RE: Logistics in Burma-India

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RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/23/2009 10:00:47 PM

CapAndGown

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Smeulders

After the previous combat between the mini KB and the British, he'll figure that you brought in the Americans to fight mini KB. He might be a bit suspicious of the move, and maybe he'll move KB closer to counter any follow-up actions, but I doubt it'll tip him off as to your offensive.�

It might not tip him off to the offensive, but wouldn't having the KB in the area make the offensive impossible? The whole point of the diversionary offensive, after all, is to divert the KB from the DEI area.

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Post #: 421

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/23/2009 10:10:09 PM

Smeulders

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True, the offensive shouldn't be launched days after a battle with mini KB, but the diversion should still be able to lure away KB. Of course, a bit of time should be left between the two. An offensive in Pacific won't be as impressive if he knows the allied CV are off Perth.

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Post #: 422

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/23/2009 10:16:17 PM

Chickenboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.� If you can clobber a handful of Japanese CVEs, go get 'em.

Most definitely. Kill 'em and run run like hell.

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Post #: 423

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/23/2009 10:18:19 PM

Dave3L

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If you go with the Marshalls diversion, a chance to smack Mini-KB around just before it would send KB running East to find your CVs, followed by a run west as he might guess you had three CVs in Oz to fight the Mini-KB, then back east again when the troops hit the beach in the DEI. Of course, that would require Mini-KB to be in the right place at the right time.

Even without consideration to diversions, it might be worth doing, just to start the attrition curve swinging in your direction.

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Post #: 424

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/23/2009 10:37:03 PM

ny59giants

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Sinking any Japanese carrier and a few CAs is always a good thing.

Force CF to re-think how he is going to divide up his carrier strength. Add in your various diversions and he may be forced to go more into a defensive posture sooner than he wants.

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Post #: 425

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/24/2009 5:12:15 PM

Capt. Harlock

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quote:

It would be at a high cost, however, in intelligence; once he sees the US Fleet in that position, Cuttlefish will KNOW something is up. Kido Butai will likely be in the area shortly thereafter. Sinking CVLs, though, is a good thing.

Maybe, and maybe not. You have known the KB is at Noumea for some time, and he knows you know. Putting the Allied CV's near Sydney would have been a reasonable move, and when you got a read on the baby KB you could have raced around Southern Australia.

I would be tempted to attack. The KB has been dodging subs for some time; a re-fit would be in order. If you can interrupt that, and again determine KB's location, those would also be positives in addition to the sinking of CVL/CVE's. That seems like it would out-weigh the delay in your offensive operations.

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Post #: 426

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/24/2009 5:45:47 PM

Swenslim

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Use 2-3 CV's to sink miniKB, not all 7. Then he will move 3-4 his big carriers and you will finish him.

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Post #: 427

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/24/2009 7:56:33 PM

Chickenboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Swenslim

Use 2-3 CV's to sink miniKB, not all 7. Then he will move 3-4 his big carriers and you will finish him.

Disagree. Don't offer him a fair fight. Never fight fair!

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Post #: 428

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/24/2009 8:33:36 PM

Canoerebel

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Also, Japanese players who like to keep the KB together aren't easily persuaded to divide the KB.� Almost always, when those players decide to commit the KB they're going to send the whole kit and kaboodle.

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Post #: 429

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/24/2009 8:52:52 PM

CapAndGown

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Also, Japanese players who like to keep the KB together aren't easily persuaded to divide the KB.� Almost always, when those players decide to commit the KB they're going to send the whole kit and kaboodle.

Isn't it better to divide the original 6 CV TF into two or three 3/2 CV TFs that travel around together? Used to be.

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Post #: 430

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/24/2009 9:05:28 PM

String

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quote:

ORIGINAL: cap_and_gown

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

Also, Japanese players who like to keep the KB together aren't easily persuaded to divide the KB.� Almost always, when those players decide to commit the KB they're going to send the whole kit and kaboodle.

Isn't it better to divide the original 6 CV TF into two or three 3/2 CV TFs that travel around together? Used to be.

It can be, when you have enough escorts. It can also bite you in the ass when one TF reacts and the other doesn't

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Post #: 431

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/26/2009 3:14:08 PM

Q-Ball

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Gentlemen: Thank you for your comments on hitting Baby KB. The consensus seems to be to do it. Probably the opportunity will not present itself, but you never know....

Combat Report, August 27 to Sept 1, 1942

Another month goes by in the Pacific, and we inch closer to our fall offensive. Little happened from a combat standpoint these days, so I will detail preparations. As it stands, October figures to be a very very busy month!

SW Pacific: I sent a cruiser TF to visit Noumea harbor. I had hoped to find transports loading, as I had spotted some, and sank 1 via sub; but there were gone by the time we visited. Our ships shot up the airstrip, and sailed back to Suva.

They were completely unspotted on the way in, so I probably exposed for CF a gap in his air search. Too bad we didn't find bigger game.

Two days in a row, the 28th and 29th, we spotted Kido Butai via submarine, or at least a big enough chunk that I am pretty sure I spotted it. They were observed near Green Island heading SW toward New Caledonia. Maybe CF is going to use Carriers to cover the move of all the troops on New Caledonia, don't know. He probably will cover his transports now regardless, after that cruiser TF visit, so it accomplished something (I think).

FORAGER: The troops allocated to OPERATION FORAGER, the British attack in Northern Buma, left camp on Sept 1. It will take 20-30 days to march through the jungle to the Japanese, so it will be awhile before CF sees what is up. 2 Divisions should cross the Chindwin in about 12 days, so that is probably when Cuttlefish will spot some sort of movement. The moment he flinches, I plan an air raid on Mandalay with everything I have from 4 airbases, about 370 Allied aircraft. In total, approx. 6 divisions are involved in the attack on Myitkinya, with several tank and recon regts. in support.

Latest intel shows the 33rd IJA Division at Katha, and a single Regt. at Myiktinya. If the troops crossing the Chindwin can engage the 33rd divisoin and cut the rail line, the forces up north should easily be able to shove that Regt. out of Myiktinya and take the place.

REPRISAL: The USN CVs and some BBs should arrive shortly at Perth. I am moving some 2nd Wave support troops to Port Hedland, to make it a shorter trip than the initial invasion. I have moved most of the Koepang assault force to Port Hedland, plus what I calculate to be enough transports to move 2 Divisions plus some tanks to Koepang (with room to spare, to make for faster unload). At this stage, the Allies have bupkus for good assault transports, so we are using the small Dutch xAPs for assault transports. They are small, so should unload fast anyway. We have about 8 actual APs in the area as well.

Aircraft is also on the way to Australia; I am erring on the side of caution here, so I have piles of pretty much everything either there or heading there.

I am hesitant to build up Broome too quickly. I have 3 base forces there, but I don't dare to put more. I am being very careful not to tip anything off, because if I surprise Cuttlefish, I should get all my guys safely ashore without a hitch.

SEARCHLIGHT: The 2 RNZN Cruisers that are forming the core of my "bombardment" force are 3-4 days out of Pearl; once they are there, we have all we need for this "movement". The poor saps in Searchlight will sail in about 2 weeks.

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Post #: 432

Imperial Atrocity! - 12/28/2009 6:00:05 PM

Q-Ball

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Combat Report, Sept. 2 through 6th, 1942

There was a little bit of action these days, mostly the slaughter of our innocent engineers by Kido Butai. They shall pay for this atrocity!

SW Pacific: The IJN moved many units into the SW Pacific, SE of Noumea. A deep penetration by KB found an Allied convoy off Raoul Island. This was 6 APs loaded with 3 USN Engineer Bns, headed for Australia, and escorted by a single old DD.

The escort and 4 of the xAPs were vaporized by KB. Somehow, 2 xAPs lived, so if they make it to Auckland and unload, I will permanently lose only 1 Bn. Still, he got me back a bit.

This Japanese move seems to be covering transports at Noumea; I guess that CA raid on Noumea caused CF to be more cautious. With the IJN sweeping the area, no chance of hitting the transports at Noumea. I see several, via submarines that I have outside the harbor. The question of course, is where are they going?

I remain alert to a landing on Suva or the Tonga chain, the logical next step after Noumea. He might be trying something more limited, like Norfolk Island, which would be a real good idea on CF's part, and one I can't do anything about. (all I have there is a small base force). Any move on Suva or Tonga, though, will encounter swarms of DBs and other Airpower that has been training on NavB. I also have 5 BBs at Pago Pago.

FORAGER: So far we have not moved one hex yet, but should in about 5 days. CF doesn't see anything yet, but I wouldn't expect him to until we have moved one hex. Then the air battle should break out.

Recon indicates still just one unit at Myiktinya, and what appears to be a Tank Regt by itself at Katha. This is unwise, at some point I will try to bomb it to oblivion. There is a large concentration of troops at Shwebo and Mandalay. Shwebo appears to be at least a division. I continue to recon Rangoon, and have seen transports come and go, so there may by reinforcements coming into Burma.

Air units continue to train and rest. We have quite a bit of airpower there, so I plan to hold everyone back until CF obviously knows something is up, then let all hell break lose, starting with bombing the airbase at Mandalay, and maybe annihilating that Tank unit.

The Chinese should reach Bhamo in about 5 days.

REPRISAL: The last warships have arrived at Perth. I am sending a convoy with 5 USN Naval Constr. Bns to Port Hedland, so they can be quickly shuttled in with the 2nd wave. The ships carrying them will stop there. I think I have enough shipping for 2 divisions plus all my tanks in the assault wave on Koepang; everywhere else, I have shipping for at least 1 Bde in the Assault wave (Waingapu,Lomblen, Maumere,Ruteng). I don't expect much oppossition anywhere but Koepang, where Recon shows 4 units and 6,000 troops.

By moving units to Port Hedland, I can quickly reinforce with a second wave. As soon as we are ashore and capture Koepang, I will be moving everything from Perth to Port Hedland, and make that our base of operations.

At this point, I have a convoy with Marine Wildcats about 5 days out from Melbourne. I need a unit to put on HMS Hermes. Once they are in Perth, we will start loading the Assault Wave. D-Day appears to be right around Oct 1. Stay tuned!

The Naval OOB includes all 7 Allied CVs, HMS Hermes, 10 BB/BC (6 RN BBs, Repulse, North Carolina, W Va, and Colorado), plus about 30 cruisers and a pile of DDs. This is the bulk of the Allied Navy, including just about all of the RN. I am still a bit concerned about Fuel; I have 110K now stockpiled at Port Hedland, 50K at Perth, plus another 70K about to unload at Perth. I have another 25K on board 2 AOs at Perth. Every ship has a full bunker, so that helps. I think I have enough, but will continue to convoy fuel to this area to avoid running out. Supplies are plentiful, with more on the way.

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Post #: 433

RE: Imperial Atrocity! - 12/28/2009 8:49:51 PM

Swenslim

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As a japan player I see no point to defend Myiktinya. It is to far away and can be easily cut off. So if he wise enough youu will get this base without fight.

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Post #: 434

RE: Imperial Atrocity! - 12/28/2009 9:09:26 PM

Canoerebel

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Japan should probably take Myitkinya and then leave a very small garrison there - it isn't of any real use to the Japanese, but the air base can be of some help to the Allies. No need in making it a free gift to the Allies. Make them work for it.

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RE: Imperial Atrocity! - 12/28/2009 9:11:21 PM

Smeulders

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True, with the new supply movement constraint in the Burma/India border region, an airport for allied cargo planes might be very important to supply allied troops.

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RE: Imperial Atrocity! - 12/28/2009 10:06:04 PM

FatR

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I would say that your plans look robust and devious, Q-Ball. Doing little damage to your fleet during the expansion phase is obviously going to hurt Cuttlefish now. Looking at the Allied armada, unless he manages to pull off reverse Midway or at least Savo squared, IJN is probably going to be crippled for half a year even if it manages to win this battle. Even a draw in naval battle probably would be a complete, game-deciding disaster for Japanese.

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RE: Imperial Atrocity! - 12/28/2009 10:25:28 PM

crsutton

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Swenslim

As a japan player I see no point to defend Myiktinya. It is to far away and can be easily cut off. So if he wise enough youu will get this base without fight.

Historically, it was a critical base. Until it was captured the Japanese based fighters out of there to interdict transport planes flying over the hump and once captured it allowed the Allies to double the amount of supply flowing into China. Some argue that the campaign to recaputure Myiktinya was the only Allied campaign in the whole theater that had any significance. All of the other fighting was a terrible waste of men and resources as the Japanese in all of South East Asia were isolated by the sucess of the sub war and had little influence on the later stages of the war. Too bad it is not more important in game terms.

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Post #: 438

RE: Imperial Atrocity! - 12/29/2009 5:20:30 PM

Q-Ball

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Svenslim, Canoerebel, Crsutton, good comments re: Myiktinya. I should articulate why I am attacking this particulary base. Pretty good quesiton.

The main reason is that I don't think I have the strength yet for a full-bore push into Lower Burma. Aside from Supply problems, and the slow rate of moving troops for reinforcement, I just don't think it's realistic. Myiktinya seems like a reasonable objective for the Fall campaign.

I don't think it's that useless though. Once I have Warazup and Myiktinya, I can suck in/fly in supplies; I plan to establish a permanent base there, and use it as a springboard to Lower Burma. You can also then establish a base at Bhamo, and maybe even move supplies through Bhamo into China. I could march a couple Indian Divisions overland to Lashio and re-open the Burma Road.

Once I have Myiktinya, I will continue to move down the rail line to at least Katha, and use that as a base of operations to enter the Lower Burma plain near Shwebo.

It's basically an interim step. It might take a couple years to clear Burma, but the primary strategic objective of this campaign is to tie down Japanese troops. If I have 4-6 divisions at Myiktinya, I should be able to accomplish that.

Combat Report, Sept. 5-8 1942

SW Pacific: After Kido Butai nailed my convoy, they withdrew to cover Noumea. I had a cruiser TF hovering about 12 hexes away, but didn't see a clean shot, so withdrew to Vava'u. A BB TF including Yamato bombarded Norfolk Island before heading north.

Both times transports have visited Noumea, they have gone North. If Cuttlefish was going to land on Suva, they would have loitered there or stayed at Noumea with KB. I am going to infer that a move on Fiji is NOT planned.

If the worm has truly turned, then I am going to immediately begin prepping all my SW Pacific units for new targets. I will take suggestions on where, but I am leaning toward Ndeni and Luganville, to cut off Noumea, where I know he probably still has a bunch of troops.

In the SW pacific, I have almost all of the Marines, plus 3 US Infantry divisions, so we have enough troops to cause some trouble.

FORAGER: 2 Divisions have crossed the uppper Chindwin river near Ledo into the jungle. Cuttlefish may now see this movement and know something is up. We'll see.

REPRISAL: The last units are coming into place. I should be loading up in about 10 days, around the 20th of September. I would like more shipping, but I counted 170 transports so far, about 80 of them xAP. That will have to do. I think I'll have enough Fuel, some big convoys are on the way from Capetown.

I can't wait to uncork REPRISAL!

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RE: Imperial Atrocity! - 12/29/2009 7:09:13 PM

ny59giants

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quote:

If the worm has truly turned, then I am going to immediately begin prepping all my SW Pacific units for new targets. I will take suggestions on where, but I am leaning toward Ndeni and Luganville, to cut off Noumea, where I know he probably still has a bunch of troops.

I would look at the Ellice Island group first. You would need to bring some engineers as they have no AF potential.

But, they would allow you to go in multiple directions from there. North to the Gilberts or over to where your thinking about. look at some of the dot bases around Luganville that have both port and AF potential.

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Post #: 440

Moving to October - 12/30/2009 7:02:06 PM

Q-Ball

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ny59giants: Great minds think alike, I have had a Marine Regt. prepping for Nuku for awhile, (2 months), and have smaller Bns prepping for the other two islands. Wallis Is is a size-5 airfield now to support that. The garrison is a Nav Gd unit on Nuku, and the other two appear empty, so it should be an easy takedown. Famous last words.

Combat Report, Sept 7 to 14, 1942

There has only been a few pockets of action. Alot of the action is behind the lines, where the Allies are putting the final pieces in place for our massive fall offensive. Almost time to Mount up!

China: There seems to be some Japanese movement toward Kukong and the back of Changsha. I brought out the Chinese Airforce to contest some bombing, thinking the P-43 and P-66 would be an improvement. Nope, Chinese fighters still suck; Oscars had them for lunch.

Sub Wars: Some nice hits the last few days......a Dutch sub took down a small TK near Singapore. Tuna sank an AO off Taiwan. And S-36 went on a mini-rampage off Waingapu, sinking an xAK and a real AK in successive days.

The landing at Waingapu was a single SNLF that has been landing and taking empty Dutch bases. I don't think it will stay, though if it does, it will be swamped by a division in about 15 days.

FORAGER: A Japanese plane was sighted over some of our units traversing the jungle; Cuttlefish probably knows something is up, or at least units are crossing the Burmese border. I haven't see any air attacks yet, but probably tommorow we will start our aerial blitz, since the cat appears to be out of the perverbial bag.

SEARCHLIGHT: Our fake invasion of the Marshalls sailed on the 15th for a rendevous point off Johnston Island. A single infantry battalion is loaded on 25 transports, and I have a cruiser TF and an Air Combait TF centered around Long Island. I am going to ship a unit of Wildcats on Long Island to complete the effect; if CAP is spotted over our ships, he will likely assume there is more than 1 single little CVE. I am prepared to lose all of these ships; none of them are really critical to the war effort.

REPRISAL: The last reinforcements arrived in Perth. I have stood down all aircraft from training to recover all fatigue. The first convoy has left Perth, a support convoy that will land a 2nd wave at Port Hedland, then disband and wait.

At this point we are going to wait until the SEARCHLIGHT convoys reach Johnston. At that point we will start loading the troops at Perth. Other assault wave troops are loading at Carnarvon, Exmouth, and Port Hedland, and we will initiate those loads as the first convoy moves up the coast. We want to time it so that just as we are rounding Exmouth, the SEARCHLIGHT forces will be spotted off the Marshalls. That will give us 4 days steaming before REPRISAL is spotted; enough time for CF to start sending ships to the Marshalls, but not so much time he gets there, determines that it's a fake, and turns around. Timing is pretty key on these headfakes.

I still estimate D-Day on Timor as about the 1st of October. Recent recon shows a garrison of approx. 6500 troops in 4 units. I am guessing at least 2 base forces, an Infantry unit, maybe a tank unit. I have no SigInt on the garrison, other than a base force.

I beleive Flores and Soemba to be unoccupied, other than the aforementioned clean-up crew. My original assessment was that Koepang will be the only real resistance; that is still the case IMO. I am not sure that the Japanese have picked up on the buildup; I don't think so. Japanese aircraft buzz Darwin daily, but the unit count has not increased there. I haven't seen an aircraft over Port Hedland, which is good, because I now have in excess of 25 units and 100,000 troops there. That would probably raise an eyebrow, don't you think?

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RE: Moving to October - 12/30/2009 7:14:45 PM

ny59giants

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I wonder if setting one of those hopefully empty base around Timor as a Waypoint for your subs would provide any useful intel.

Hopefully, CF would see it as a way into the SRA for your subs, nothing more.

I was just posting over on Dan's AAR. How are you dealing with ASW warfare with your LBA?? Are you specifically training up units for ASW?? I think some of those large 18 planes Kingfisher squadrons highly experienced in ASW and possibly naval bombing would be helpful on your new bases to suppress his subs that are sure to show up.

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Post #: 442

RE: Moving to October - 12/30/2009 11:16:37 PM

Q-Ball

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quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I wonder if setting one of those hopefully empty base around Timor as a Waypoint for your subs would provide any useful intel.� Hopefully, CF would see it as a way into the SRA for your subs, nothing more.

I was just posting over on Dan's AAR. How are you dealing with ASW warfare with your LBA?? Are you specifically training up units for ASW?? I think some of those large 18 planes Kingfisher squadrons highly experienced in ASW and possibly naval bombing would be helpful on your new bases to suppress his subs that are sure to show up.�

Honestly, I haven't given LBA ASW much thought. I have a couple Australian units training on it, but that's about it. The Kingfisher units are all still on the West Coast; other priorities I guess. Probably should have thought of that about 2 months ago. It's a long way from LA to Koepang. On the bright side, I am keeping the West Coast pretty much stripped bare of useable forces, and moving them forward.

As far as Sub activity to support Reprisal, I have pulled in alot of my subs just recently, to top off the tanks; I plan to send them out shortly to watch all the passage, particularly a line between Menado and Sorong, where warships from Truk would transit to the area. I plan to put enough there to make a string of subs so that we should have a shot at whatever comes through the strait. I don't expect this to alarm Cuttelfish; first, he doesn't have alot of aircraft patrolling that area, and second, I have consistently had a sub or two in that passage since February.

Combat Report, Sept 15-16, 1942

FORAGER: Cuttlefish via e-mail confirmed that he knows we are moving. Said something like "Surrender now and spare yourself the trouble of marching through the jungle", something like that. He knows I have a large force coming. FORAGER is on!

I will have ground forces on the rail line from Shwebo to Myiktinya in about 8 days. Until then, CF can send reinforcements up the line before I cut it. I am buzzing Myiktinya to see if he does. In the meantime, a bunch of FBs and Bombers hit the Tank Regt. at Katha, damaging several and destroying some. I had ordered a 200-plane attack on Mandalay, where intel reports 72 fighters are based, but weather cancelled it. Tommorow, perhaps. If there are that many fighters, I expect to lose some planes.

I hope this activity will encourage Cuttlefish to move IJA air assets to Burma. That will help clear the skies over REPRISAL, the more important offensive.

SEARCHLIGHT: We shall rendevous off Johnston Is. on the 17th, and sail toward the Marshalls. I posted a sub right off Wotje to make CF suspicious. That is my "fake" target. I plan a shore bombardment of Wotje with 4 Allied Cruisers in about 5 days; they should be able to get away back home. Then, the "Air Combat" TF and transports will very slowly make their way forward.

REPRISAL: Just a little more prep; I am loading up ships with supplies then disbanding them in Perth. They will be picked up and joined to the assault TFs just as we leave, to provide supplies for the first assault day. Otherwise, the troops on Reprisal are just awaiting events.

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RE: Moving to October - 12/31/2009 1:17:02 AM

Capt. Harlock

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quote:

SEARCHLIGHT: Our fake invasion of the Marshalls sailed on the 15th for a rendevous point off Johnston Island. A single infantry battalion is loaded on 25 transports, and I have a cruiser TF and an Air Combait TF centered around Long Island. I am going to ship a unit of Wildcats on Long Island to complete the effect; if CAP is spotted over our ships, he will likely assume there is more than 1 single little CVE.

Whew! I was afraid you'd forgotten about SEARCHLIGHT. Some clever load-outs there; let's hope they do the trick.

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Post #: 444

RE: Moving to October - 12/31/2009 12:42:40 PM

Q-Ball

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock
Whew! I was afraid you'd forgotten about SEARCHLIGHT. Some clever load-outs there; let's hope they do the trick.

We'll see......it will work if screaming Vals and Kates plaster the force. Hopefully the deception works.

Combat Report, Sept 18,19 1942

Some action the last couple days, mostly in the air war over Burma.

FORAGER: My first attack on Mandalay did not go well; the weather over Burma is very poor, so the only planes that flew were unescorted Wellingtons, who were slaughtered. I lost about 20 aircraft on the 18th, to hardly any Japanese losses.

The 19th went alot better, as I managed to get about 120 fighters on Sweep over Mandalay. I lost 30 planes, mostly P-40s and Hurris, for an equal number of Oscars and Zeros, but mostly Zeros, over 2-dozen. I'll take that any day, particularly since I am still facing the IJN First Team, as his Zero pilot losses have been very light this game.

Troops continue to march through the jungle. Forces are seen marching north from Shwebo, though no reinforcements yet to Myiktinya. The RM Viper force is on the rail line north of Shwebo; they will get kicked off, but not before 2 divisions reach the rail line again. I think I have Myiktinya isolated, we'll see.

SEARCHLIGHT: I messed up on the Wildcats for Long Island; the Marine units at Pearl are all equipped with Buffalos, in which they were training. Seeing an F2A over my forces will NOT be very convincing; I upgraded a unit, and need to wait for it to repair to get out to Long Island. This pushes the timetable for this, and Reprisal back about 4 days. The new D-Day for Reprisal is probably the 4th of October.

REPRISAL: Not so good news.........a large convoy delivering the last of the troops to Port Hedland ran over a Japanese Sub off Exmouth. The sub sank a DD, but more importantly, spotted the convoy, including lots of APs. I hope that didn't tip Cuttlefish off that I am up to something; he has also spotted convoys around New Zealand heading West.

I am sending out my sub screen early to see what's up. I have been buzzing Rabaul as well, but not seeing activity there.

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(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 445

RE: Moving to October - 12/31/2009 4:25:08 PM

Capt. Harlock

Posts: 5358
Joined: 9/15/2001
From: Los Angeles
Status: offline

quote:

This pushes the timetable for this, and Reprisal back about 4 days. The new D-Day for Reprisal is probably the 4th of October. REPRISAL: Not so good news.........a large convoy delivering the last of the troops to Port Hedland ran over a Japanese Sub off Exmouth. The sub sank a DD, but more importantly, spotted the convoy, including lots of APs. I hope that didn't tip Cuttlefish off that I am up to something;

Rats and other comments. That's the trouble with coordinated attacks: a delay in one means a delay in the other.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Q-Ball)

Post #: 446

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 12/31/2009 11:05:46 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

Combat Report, Sept 19-20 1942

SEARCHLIGHT: Wildcats in hand, everyone is moving to a rendevous point about 6 hexes west of Johnston Is, just outside Japanese Air Search range. We should reach that tommorow. After that, we will start slowly sailing toward Wotje, with the intent to trip off some alarms. I also intend to start loading up all the forces for REPRISAL tommorow.

REPRISAL: Everyone is in place, and we are ready to go. Ready as we'll ever be, anyway.

Last intel indicates Timor is empty, except 5 units at Koepang, which look small enough to overcome. I have seen some IJN warship movements lately, I wonder if Cuttlefish thinks something is up over there. I may just be paranoid, but SS Trusty picked up a "BB,BB" etc. TF off Palembang, and SS Grayback reported a cruiser TF off Kaveing, on a NW heading, which would be approximately Palau or Home Islands, not Truk, which is more NE. I'm probably seeing shadows.

I sent Catalinas on overflight over Rabaul a couple days, and Cuttlefish promptly emptied the harbor. I probably alerted him that it's not a completely safe anchorage. I have built Coen to a size-4 airbase and run air recon over Port Moresby, Lae, and Rabaul, to drum up some activity over that area.

FORAGER: The Japanese air forces withdrew, and I control the skies over Burma. I have been dropping bombs on Mandalay, as well as that Tank Regt. at katha, which is taking a pounding. I haven't bombed Myiktinya yet. I have attached a screenie of this slowly developing campaign.

If this pattern holds, I will not accomplish the objective of drawing in Japanese airpower, because it looks like Cuttlefish is going to let me have the skies.

Attachment (1)

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(in reply to CapAndGown)

Post #: 447

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 1/1/2010 1:23:54 AM

Capt. Harlock

Posts: 5358
Joined: 9/15/2001
From: Los Angeles
Status: offline

quote:

If this pattern holds, I will not accomplish the objective of drawing in Japanese airpower, because it looks like Cuttlefish is going to let me have the skies.

Interesting, and a bit worrying. IIRC, you don't have anything to match his Zeroes in that theater. Perhaps he's got fish to fry elsewhere--or maybe he got spooked by the losses on the second day of combat, and decided he needs to preserve his pilot pool?

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

(in reply to Q-Ball)

Post #: 448

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 1/1/2010 4:01:55 AM

Alikchi2

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Joined: 5/14/2004
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I'm very much looking forward to the results here.. I like the plan, fingers crossed he gets caught off guard.

What's your CV set-up, TF wise? Are you going to be keeping all 7 in one hex?

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(in reply to Capt. Harlock)

Post #: 449

RE: Logistics in Burma-India - 1/1/2010 3:59:36 PM

Q-Ball

Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002
From: Chicago, Illinois
Status: offline

Capt. Harlock: He withdrew his fighters after my sweep over Mandalay resulted in 22 dead Zeros. I lost 30 planes, but I can pour in P-40s and Hurris all day, and I would be happy to at that loss exchange. He will probably try some hit and runs, but I don't think he will seriously contest the air, because he doesn't want his fighter pilots ground to dust.

This is also why I need to get ashore on Timor; I need to get to a place where he HAS to contest the air, so I can attrite his airforce.

Alikchi: The CV plan is for all 7 to be in one-hex, split into 3 TFs. In fact, I will approach Koepang with everyone in one hex.

I hope he is surprised. I will have a decision to make if he isn't, but I am going to go ahead regardless, because I have alot of Naval assets over there, and at this point a major naval battle wouldn't be a bad thing (particularly a surface action).

Combat Report, Sept 21, 1942

REPRISAL: We are beginning our first loads at Perth. Should be completed in a day or two.

I love the new feature of naming TF's, it's going to help me keep everything straight, as I have 4 landing points. So, I am naming TF's "Waingapu 1st Wave" and "Maumere 2nd Wave", so I know where and when to land them. The 2nd Wave is Base Troops; no sense having them go ashore in landing craft, but I will want them debarking D-Day+1

SERCHLIGHT: Attached is a screenshot of Searchlight; I am trying to make it as "big" as I can to Search. I probably won't run into any search for a couple days.