quote:

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

When you ship air units by freighters, consider breaking the into thirds so you won't lose the whole unit if the ship is sunk. Also, when they get to their destination, railroading them to another base, if possible, will speed up the repair process.

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A tale of two carrier strikes.

The allied carriers reach a position east of Hokkaido in hope of finding Japanese resource convoys running between Shikuka and Hokkaido. They are not dissappointed and in a number of strikes sink a large number of small PBs and xAKLs in the morning phase. In the afternoon phase they launch a large strike, 51 Dauntless plus 30 Devastators, at a Japanese oil convoy. Absolute carnage ensues and the 16 ships task force is completely destroyed. Most of the ships were small PBs but four of the small Japanese tankers were also sunk. As these ships are the biggest potential bottleneck in the Japanese logistical pipeline, this is a good result.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

1/2/42 to 1/5/42

This is a rare instance in which I think readers will better understand a written report than a graphic one.

There were a rolling series of surface battles during these four days, ranging from the Java Sea to the Coral Sea. The fighting was hard and interesting.

In both theaters, opportunities existed because Dave committed sizeable forces forward, where he had little or no air cover. I had good information about the location and strength of Dave's carrier forces, which allowed me to sortie my combat TFs forward in ways I ordinarily couldn't.

Java Sea: Over a period of about a week, Allied forces sniped at Dave's Semereng invasion forces as they approached, landed the invasion force, and then retired. Many little combats reduced enemy ammo levels, and Dave had to be cautious with his little carrier air squadrons as they took losses over the course of the week.

The Allies opened mostly with PT, DD and CL/DD TFs that effectively engaged enemy combat and invasion TFs, scattering them, messing up the landings (but ultimately not stopping them). After three days, I began sending in heavier ships, which managed to engage the enemy TFs, especially the merchants, further scattering them (one big one ended up near Soerabaja, right in my wheelhouse). The enemy combat TFs usually disengaged. Escorts did a good job of screening the merchantmen. The Allied TFs scored plenty of hits but not nearly to the extent I would have expected.

The scattering of the enemy ships left them spread out, with stragglers all over the place. Around the 2nd, Dave began withdrawing his carrier TF. Allied subs choking the retreat-path waters near Singakawang got involved, sinking a number of merchantmen and scoring 8 hits on BB Haruna (six by O19 and 020, two by Sculpin) on the 5th. She went down, the first notable Allied victory of the war.

I didn't lose any good ships but did lose a number of DDs (mostly old ones). But many CLs are moderately damaged and are retiring to Capetown.

The enemy has retired, leaving a modest force (4th Division and some base forces) on Java that don't have the oompth to accomplish a lot. Dave will have to return and another round may take place, unless he brings KB over from it's current position near Milne Bay.

I have two strong CA forces en route to the theater, one mostly the Lex's good escorts, nearing Melbourne now. The second is a mixed Aussie/USN CA force that just engaged the enemy at Port Moresby and is retiring to Soerabaja. Some reinforcing RN CLs and DDs are inbound from Ceylon. So the Allies should be able to continue to the fight.

In summary, the fighting here has been vicious. Neither side delivered any kind of knockout punch. Japan suffered a black eye and Allied losses were modest.

Coral Sea: SigInt toward the end of December indicated an enemy invasion force was bound for Port Moresby. I suspected that KB was located up somewhere in the Marshalls. All available Allied combat vessels reported to the Townsville area to see what developed.

Around the first of the year, a sizeable invasion force appeared in the Solomon Sea, south of Rabaul. At about that time, there were indications KB might be near Truk. A few small Allied combat TFs (a PC, two DDs, and one DD, in three TFs) took position at or south of Milne Bay, both as pickets (to detect carriers) and to harass enemy ships and reduce their ammo supplies.

A day later, KB showed up W of Truk, apparently heading for the DEI, even as the enemy armada near Milne Bay. The Allied PC TF and two DDs engaged, taking moderate or heavy damage and inflicting little, but causing some confusion and drawing plenty of fire.

The following day, the enemy invasion armada neared Port Moresby and KB changed course, passing near New Gloucester, entering the upper Solomon Sea, and clearly bound to suppor the invasion.

But it looked like there was a one-day opening to interdict the enemy invasion force at PM, moving at flank speed and then retiring to Horne Island to stay out of KB's likely air range. It worked. Three CAs and a CL tangled with a good enemy CA/DD covering TF, inflicting "heavy damage" on CA Aoba and putting a torpedo into CA Kinugasa. CA Canberra took heavy damage (she made it to Horne and disbanded, but she's probably a goner). The Allied TF also intercepted the invasion TF, but only scored a couple of hits before retiring, no doubt low on ammo.

Summary: With the notable exception of BB Haruna, this series of engagements continued a trend that has vexxed me forever - scoring lots of damage against enemy shipping but seldom sinking it. Fortunately, in this case Allied losses have been modest (with the likely exception of Canberra).

Dave's invasion of Java was successful, but in a ragged, disorganized way. Ditto his invasion of Port Moresby. The Allied are fighting effectively without carriers, but the enemy is advancing. Overall, I felt like I had good info and good plans that didn't quite bear out the way I had hoped.

P.S. Three more things: (1) xAKLs cannot form air transport TFs; (2) an xAK that picked up a Marine fighter unit at Wallace (from Lex, originally), was sunk by an enemy sub to the south, in waters I thought were likely free; (3) I forgot to move a bunch of aircraft from Port Moresby before it fell, so I lost some valuable B-17s and PBYs. Ragged play on my part.

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ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

Maybe use the SBDs on the Big E as follows:

VS - 50% search, 50% train, max range
VB - 50% ASW, 50% train, max range

The Torpedo bombers could also be ASW 50% and 50% train with an altitude of 2000 feet. These would target subs that get too close. The fighters at 8000 feet with max range should take care of any Glens.

With some decent ASW TFs within three hexes, that could be a powerful hunter/killer group.

Joe

PS if you want to consider it, put some RAF fighter units that have been converted to carrier type planes onto Sara and max size them. Convert them back into some other airframe if you need the carrier airframes for your carriers. You can train a lot of pilots that way - especially if you get some elite pilots in the unit as instructors. Do the same for some carrier torpedo bombers as well. These can also practice ground bombing only and then put into land based bombers. RAAF and RNZAF air units as well.

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel


CV Enterprise left Pearl yesterday, making for Balboa and thence Capetown.

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

As usual, your suggestions include good things I had forgotten, overlooked or didn't know. Thanks, Ranger.

In past games, I typically withdrew as many ground units as possible, even while keeping my navy forward to fight. I haven't really considered pulling out ground units, as my goal is to slow Dave as much as possible. But to the extent that units aren't necessary, are redundant, or would be critical to future efficiency, I'll consider doing so.

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Can't all of these units be purchased after their destruction?

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
Can't all of these units be purchased after their destruction?

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ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Singers: Forts are approaching 3.9 with supply north of 200k. I've shut down further deliveries. Dave has a lot of subs and combat vessels in the area, and strike aircraft at Johore Bahru have taken control of the sea lanes. But he hasn't crossed the causeway yet and the defenses should be fairly formidable when he does.