Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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9/14/43 This game is veering into the Twilight Zone. Japanese assets are popping up all over the place...and others keep going right into the teeth of storms when by all reason they should have turned around to flee home. John is inhaling something legal in Colorado but not in Georgia. I don't know exactly what he's up to and what will happen next. It sure is fun. Thin Man: KB continues on its southeasterly course another nine hexes - fast enough to pose a threat but slow enough to permit many Allied TFs to reach port already. But a surface combat TF showing as 10 DDs suddenly pops up two hexes SE of Johnston Island. I don't know if it was detached from KB or if it is a separate TF. It is close enough to go hunting slow xAKs if John chooses...and perhaps to find more valuable ship if John has a bit of luck. The most worrisome thing is that one TF (I'll be posting a map) well to the SE of these "DDs" reports being sighted by Judys. But this TF is nine hexes from the DDs and 18 from Steroid KB. Judys don't have that kind of range, do they? So where are they coming from? Is there another carrier TF out here somewhere? Most of my exposed TFs are fleeing at flank speed to Pearl, but a few are going east, hoping to cross up John a bit. Pearl is protected by mines, shore guns, a handful of DDs, and a mishmash of strike aircraft that isn't likely to do a lot. I don't think John will hit Pearl, but it's going to be a nail-biter for a few turns. Meanwhile, Death Star continues to replenish sorties in the Marshalls. All TFs have already topped off fuel. If KB expends sorties or loses a fair number of aircraft, Death Star will be ready for battle. Circus: Meanwhile, a combat TF comprised of Maya and some CLs moved east close to Umnak Island. I don't know if this was purposeful or accidental. But the TF ended up close to Umnak's big airfield and had no LRCAP. Several dozen B25s with decent NavB pilots sortied...but managed only a single hit on Maya with a 500 pounder. Most of the decent Allied strike aircraft are back at Adak, which is too distant for strikes (those aircraft are set to range three to avoid blundering into CAP traps near Amchitka). Tomorrow, Arleigh Burkey will lead three Fletchers in the hunt for Maya and friends, and three PT TFs will move north of Adak, hoping to slow Maya and Friends enough for strike aircraft to get a shot. Kind of maddening! Oh, and Maya and friends sank 14 barges loaded with supply heading for Adak. Recall a few post back that I mentioned thinking I had spotted some kind of IJ TF south of Kodiak? Well, today a YMS encountered a solo Japanese xAK south of the Aleutians. This has to be a probe. Perhaps John was (is?) feeling for week points for a possible carrier or combat ship raid. So John is active here, there and everywhere. He got away with something with Maya so exposed. And he may get into some of my merchantmen in Pearl (and possibly in the Gulf of Alaska). But I think he's playing with fire. He may come out looking good or it might burn him eventually. As for the Allies, the main preparation is to have Death Star ship-shape and ready for action if an opportunity arises. And, when Steroid KB finally pulls back to refuel, there are some plans to move boldly in her wake. Finally, John sent this cryptic email message with the turn: "Shaking fist at the sky!" I don't know what he's referring to. It can't be Maya's crazy exposure, because she led a charmed life. Perhaps he's referring to that combat TF near Johnston Island, knowing he's so close to Allied merchants. Or maybe there's something else I don't know about.
< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 5/14/2016 2:57:32 AM >
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