachi look like a sandcastle. And the important point about Allied offensives in the Central Pacific is that the US supply is relatively close.

The next month will continue to be tough but I am happy with the way that things are going. Now as long as the AI doesn't want me to return the Formidable in August...

Dave Baranyi

(in reply to toraq)

Post #: 88

RE: More Death from the Skies - 3/14/2005 2:10:17 AM

EUBanana

Posts: 4552
Joined: 9/30/2003
From: Little England
Status: offline

Mmm. The point of wobbs hitting Java though was that it was something he could not ignore. Is there anything in CentPac which he could not ignore?

Truk?

I think he could probably even ignore that if he lost Truk but won the game. You gotta stop him from getting an autovictory. You think you can hold him off in India long enough?

(in reply to ADavidB)

Post #: 89

RE: More Death from the Skies - 3/14/2005 2:42:14 AM

ADavidB

Posts: 2464
Joined: 9/17/2001
From: Toronto, Canada
Status: offline

quote:

Mmm. The point of wobbs hitting Java though was that it was something he could not ignore. Is there anything in CentPac which he could not ignore?

He ignores me in the Central Pacific and I'll be in the Marianas in force before Christmas 1942.

Dave

(in reply to EUBanana)

Post #: 90

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