The Accidental War Obvert vs Lowpe

[Lowpe]

A meat grinder in the air, too.

[Lowpe]

Wither the Houston now? She was involved in two firefights, and amazingly none of my strike planes flew against her...she moved south after fight the Hyuga, avoided the surface bombardment fleets and sank an AKE and PC.[:(]

Kudo's to her.

But now, they are probably running low on ammo, and out of torpedoes...where would you go? Batavai or Singers.

There is a ton of subs in the area...and the Allied fighters seem to have made for upper Sumatra (Medan area).

Would you risk a run into Singers, perhaps using the lovely Dutch subs to drop more sub mines there and risk running past several battleships...or would you head for Batavia and then the open ocean? There is a bunch of Dutch PT boats hanging around Batavia to run interference.

It seems to me that the Allies aren't retreating, but rather are willing to spend their cruisers here.

Clear weather, which is an unbelievable advantage for the Allies, but moonlight is 3%.

[Lord_Calidor]

Where's Yamashiro? [&:]

[Lowpe]

I guess that report doesn't show ships in Repair Ship mode....

[Lowpe]

Shock attack into Tarakan...will recover for most likely three days and take the base.

[Lowpe]

Hmm., is it any wonder I have moved all of the AA on Honshu to the eastern half weeks ago...plus some other surprises.

[adarbrauner]

What have you put and set there as Naval Recon/search, please?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: adarbrauner

What have you put and set there as Naval Recon/search, please?

The Sasebo and Yokosuka Mavis Sentais, set no arc set, 50% search, range 20.

Detected at 18 hexes...my guess is this is a pretty substantial task force.[X(]

[Andav]

Do you think it is a CV TF for SCTF?? Which CVs are unaccounted for after the battles around the DEI? Detection will be hard to maintain at that range.


Wa

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Andav


Do you think it is a CV TF for SCTF?? Which CVs are unaccounted for after the battles around the DEI? Detection will be hard to maintain at that range.


Wa

I have come to the conclusion it is always wise to assume the absolute worst when it comes to long range naval search detection![;)]

Yep, I think it is 2-3 Fleet Carriers (Yorktown, Hornet, Wasp)-- heck I wouldn't put it past him to have figured out how to get Ranger here too[:D] -- and his goal was to either nail the Shokaku and Zuikaku which was operating in the Aleutians, or simply to swing up the Kuriles bagging what he can - the Tone is in these waters too.

Of course I may have spotted his support fleet with fuel, etc, which means he is even closer![X(]

He definitely has carrier superiority, and really only Bihoro is a size 4 runway so as long as he steers clear of that he will be ok.

All of the AA in the Home Islands are on the eastern half of Honshu, many locations with 4 decent AA units. The beaches are held in division strength except for Ominato. There are also plenty of Nates and Claudes flying around with actually decently trained pilots (60's).

Plus TF Crane (Shokaku and Zuikaku - 140 planes) is behind Ominato.[;)]


Paramushiro is size 1 with 47 aviation support currently and working on going to two.

[Lowpe]

He is 19 hexes from the coast of Honshu...so a targeted strategic strike cannot be ruled out. I forget what the range is you need to be to actually be able to target a strike...but one flank speed run will do it.

[adarbrauner]

Do you fear for a raiding landing??

Also, if it was Kurilis bounded, it shuold have come from a more northern course/direction. Still, they are observed moving with North-east course (odd). Sounds like a form of deception, or bait. But for what?
alternatively, mistake by Obvert's side in letting showing that fleet.

But jees how aggressive is that guy.[X(]

Lowpe: "All of the AA in the Home Islands are on the western half of Honshu". Meaning where? And why not in Hokkaido too?

[adarbrauner]

Would you ever consider a PB's picket line?

[Encircled]

I don't think you can appreciate just how weak Japan is in the north till you have actually played them.

Until I did I always assumed that a raid to the North would be suicide, but if you are going all in the SE and SW, there are huge holes that an Allied CV fleet can really exploit.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: adarbrauner

Do you fear for a raiding landing??

Darn right I do!

Also, if it was Kurilis bounded, it shuold have come from a more northern course/direction. Still, they are observed moving with North-east course (odd). Sounds like a form of deception, or bait. But for what?
alternatively, mistake by Obvert's side in letting showing that fleet.

I wouldn't rule out bait to draw out the Shokaku or simply a CAP trap, or a surface bombardment of Sendai either.

But jees how aggressive is that guy.[X(]

I think he is willing to lose all of his starting ships and planes

Lowpe: "All of the AA in the Home Islands are on the western half of Honshu". Meaning where? And why not in Hokkaido too?

Only 1 AA unit now it Hokkaido, as it costs PP to move them there. Sapporo is the key base to protect. Every base from Tokyo/Yoko and east -- I am sorry I mis-typed.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: adarbrauner

Would you ever consider a PB's picket line?

I had two PB's out earlier, and a sub or two...but then I found other uses for them and relied upon search from Paramushiro/Marcus/Bonins/Sendai.

In the opening bit...I had quite a bit of force looking for the Brooklyns to come calling in the shipping lanes between Honshu and PI or Truk.

I am frugal with my fuel and don't really like having picket ships out and about.

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

I don't think you can appreciate just how weak Japan is in the north till you have actually played them.

Until I did I always assumed that a raid to the North would be suicide, but if you are going all in the SE and SW, there are huge holes that an Allied CV fleet can really exploit.

Don't let that get around![:'(]

Actually, I am fairly strong here and if he does come calling he will most likely get stung pretty badly. However, he could head due west and look to intercept shipping between Honshu and Truk or even just steam around the northern Kuriles and Aleutians looking for shipping.

It may be that he planned a smash and grab, and once detected will change plans.

Like I said before you have to plan for the worst.[;)]

[adarbrauner]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

I don't think you can appreciate just how weak Japan is in the north till you have actually played them.

Until I did I always assumed that a raid to the North would be suicide, but if you are going all in the SE and SW, there are huge holes that an Allied CV fleet can really exploit.

Yes but Lowpe said he had the Shokaku and Zuikaku around the Aleutitians for a time, so what the allies already badly depleted are inserting there nose and fiddling around there? [X(][X(]

[Encircled]

He might not know they are still there to be fair.

There are always gaps, and its worth a raid to try to find them.

[Aurorus]

ORIGINAL: Encircled

I don't think you can appreciate just how weak Japan is in the north till you have actually played them.

Until I did I always assumed that a raid to the North would be suicide, but if you are going all in the SE and SW, there are huge holes that an Allied CV fleet can really exploit.

The weakness in the north can be fixed very quickly by an adroit Japanese player and a northern raid could become a real disaster for the allies if the Japanese set their mind to preparing from day 1. The biggest problem in the north for Japan is the slow rate at which airfields can be developed in winter, but there is already a good airfield at Bihoro.

Also, beware the north in DBB as the allies. I am discovering that the extra Japanese planes in the in-start pool in DBB make the north a very treacherous place indeed for the allies.