Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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12/09/43 Big Tent: The thing I most worried about didn't happen; the thing I had a good hunch about turned out not as good as I had "hunched." Your instincts were closer to the target than were mine. 2nd Marine Division landed at Dabo in a single phase (lots of APA and AK, because those ships, now empty, will be used to haul reinforcements from Oz). The pre-landing BB bombardment didn't have a marked effect. Disablements were high (about 45%, I think). Fatigue and disruption are minimal. The division has about 210 AV and will shock attack tomorrow, as will 16th Canadian Brigade (it was already ashore) with 70 AV. The defense has less than 50 AV and few if any forts, so the attack should succeed. With the Marines pretty disabled, I'm going to opt out of the plan of awaiting the fall of Dobo, splitting the unit, and then invading nearby vacant bases. Instead, Death Star and plentiful transports are moving immediately to Normanton, Oz, to pick up reinforcing troops (including a good infantry unit with high prep for Saumlaki). The heart of the Big Tent AOO wasn't molested today. Base building continues to go well. John is focused on NE Oz in a big way. Massed Helens and Bettys from New Guinea hammered Portland Roads airfield, destroying 18 Banshees and a handful of reconnaissance aircraft. I'm giving him some open targets for a few more days while I concentrate on beefing up Townsville's CAP. John's patrols are working Townsville pretty hard. He knows what's there (three CVE, two BBs, a few cruisers). I now have about 225 fighters at the base (include carrier compliments). Seventy more will arrive day after tomorrow. Once I feel like the ships are secure from a KB raid, I'll work on contesting his sudden air raids. The air raids themselves aren't a real threat to Allied security. What I think would be a clever plan is if John is trying to draw my CAP north out of Townsville so that he can hit the capital ships there. And I do want him to strike! I'm offering him some legit bait - I know he has to be salivating over a chance to whittle down my carrier numbers a bit, to make the carrier disparity a bit lower. I would willingly sacrifice the carriers if, in return, he lost 150+ carrier aircraft, neutering KB for awhile and leaving it out of position. I don't think he'll take the bait, but let's see. While all this is going on, a mighty fleet, army and supply depot is in the early stages of gathering at Pearl Harbor. This concentration isn't moving forward until Death Star returns, but planning is underway.
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< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 10/25/2016 6:33:11 PM >
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