Herb VS Tabpub

Post descriptions of your brilliant successes and unfortunate demises.

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1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

RE: Operation backdoor

Post by 1275psi »

21/9/43
tabpub tells me he thinks Im up to an operation to land north of rangoon, or something like that.

he hits rahaeng again, 56 mitchells
Milne bay gets 180 heavies today
2 aks lost to ss -about average! -they sure are getting scarce!
lautern hit, eniwetok also hit
North of canton his forces double in size -4322 AV to my 2400 odd

but the best news of the day -allies shock attack at rahaeng again as his troops cross the river, my reinforcements are streaming in.........
0 to 1 -1235 av to 1540
adjusted - 400 to 38 against 1524 to 3698, and another 3000 casos.

the good news is -this was it for his immediate reserves!!
If I can get just 1 more division up here before he can get troops from rangoon -Im going to win here -I can feel it!

In china its enemy units all along the front -can i hold, can i take changsa?
This could go very badly very quickly!
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

RE: Operation backdoor

Post by herbieh »

22/9/43
very nervous at the moment as things continue to develop in the indian theatre
biggest worry is his british Cvs turning up -with corsairs on 90% CAP

Action today
My only warship currently in the solomons is sunk -a APD by a ss near good enough island
My AOs are spotted near Sabang -more things for Tabpub to think about

Not one of my bombers fly today - his continue -at Milne bay, and several places in china, and Lautern -surely the next target on his list.

bombardment battles alll along the chinese front - and at rahaeng -where I am gaining strength daily

he deliberates north of canton -0 to 1, but Im badly strained here.
tabpub on the march!!!

The fronts:
Home islands - oil falls to less than 350000

China
He marches on Chenting
he occupies the Homan intersection, attacking south down the road towards Hysing?
Wuhan is a battle zone
Changsa, a huge battle about to develop
he threatens canton
The entire china front is ablaze

Vietnam
I begin going up the road from Hue -3 divisions on the march

Burma
more troops marching to here -in 2 days or so we attack
The fleet approaches Adaman island!

DEI
is quiet -though I think merauke will soon be taken, so that he can come up the timor straight, and then tackle timor

Solomons
Here comes the Milne bay invasion -well and truly spotted

Gilberts
Are all but gone

Siapan
Now declared an active front, ie, what spare supplies i have now go there -which aint many!

Phillipines
Beavering away now!
Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

dangerous turns!

Post by herbieh »

23/9/43
I enter the most dangerous turns I have had for 6 months

AM
KB is thourghly spotted by liberators, buried under clouds in the AM phase
rahaeng is hit very hard today by hurricanes and other fighter bombers
Lunga is bombed
and 9 jill attack shipping there- met by corsairs, usual results

PM
Kai island bombed
Entiwok hit
150 plus heavies hit milne bay, as the invasion fleet approaches
13 liberators attack KB! - all are shot down!
5 jake attack a DD near Lunga-but miss
8 jill attack near lunga -more corsairs( why did'nt they attack the DD?[8|])
In Ominato my last APD is sunk by a ss

Home islands
getting very desperate now

China
9 enemy units marching on chenting
kaifeng -masses of enemy at the homan intersection
Hsinyang comes under attack! -and looks grim, grim, grim
Wuhan -enemy units enter the city
Changsa -I order a bombardment -to see what I can see, if this attack fails, and I think now it was a mistake -I might lose China here and now -
they could easily get surrounded

Vietnam
I march north from Hue

Burma
very close to being ready at Rahaeng
Tanaka is ordered to attack Adaman island PTs -clear the way for the BBs following
KB1 is north now of Adaman, un spotted, KB 2 covers the battlefleet and the "invasion " fleet

Everywhere else is quiet, and I continue to try to pull out units from the solomons, this is about finished as his Milne bay invasion comes closer.
Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by herbieh »

24/9/43
A ss attacks the carriers -is hit hard for its trouble
tanaka goes in -encountering the usual tabpub PT swarms -not that bad today though.5CA, 2cl, 9 dd sink 5 pts for no loss, he retires in good order

AM
I recon tricomalee- very little CAP
Tabpub is moving air to china!!! -yes -tavoy and rahaeng are hardly getting hit!
canton battle troops are hit by masses of mitchells and liberators
His CVs strike Milne bay -big strikes!

PM
4 libs attaempt to locate my invasion fleet
He pounds lautern, milne bay, entiwok

China
av values for the battles
canton -me 2700, him 4000
Hsinyang -me 1263 to 313 -i threw him out today -but that single chinese corps has lots of friends coming down the road
Wuhan -he drives me into the city -me 46 to his 980[:(]


Vietnam
marching

Burma
I look at the race to reinforce rahaeng -and I think i can win, tomorrow 2 extra divisions arrive

KB1, 2, will shortly merge near adaman island, and with the invasion fleet will advance towards tricomalee
I send the bbs to hit adaman
naval and army air is very busy providing LRCAP and CAP, operating from Vic point, tavoy and songhila?

In the solomons the troops man the coastal guns at milne bay, they are alone Im afraid.
Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by herbieh »

25/9/43
Tabpub is asking me what in the world am I up to- what is the strategic reason for this "raid"
The reason is simple -to force him to pause in Burma -to distract his air -and so far so good.
Singapore by 44 -no way buddy!!

one more day of this raid and we might turn south, see what happens

DD yagumo hits a mine, BB ise hits a mine at Adaman island,
Ise need a lot of work -the DD is doomed

BB Kongo and Kirishima , 7CA, 9 DDs vs a fleet of pts again
4 seperate battles -vs 3 each time -sunk 6, for 1DD torped
The naval bombardment is good, 1796 casos, closes the field.

The other naval bombardment ordered for today is a fiasco, 1cl and 5dd
race into tricomalee-and the naval guns sink 2 ddouch -that was plain dumb!

Then another naval bombardment of adaman -yamato, Mushia, nagato, Hyugo, yamarishio,fuso -another good heavy pounding
Nice to see yamato and mushia doing something!

AM
the milne bay invasion begins
2 ap hit mines.
Huge air raid on Wuhan -121 mitchells

PM
usual bombing, his CVs smash goodenough island
The troops going ashore encounter goor resistance -1ap mines, 6LCT badly damaged by guns, 3msw, 2 dd, a CA hit as well
Only 2 divs landing though, tabpub never brings massive force -I must admire his patience and the way he conserves his troops

Mostly......................

No bypassing tactic by tabpub -Wotje is invaded -and the 1st USMC raider battalion is WIPED OUT!
BANZIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The terrible event of the day happens at changsa -I try for a deliberate attack -and suffer a terrible defeat.
I must get out, and try, try to rcover the front!
Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by herbieh »

26/9/43

tabpub asks -am I headed to ceylon?
at least he is not attacking me at the moment

Invasion of milne bay continues, carriers support it heavily

AM
I bomb rahaeng -my airforce is back into action, 62 sallies attack, the 1 thuderbolt on LRCAP takes out 3 escorting oscars

Fighting continues all along the china front, and I am almost ready at rahaeng.
KB will loiter 1 more day
My surface forces head from sabang towards vic point -the cves to cover, the heavy fighter presence I have to lrcap it.
Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by herbieh »

27/9/43
His invasion of GG continues

AM
i bomb changsa, he bombs seemingly everywhere

Zuikaka is spotted deep in the bay of bengal -this is good
lautern is hit hard -here I think comes the next invasion.
Wotje is pounded, I think the base force will have little time to celebrate the victory there.
At rahaeng AV is 2976 to 937, a little more and surely i can win here!
Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by herbieh »

28/9/43
Busy day today
Milne bay -invasion continues
Wuhan he bombards, and pounds from the air -107 mitchells
Merauke hit hard
17 oscar, 58 sallies attack rahaeng -8 thunderbolt, 2 spits on LRCAP
shoot down 9 oscars

then in the PM
28 liberators, 7 boomerang attack the CAs at vic point
32 oscar, 115 zeke, 50 zeros,63 tojo take out 7 boomerang, 18 liberators, for 2 fighters lost.

9, then 15 betties attack milne bay -his CVs all under clouds, CL hobart is torped, and a AK is sunk

China is terrible, I lose the hex north of Hsinyang -now the troops at the homan intersection will strean south to there[:(]

His 1st attack at milne bay -7 to 1, forts to 8

Home islands
Got a huge convoy in today -we eat this week!
China
Troops still stuck at changsa!
vietnam
we keep going north -should have some air support tomorrow from taan
Burma
I order the attack at rahaeng!
The fleet under massive LRCAP creeps fwd 1 hex north of vic point -striking range of rangoon -packed with shipping too -but so many PTs -i see nearly 20 there just from recon alone
The fleet is ordered to retire -KB in the indian ocean is headed to the DEI.

If rahaeng is a success tomorrow, and I hope so, i have 3 to 1 AV here now, some of these troops can go to the hanoi front.
Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by herbieh »

29/9/43
tabpub says my strategy must be to cover a convoy into vic point, almost right

Milne bay continues
Mines in ominato!
Junyo dodges a ss -hits a mine! -but no damage!
catalinas and beaforts try a night strike on the Junyo and Hiyo -miss -scary but!!!
AM
here goes -his death star has left Milne bay -and steams north into the solomon sea -and I see a lot of ships leaving rangoon

18 tony, 21 lilly from Taan -3 p40, trrop support south west of hanoi, I lose 2 and 2

mearuke hit
56 mitchell hit wuhan
15 sally, 15 helen attack Rahaeng
7 beafort meet 20 zeke near adaman island -4 s/d
My CVs strike -15 fighters, 45 kate,14 val, 14 judy -7 ak near rangoon are sunk.

some betties from rabual miss targets at milne bay

PM
BB North Carolina -repotred hit by a betty on naval search
wuhan hit by his bombers again

His Cvs strike gassmatta -look at this, 220 planes hit one AK!

And then probably the biggest disapointment of the day -the deliberate attack at rahaeng is stopped cold -4 chines corp, 3 indian div -all I thought busted from the shock attacks easily stop 4 divs, 3 brigades, plus extras -av 3448 to 962, adjusted -1623 to 2287

Not enough supplies

This finishes me for all offensive operations for the war -lesson, offensives need supplies.
I aint got enough.
We now delay, delay, and delay

I order the divs to stay at rahaeng, all other troops will retire to try to recover
I look at rangoon PT forces, and cancel the attack planned, most naval forces retire!

The burma / India op is finished.
All naval air, and a lot of army air is told to redeploy -some to the inner circle line, some to the dei -where I feel the next battle is due.
Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by herbieh »

30/9/43
as a farewell gift, tanaka hits adaman island again, lost another dd for 2 pts.

His Cvs approach rabual -and pound it!
a handfuyl of planes lost

some air battles burma, china, vietnam

I get troops out of changsa -and lose hsiyang
I retreat towards canton again
Wuhan holding just!

Milne bay to forts 6

depressed!!!

Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
herbieh
Posts: 804
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 5:54 am
Location: Sydney Australia

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by herbieh »

1/10/43
death star off shortlands, it is closed -well almost, I gamble that his death star will continue south, and move all the fighters I have in the solomons into here to CAP the place, I need to hide the naval units returning to the solomons - time to start up a new Tokyo express!

the attack north up from Hue also is a failure -defeated here as well -again lack of supplies, they retreat back to hue
Milne bay to forts 5

China front stabalising -I hope -as i am retreating in several places, and he cannot take several others.

the new priority is the DEI -the fleet now has another very long journey to make.
I fear it will be worn out before the battles of siapan, but what can i do -I must protect my oil -i have no, repeat no reserves of anything -just 100000 HI points have been saved.
Big seas, Fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by 1275psi »

2/10/43
had a lot less access to the forums lately, hard to keep up!
27 irvings attack rangoon during the night -trying to get their experience up
The solomons are clouded in today -good!
I have another Dd hit a mine in the mallacca straight -ouch, cannot aford these losses
he bombs wuhan-40 mitchells
he bombs Merauke -60 mitchells
60 mitchells attack shortlands -14 p 38 escort, 21 tojo, 19 tony intercept
6 defenders lost, 9 mitchells s/d.
But the BBs are not spotted or attacked.
Tabpub later tells me, the sudden new resistance surprised him.

30 oscars escort 3 betty from gassmatta to milne bay, 33 wildcats shoot down 16 oscars -the 3 betty get through -and miss a CVE

rahaeng is bombed again

The fronts
Home: almost as short as the penguin when it comes to tankers -oil is a real struggle, even with all ship building turned off

China
We continue to slog it out -i lose the road south of changsa, and its touch and go all along the front.

Vietnam
Im retiring to hue, and re organising my air

Burma
More re organising, and trying to form a reserve at bangkok

DEI
The fleet sails down the west coast of Indonesia

Solomons
Forts to 0 at milne bay, its doom and glom now.

Worrying times

And all the talk on PT boats.......
Tabpub as soon as he takes a base, stocks it with about 5-8 groups of pts
in 4 boat fleets. NO way can i really attack that with out knowing I will lose 2-3 DDs.
So no attacks, makes for a boring game though.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

RE: dangerous turns!

Post by 1275psi »

3/10/43
18 ventura night strike shortlands -like my irvings, they miss too.

time to re assert my prescence in the solomons -just to keep him honest

AM
26 P38 sweep shortlands -7 Tony run away

PM
lautern hit again,
Rossell is swiped by the death star- not sure why.
all along china front he bombs as well

Milne bay falls[:(]
Last troops destroyed Lunga[:(][:(][:(]

Only things of note today -my BB attack group succeeded in getting to position un detected, a lot of barges will head south to confuse the issue in the slot.
Pts await -2 BB, 3 dd will attack lunga -I KNOW I will lose at least 1 DD to this attack.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

Attack

Post by 1275psi »

4/10/43
BB Hiei , haranua, 3 dd sweep into lunga -on naval attack

vs 4pt --1pt sunk
vs 2pg, 1pc, 7ak
2AK, the escorts are sunk for no damage
vs 4pt -1 pt sunk
vs 4pt -1pt sunk, and I lose a DD to the INEVITABLE torp hit.

daylight sees this DD finished off by LBA, and some barges as hoped take the heat -the BBs get away .

Usual bombing -Ponape is added to the list

Orders, every fighter I have left in the solomons is sent to shortlands to cover the 2 Bbs as they refuel -I find 2 spare DDs at palua on escort duty -send them to truk to restock the BBs shield
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

RE: Attack

Post by 1275psi »

5/10/43
Homan hit by 50 thunderbolts
Merauke hit
rahaeng hit
Lautern hit
Wotje hit
Normal days bombing

HI
Any one got a spare tanker or two?

China
20 enemy units enter Canton!

Vietnam
a NG unit is smashed on the road to Hue -a rear guard delaying unit -but man o man, tal about getting squashed!

Burma
Its dig in, and hold what we got -and hope he does something silly
training my fighters in singapore again -100 tojos are at about 60 exp there -if i can get them up to the......OH bullocks -they will meet some corsairs and be slaughtered at any rate[8|]


DEI
trying to get ready here -also training, and KB and the fleet is coming south nicely

Solomons
The BBs ordered to Truk -risk the SS
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

RE: Attack

Post by 1275psi »

6/10/43
Left the BBs on range 6 react -and tabpub sends in 3 DDs to attack barges at Munda

poor effort -the BBs only get 2 times 6" hits on 2 DDs, and they get away.
Exposes the bbs again though

61 P 38 sweep shortlands -15 tojo, 15 tony, 16 oscar
7 s/d 11s/d, 6 s/d, 6s/d
have to withdraw the shattered units

3 kate out of woodlark island dodge 5 p40 and hit a AK outside of Milne bay
5 betty try -2 lost for no hits

At Canton his AV is 4360 to 2935 -I might hold

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

RE: Attack

Post by 1275psi »

7/10/43
I lose a tanker today to SS, escorts do not help.

AM
he sweeps Shortlands again -but I have nothing up.
Port moresby is hit from thursday island, milne bay and australia -obvious next target

PM
lautern is bombed -also the next target????
This is the designated line in the sand............but I need more troops.
In 30 days or so more arrive in the DEI -they would really help.
Navy is in position now, so is my air force -for what it is worth.

Ponape is bombed -a new central thrust?

he attacks rabual -1st raid of the war
23 P38, 39 mitchells -vs 12 tony, 12 tojo
1 s/d 2 s/d 3 lost, 3 lost, little damage

Fighting at rahaeng -1079av to 1751
fighting at Hsinyang -2640 to 1211
canton, 5034 to 2939
I hope to hold behind the forts -supplies are the key, burma is good, China I am in distress already.
Funny, going to lose war in asia here, not witp.

Orders
Recon shows lots of LCVP at darwin -confirming lautern next.
Intend to smash this invasion fleet using my battle line, sacrificing it in this battle -will not have fuel for another , so here goes!!
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

RE: Attack

Post by 1275psi »

8/10/43

Crud, another tanker
another attack on rabual, a real de ja vue day -almost identical to yesterday.
Lunga appears full of LCVP -another invasion must soon be due.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

RE: Attack

Post by 1275psi »

9/10/43
tabpub again tells me he is re organising!

Bombs hit Port moresby from bases all about.
he recons kendari -again
59 p38 sweep rabual -9 tony, 6 tojo
6s/d 2 lost 6 lost
gassmatta attacked

he deliberates at tassafronga -and fails0 to 1

Little to report really, in 3 days the fleet will be in its new positions, Im trying to recover the shattered air groups in the solomons, elsewhere just digging holes
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
Posts: 7983
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

RE: Attack

Post by 1275psi »

10/10/43
still fighting all along the china front -but I feel that so far it will all hold
Bombing, bombing, bombing

I try to move some troops north from wuhan -forgot the river, they shock attack as they cross -ouch!
Little else to say
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
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