RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (Full Version)

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Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (12/18/2015 2:10:28 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: jwolf

Seems like that is the sad state of affairs in the Solomon Sea area for the foreseeable future. The Allied strategy strikes me as a quasi-Soviet style of operations, putting pressure across the board on as many fronts as possible on the assumption that something will give somewhere -- but possibly at high cost.


Yes, I have to say that its a pretty effective Allied strategy and Apbarog is handling it rather deftly. He can afford the higher attrition rate, for example the heavy cruisers I have lost won't be replaced whereas he gets plenty more ships as the war progresses. I was surprised by the Allies ability to gear up with this many ground forces in SW Pacific at this stage of the war. In my only previous PBEM that got far into 1943 the Allied player had a much slower development and seemed to skulk around Noumea and Fiji for an interminable time, reducing my bases with his four engined bombers.



Lowpe -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (12/18/2015 4:15:52 PM)


I was surprised by the Allies ability to gear up with this many ground forces ... at this stage of the war.

Happens to every JFB.[:D]



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (12/26/2015 5:46:39 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

I was surprised by the Allies ability to gear up with this many ground forces ... at this stage of the war.

Happens to every JFB.[:D]


Indeed! I must confess that I was still hoping to gain some ground in one or two places but my failed attempt to capture Calcutta cost me a month or two in terms of the initiative. Playing Scen 28 means that Japan gets little in the way of extra goodies to help prolong the offensive either [:(]


Jan 17 - 20, 1943

A slight lull in the action for a few days while the players celebrate the festive season!

Coral Sea

Allied escorts take chunks out of my subs for a few days in succession requiring some to return to port for repairs. Apbarog is ranging closer to Horn Island with his sub chasers, perhaps clearing the way for a new invasion attempt. SigInt also indicates heavy Allied activity at Townsville and Brisbane.

I take the opportunity to insert some additional troops and supply at Woodlark Island using fast transport mode and the operation is unhindered.

Buna is bombed heavily by 60 or so B-17Es. One bomber is shot down by CAP from Lae. The Allied airfields in NE Oz are now built up sufficiently to accommodate heavy bombers. Ominous.


Solomons

Allied bombardment attack at Munda. Forces are about equal but more Allied units are approaching from the south through the jungle. I don't intend to give the base up without a fight and have more troops prepped to arrive by fast transport.

Gilberts and Marshalls

I sweep Nauru island with Zeroes, losing a few but shooting down some Airacobras. Allied transports are still landing units or supplies here and I'd still like to shut the airfield down if I can.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (12/30/2015 9:19:21 AM)

Jan 21, 1943

Today's action is mostly confined to the northeast corner of Australia and the waters around.

Amphibious assault at Wessel Islands as I land a small unit to shore up my positions at Merauke and Horn Island a tiny bit.

Then two more subs get hit by sub chasers south of Horn Island and will have to return to base.

And a big allied air attack on Horn Island itself: 8 successive waves comprising scores of Liberators, B-17s, Mitchells and Marauders pound the airfield into dust. The air base has long been abandoned and it won't open again for Japan now, I guess.

I expect Apbarog to launch a second Horn Island invasion pretty soon now that he has a lot of the NW Oz bases built up to provide air support, especially as he is managing to keep Port Moresby and Buna shut down. We can still make it expensive for him to capture though...[:D]



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (12/30/2015 9:27:17 AM)

Jan 22, 1943

Continued focus on NE Oz:
quote:

Heavy Volume of Radio transmissions detected at Townsville
seems to confirm my suspicion that something wicked this way comes.

B-25C Mitchells bomb my newly debarked unit at Wessel Islands just to show that they can. I will need to bring a bigger boat if I want to protect the islands from air assault, but its a start at least.

Meanwhile, I deploy the crack fighter group from the damaged Ryujo, now in residence at Kusaie Island, to sweep Nauru, netting a decent tally of P-39s for the loss of one.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (12/30/2015 9:32:39 AM)

Jan 23, 1943

NE Oz

Trying to interdict the Allied sub chasers using Nells; unfortunately they are a bitch to hit with torpedoes - and my Vals aren't in range...

quote:

Morning Air attack on TF, near Portland Roads at 93,130

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
G3M2 Nell x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
SC-521
SC-519

Aircraft Attacking:
8 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp


We have better luck against a supply convoy near Milne Bay in the afternoon; lucky that there wasn't any CAP as there are 75+ fighters on the base...

quote:

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Milne Bay at 101,134

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAK Makena, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Manulani
PC Nemaha, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x G3M2 Nell launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (12/30/2015 9:42:43 AM)

Jan 24, 1943

Air attack on Tagula Island

One unit apiece of Tojos and Zeroes are ordered to sweep the base and obtain a good result: fifteen P-40K Warhawks reported shot down for no Japanese losses.

Now that the Allies have more (re-)captured bases to defend, with fighter cover spread more thinly, I see opportunities to inflict more attritional losses. Of course I run the same sort of risk, especially as Allied 4es can inflict CAP losses at the same time as degrading my bases...



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/3/2016 10:01:26 AM)

Jan 25 - 28, 1943

Still quiet in all theatres as January draws to a close. The Allies have plenty of small task forces active in the Coral Sea and the Solomons but few enticing targets. The Allied capital ships have gone to ground somewhere, although I am betting something is going on close to Brisbane due to the frequency of SigInt transmissions from around there. A heavy volume of radio transmissions also detected at Pago Pago on the 27th. So, in the meantime I keep reinforcing by fast transport and laying sub mines in various exposed locations.

I'm looking forward to taking the first deliveries of Oscar IIbs next month - the armoured version will be my standard army fighter for some time, although I have 150+ Tojos in the pool for those units that are able to accept them.

Andaman Islands

Liberator IIs raid little Andaman on Jan 25, losing two bombers to Nicks flying CAP from Port Blair. A probing attack I guess, and the only unit present is 8th JNAF Coy, building forts currently. I need to reinforce the Andamans PDQ as if I was the Allied player I would view the islands as a neat location for flanking my strong defensive position in Burma.

Papua, Solomons and the Coral Sea

On the 26th I try to repeat the success of my previous Tojo sweep but find that the Allied fighters at Rossel Island are stood down. Next day they are gone and Milne Bay now stacks 100+ Allied fighters.

On the 28th, Apbarog sweeps Buna, no doubt the plan being to draw out my leaking CAP from Lae. It is a fairly successful strategy for the Allies as losses are approximately even at eleven apiece plus ops losses. Lucky for me that the B-17s didn't fly in their air superiority role as well [:D]

Sub attack near Cairns on the 27th as SS I-30 puts a torpedo into APD Kilty, causing some troop losses. More APDs show up later at Normanby Island, adjacent to Milne Bay so I guess that was where Kilty was heading.



jwolf -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/3/2016 2:53:36 PM)

quote:

B-17s didn't fly in their air superiority role as well


Heh. [:)] Good luck as you play on -- your game is very interesting and I am enjoying both AARs.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/7/2016 5:11:31 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: jwolf

quote:

B-17s didn't fly in their air superiority role as well


Heh. [:)] Good luck as you play on -- your game is very interesting and I am enjoying both AARs.



Thanks, I'm glad that you are enjoying both AARs, I guess its interesting for those outside the conflict to be able to compare notes on what the players are thinking.

It's been a quiet end to January. I would like to be pushing the envelope more but my fighter pools aren't large enough to cope with a sustained period of air conflict right now, so I am concentrating on building up my reserves for the next month or two when the action will likely heat up. I suspect Apbarog will be in a similar position, although he will see some exciting new fighter models arriving pretty soon.

The good news is that the Oscar IIb is now in production and I will be producing 100+ a month. Its already outclassed by the new US fighters but will have to hold the line until the Frank comes on stream. I have a good enough Tojo reserve but, with PDU off, too few units can convert. I am also producing the Tony as a point defence fighter and they have already been deployed to Truk, Singapore and Palembang. Incidentally, the Allies have the new long range recon Liberator PB4Y-1P, which I have seen overflying Truk and Koepang so I am starting to look at putting CAP over rear bases that I regularly use for shipping as a precaution.

The navy is producing the A6M3a alongside the A6M2 and I will start producing A6M5s in April, by which time they will already be outclassed by US Navy Hellcats.


Jan 29 - Feb 1, 1943

Coral Sea, Papua, NE Australia

Apbarog waits until my airfields at Buna and Port Moresby are almost repaired then hits them hard again with massed B-17 raids to keep them shut. I have concentrated my fighters at Lae as I can't defend all three bases satisfactorily.

I am still seeing a lot of sub chaser activity near Cooktown and Cairns, picket subs are getting DC'd frequently and having to return to base damaged. Owing to the persistent strength of sig int from Townsville I deployed the new longer range Dinah IIIs to recon the base and found there was a fairly sizeable ground force there, larger than required to defend the base, plus a lot of transport shipping, possible indication of plans to reinforce a move on Papua or else return to Horn Island again, which is weakly defended as I can't get enough air support over there to defend the atoll.

[image]local://upfiles/32198/69DD921955EB410892E06D67A53F4763.jpg[/image]



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/7/2016 5:34:21 PM)

Jan 29 - Feb 1, 1943


Other theatres

A US sub, SS Saury, encounters a mine field at Banjoewangi near Java. Mine hits 1, on fire. I have been pretty diligent at laying mines at various sub choke points and other positions that I will need to defend as the war moves closer.

Sub attack near Perth as SS I-9 misses APD Parrott and takes a DC.

Allied sub attack on some tankers near Sorong.

That's about all the combat - did I say it was a quiet end to the month?

The Parrott does not appear to be part of any larger movement right now, but it does bring into question my plan for the defence of the DEI which is where all the oil is, of course. If Apbarog decides to start moving up the coast of W Australia, he could take back my forward observation post at Port Hedland and start threatening Koepang and the bases beyond.

I have been keeping a strategic land reserve at Soerabaja, with enough transports to provide a rapid reaction force, but this needs greater protection than the two cruiser and destroyer groups that are currently positioned a) at Singapore to cover the Burma approaches; and b) somewhere west of Horn Island to support the base.

I have therefore decided to reposition the KB and mini-KB where, between them, they can react in support of the DEI as well as Rabaul, the Solomons and the Marshalls. I know that's a lot of ocean to cover but I need greater flexibility and, now that Rabaul has been built up I no longer feel the need to keep basing KB there to supplement the land-based fighters. Anyway, so much for the theory, I guess the coming months will prove the efficacy or otherwise of the new deployment plan.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/10/2016 11:06:57 AM)

Feb 2 - 4, 1943


Here is the AAR for Feb 02:

quote:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Feb 02, 43
[>:]


Ditto the next two days, probably the quietest this war has been so far.

I pick up some Allied activity at Baker Island, south of the Marshalls & Gilberts. Baker has been a spotter base for some time now and there appear to be a few tenders and PT boats there, nothing more substantial. Heavy SigInt at Pago Pago again. Something big may moving down there - either towards Oz, the Solonons, or perhaps preparing to strike north. The guessing game continues.

Carrier report

On Feb 5, Zuikaku comes out of repair mode in the Home Islands and will shortly rejoin KB, together with a batch of DDs which have had their ASW upgrade (all of 4 points now - wow[8|]). Ryujo, which was torpedoed last month by an Allied sub near Kusaie, has managed to limp back to Truk with 43 float damage having rested at Ponape. Ryujo enjoyed a massive ASW escort for that one, and will also need shepherding back home for repairs.

I've been lucky not to lose any major carriers in a slew of actions over the past year, touch wood. On the other hand, I've had at least one or two carriers under repair consistently for several months due to battle damage. At least their upgrades are up-to-date and, as I suggested above, the plan is for KB to disappear again into deterrent mode.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/10/2016 11:08:09 AM)

Feb 2 - 4, 1943


Here is the AAR for Feb 02:

quote:

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Feb 02, 43
[>:]


Ditto the next two days, probably the quietest this war has been so far.

I pick up some Allied activity at Baker Island, south of the Marshalls & Gilberts. Baker has been a spotter base for some time now and there appear to be a few tenders and PT boats there, nothing more substantial. Heavy SigInt at Pago Pago again. Something big may moving down there - either towards Oz, the Solomons, or perhaps preparing to strike north. The guessing game continues.

Carrier report

On Feb 5, Zuikaku comes out of repair mode in the Home Islands and will shortly rejoin KB, together with a batch of DDs which have had their ASW upgrade (all of 4 points now - wow[8|]). Ryujo, which was torpedoed last month by an Allied sub near Kusaie, has managed to limp back to Truk with 43 float damage having rested at Ponape. Ryujo enjoyed a massive ASW escort for that one, and will also need shepherding back home for repairs.

I've been lucky not to lose any major carriers in a slew of actions over the past year, touch wood. On the other hand, I've had at least one or two carriers under repair consistently for several months due to battle damage. At least their upgrades are up-to-date and, as I suggested above, while KB has made its presence known at Rabaul for a while now, the plan is for it to disappear into deterrent mode again.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/15/2016 12:58:36 PM)

Feb 5 - 9, 1943

The pattern of light combat activity continues with nothing on the combat report every other day. I read the Sig Int runes each day to try and divine what, if anything, might be happening out of sight of my spotter planes. SigInt still favours the east coast of Australia: reports cover Sydney, Rockhampton, Townsville et al.

As each day goes by, I am increasing my stake money on Horn Island. Apbarog attacked here before, and it occupies a strategic position, controlling the straits beyond Port Moresby on the way to Darwin. I say control, but I only hold the island, being unable to base any planes there due to airfield damage. Still, its a symbolic hold for Japan at present.

Assuming that Horn will fall at some point, I am in the process of backfilling some of the PNG and DEI bases in closer proximity to Horn. I just hope that I can get something meaningful established before the pressure builds on this side of the map. A quicker way to project some power is to add more substantial air and naval assets to DEI and this is happening, as it was always my plan to start building the defences here as '43 arrived.

Loaded up with the latest naval air models, A6M3a Zero fighters and D4Y1 dive bombers, Zuikaku is fully repaired and is leaving the Home Islands to rendezvous with other carriers at a secret location far to the south.

Not much going on in the air war these last few days, although it was pleasing when a unit of Rufes 'blooded' themselves on Feb 5, shooting down three Mitchell bombers over Tarawa. Apart from that, sporadic US bombing of my bases continues...



Lowpe -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/15/2016 4:19:24 PM)

Just some general thoughts on 1943...

Really look at the supply stockpiles of you island fortresses...you are rapidly approaching the end of easy convoy shipping. If in fact you aren't already there.

Take a look at your defensive lines, and realize the Allies have perfect information, and will choose to bypass strong points if they can and pound you with a really heavy club and a weakspot. Often times they will try to distract you from one edge of the Empire to the other. Often times in 1943 the Allies push here and there just looking to cause you to fight/disperse/waste fuel and supplies.

Try not to defend too far forward where the bypass can really hurt.

These are the days to really figure out your defenses and get engineers and supplies set.

Also, look at TOE upgrades, especially for engineer bases that get CD/DP guns. You need to figure out how to get them their upgrades.

The more your perimeter shrinks the easier it becomes to hurt the Allies.

Start training lowNav if you haven't already.

If you have upgraded your KB with good Zeroes and Judies, 1943 becomes a time when you can use her to good effect again. In 1944 the Allies will have carrier capable Corsairs and then it gets really hard to use. Some basic rules to follow using your KB....don't wander outside your own land based search patrol arcs without really good forward recon. And then, think twice before doing it. Plan on using the KB half the month, the other half it sits idle in port to avoid huge fuel drains (rule of thumb there).

The Allies normally always advance faster than you think.[:(]

These quiet turns are where you are preparing, gathering your forces, and preparing for the worst.[;)]

Don't fritter away your mines.





Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/15/2016 5:55:41 PM)

Thanks Lowpe, your thoughts are much appreciated as always.

The possibility of being bypassed by bold Allied thrusts is certainly an ongoing concern. There are not enough resources to defend every base adequately so the best I can hope for is to delay my opponent where it is most critical and/or to channel him in certain directions.

DBB-B Scen 28 sure puts a premium on engineers - for both sides I think - but you really notice it as Japan. Nevertheless I have been assiduously building up the bases behind the lines for a year now - all of the oil ports and bases like Ambon, Kendari, Cagayan and the like.

In the SW theatre, I have centred my defences around Kwajalein, Shortlands, Rabaul and Lae and the plan is to hold any advances towards Truk and ultimately the Marianas as long as possible. Port Moresby and Buna should hopefully prove to be more than just speed bumps (although they could also be bypassed, I guess).

Apbarog has threatened Horn Island but so far made no move to retake Darwin, either coming from the west or the east. I will not fight too dearly to hold the many isolated bases of northern Australia, but locations such as Koepang and Boela are being built up, and I am starting to station significant naval assets at Soerabaja and other bases in DEI so that I can respond more rapidly to any incursions.

My front line in Burma is strongly defended with units holding jungle hexes in forts in many places. I am now focused on backfilling base to the south in case my opponent decides to go around and flank the Burma line. This also means garrisoning the Andamans, plus bases on Sumatra and Java ultimately.

China has a very stable front at the moment as neither of us are that interested in the theatre, it seems. I have been reinforcing the lines so that I can safely withdraw more units to serve with the Southern Army, plus using China as a training ground for pilots.

As you say, it is all about getting my engineers and supplies in the right places and the relative quiet of the last month has helped with this objective.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/17/2016 12:45:05 PM)

Feb 10-11, 1943

Edit - see next post.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/17/2016 12:46:41 PM)

Feb 10-11, 1943

Allied sub SS Pompon encounters the Zuikaku TF steaming south of the Home Islands and takes 4 hits for its pains. It appears that Zuikaku remained unspotted. More sub attacks on transport convoys near Truk and Victoria Point fail to hit anything.

Port Moresby airfield had repaired, so the B-17s duly arrived and cratered it again. I thought of putting fighters up there but it would have involved weakening the CAP at Lae and Rabaul.

I tested the water at Vangunu, south of Munda, letting two escorted Val units dive bomb the shipping there. Turns out it was all PT boats so nothing was hit.

My Dinahs and Irvings are still making a rolling recce of the NE Australian coast. Quite a lot going on at Townsville and Cooktown. Preparations for the next Allied advance, I'll wager.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/18/2016 3:34:19 PM)

Picture from yesterday's post that got detached somehow...

[image]local://upfiles/32198/0CCD521BEDA34B20B51967A61687BD1D.jpg[/image]



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/18/2016 3:45:01 PM)

Feb 12, 1943

Shock and Awe (?!)

SS Whale sinks a small xAK near Babeldaob and Betties flying from Rangoon attack 54th Chinese/B Corps at Tsuyung. I bet that confuses my opponent but the simple reason was that I set the unit to ground attack for training purposes and some of them flew unexpectedly to a Chinese base within range.

But the main events unfold with a series of heavy Allied bombing raids on many of my bases to the north, east and west of Horn Island: Merauke, Port Moresby, Gasmata, Katherine, Fenton.
For good measure, B-17s also attack Magwe in Burma.

Multiple Allied TFs are also on the move north and east of Cooktown, although most appear relatively small and I can't identify many of the ships as yet. I fully expect to see the Allied death star appear on tomorrow's naval search report. In the meantime I can only wait to determine how best to reshuffle the deck of cards that are my mobile air and naval intervention forces. What fun!



IdahoNYer -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/18/2016 4:10:07 PM)

Walker84 - been enjoying your game for while, especially since both sides have solid AARs going.

Was wondering how your aircraft R&D is going? What have been your latest new planes and what(and when) is on the horizon?



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/18/2016 6:38:32 PM)

Thanks IdahoNYer, I'm glad that you're enjoying reading both sides of this little war!

I'll post my current air production below, with the caveat that I have been quite conservative around air production due to this being my first PDU-off game. I could still have gone a bundle on accelerating various models but have not really done so, although production runs of key planes have been ramped up significantly.

I will be getting the first Jills next month, and the A6M5 in April. Franks have not advanced much, if at all but I will have plenty when they finally arrive. However, Apbarog and I are both constrained by being unable to always upgrade squadrons when and where we would like to, and, on the whole, we enjoy playing a game that is closer to historical.

[image]local://upfiles/32198/3E6D50C843E54CB08C21B8A3A6EC3BCD.jpg[/image]



IdahoNYer -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/19/2016 12:28:53 AM)

Thanks Walker84. Good intel for my game against L_S_T; we're doing DBB-C with PDU-Off as well.



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/19/2016 10:28:10 AM)

Feb 13, 1943

Two-pronged offensive?

Not a lot of combat action today but I manage to down a couple of B-17s when they return to Magwe for the second day and find that a crack unit of Tojos has moved in. I expect they will not reappear again tomorrow as quite a few bombers were damaged. Apbarog will probably bomb other Burmese bases in rotation to keep me on my toes and distract me from whatever he's got cooking in the Pacific.

And something really is cooking! I finally get some good naval search intel on possible Allied intentions. Carriers are sighted in two locations: one hugging the Australian coast a few hexes south of Horn Island; and a different task force steaming to the south of the Gilberts, Tabiteuea being my closest and most exposed base.

Horn Island again?
[image]local://upfiles/32198/2BF1C33BB48F447DAB5236A6A30C5ADE.jpg[/image]



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/19/2016 10:33:58 AM)

I can't tell how big these attacks are at the moment - either they are raids, or something bigger, however I haven't spotted any large groups of transports yet.

One thing is clear: this has been coordinated carefully and cleverly, as I can't divide my already depleted carrier forces between both locations without taking on some risk. I'm not going to risk losing a carrier over Tabiteuea, or even Horn Island, but if Apbarog has other targets that might trigger something bigger. We'll have to see.

Just to summarise today's other actions, B-25s attack my Marshalls rapid reaction cruiser force near Jaluit twice during the day but miss on both occasions. A timely reminder that my opponent can now mount naval attack missions from Nauru.

Wildcats also sweep Merauke in strength but I had moved my fighters out as the base was heavily damaged in yesterday's B-17 raid. I don't have sizeable operational bases now until Darwin, Ambon and Koepang, too far away to influence what might be coming next to Horn Island.

Raid on the Gilberts?
[image]local://upfiles/32198/EEB97AA5CE9342978279B14C025079D0.jpg[/image]



Lowpe -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/20/2016 12:51:52 AM)

Once Tabiteuea falls, the Marshalls are pretty hard to defend from massed 4E bombing.

One thing to look out for, is the direct route to the Marianas thru the Marshalls. He can get there with very few landings and really be knocking on the door of Guam before you are ready. Allied pace of invasions can be really scary.

I think you are going to be in for a tough 1943 unfortunately.[:(] But you are in good company, almost every JFB! [:D]








Crackaces -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/20/2016 3:36:48 AM)

quote:

Once Tabiteuea falls, the Marshalls are pretty hard to defend from massed 4E bombing.


Actually 4E from Tabiteua and 2E's from Beru, Nikunau, Nonouti .. making 4 bases in close proximity with the right air support very coordinated attacks ..

Picking off one atoll at time where the IJ find it difficult without the KB to defend. The fact that the
target hex is any cap the LRCAP / leak over .. up the chain fighter bases to sweep first then the bombers come

In terms of putting maxium Allied force on a loney IJ outpost in 1943 .. the Marshalls offer the best opportunities



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/20/2016 7:43:11 PM)

Feb 14, 1943


quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Once Tabiteuea falls, the Marshalls are pretty hard to defend from massed 4E bombing.

One thing to look out for, is the direct route to the Marianas thru the Marshalls. He can get there with very few landings and really be knocking on the door of Guam before you are ready. Allied pace of invasions can be really scary.

I think you are going to be in for a tough 1943 unfortunately.[:(] But you are in good company, almost every JFB! [:D]


quote:

ORIGINAL: Crackaces


Once Tabiteuea falls, the Marshalls are pretty hard to defend from massed 4E bombing.


Actually 4E from Tabiteua and 2E's from Beru, Nikunau, Nonouti .. making 4 bases in close proximity with the right air support very coordinated attacks ..

Picking off one atoll at time where the IJ find it difficult without the KB to defend. The fact that the
target hex is any cap the LRCAP / leak over .. up the chain fighter bases to sweep first then the bombers come

In terms of putting maxium Allied force on a loney IJ outpost in 1943 .. the Marshalls offer the best opportunities



Thanks guys, its nice to get a handle on some of the potential pain in store, as well as a little sympathy.[8|]

Horn island falls today after a shock attack preceded by air and naval bombardments. It was a foregone conclusion really, as Kure 2nd SNLF was the only effective unit there, and it was badly disrupted.

Allied naval dispositions now look interesting: at least 5 CVs/CVLs in two separate TFs have moved west of Horn and there is at least one xAP in the stack, which could be heading to other bases further west. Merauke suffers a cruiser-led bombardment so could be next in line for invasion.

Two of my subs in the area are damaged by DCs but otherwise there are no naval casualties.

Merauke and Port Moresby are bombed, and Liberators hit my new size 5 airbase at Hansa Bay for the first time.
[image]local://upfiles/32198/7AE610C29A16432D99BD2FEC9E2DDEA2.jpg[/image]



Walker84 -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/20/2016 7:54:02 PM)

Marshalls and Gilberts

Allied naval forces have reached a point 5 hexes south of Tabiteaeu. About 10 TFs are holding position in the same hex which is Apbarog's standard MO. I can count 7 CVs/CVLs/CVBs/CVEs so I guess it is mostly fleet carriers that are supporting the Horn Island operation. I might just be able to do something down positive here, if I can reinforce my light surface units close to Tarawa in time...



Lowpe -> RE: Great Tides that Ebb and Flow: Apbarog (A) vs Walker (J) DBB-B Scen 28 (1/20/2016 8:00:33 PM)

Usually when a base is bombarded it is to destroy/deny the runway. Sometimes it is to pre-invade; damage ships in port; or hurt the ground forces there. My guess, not knowing what lvl the air field is, that the Allies were being thorough and wanted to degrade the runway or catch planes on the ground there.

If you can figure out his motus operandi, then you can use that against him. Inside his OODA loop so to speak.



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