How to kill the Death Star

[KPAX]

Early 1944, my opponent has collected all his CVs, etc into a massive fleet, which he has done all game. He has several CVTF on follow.

At this point he can throw out 210+ escorts, 225+ Jills and 300+ Judys. Not sure how many on CAP. I have like 5 Essexs and 4 CVLs. I sank 2 CV and 1 CVE previously.

What can I do?

[Oberst_Klink]

U-boats, U-boats and again U-boats. Sooner or later a few fish will hit one of the big ones. I doubt that the IJN can co-ordinate a massive strike with 200+ a/c at the same time. Depending where his CVs are; use hit & run PT-boat raids.

Klink, Oberst

[KPAX]

He stays about 7 hexes away from the base. No range for PTs. With taht far off and his expert movement around, I never know where he might be.

Last turn, two strikes on a base ...... 182 Escorts, 145 Jills and 165 Judys ...... Second strike (two day turn, same day, the next action after the first strike from the same hex, at least 2+ TF there, or the replay indicates that) 27 escrots, 80 Jills and 135 Judys.

He can and does almost all the time have 200+ (in fact normailly 300-400+ ac stirkes) aircraft strikes.

[Oldguard1970]

I concur that your subs could menace his death star. The menace won't be decisive.

However, he is also creating an opportunity for you to strike with your carriers. If he is sending out strikes on bases, then you could slip in, launch a strike, and not be at such a large risk of a full-sized immediate counter strike.

Of course, the other thing to do is wait a bit more for additional carriers and then slog it out. While you are waiting, do what you can to whittle away at his pilot and aircraft pools. (I generally like it if the IJN takes losses hitting bases.)

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: KPAX

He stays about 7 hexes away from the base. No range for PTs. With taht far off and his expert movement around, I never know where he might be.

Last turn, two strikes on a base ...... 182 Escorts, 145 Jills and 165 Judys ...... Second strike (two day turn, same day, the next action after the first strike from the same hex, at least 2+ TF there, or the replay indicates that) 27 escrots, 80 Jills and 135 Judys.

He can and does almost all the time have 200+ (in fact normailly 300-400+ ac stirkes) aircraft strikes.

I always start with "So what?" Why is he doing this? What is he accomplishing? Anything that matters?

If the answer is "just blowing stuff up" you should go where his carriers aren't and do something that will help win the war. Strategy isn't about blowing stuff up.

[MAurelius]

what the Moose said - and if he stays within 7 hexes of a land base/land bases.... it's 44????? - jeez - throw 500 fighters against him... and attack him with as many bombers you can.... some are bound to go through CAP - I especially recommend B-25D1s at 100 feet (maybe his CAP won't have time to engage)... (trained for strafing and LowN) - oh - and if you have no HRs against it - use Navy-Liberators and Army ones (as I said - if no HR) on NavB to kill his CAP too...

if he is still that offensive in 44 - you can easiyl destroy him - just concentrate - be patient - and then launch an alpha strike - while your own CVs are somewhere else supporting an invasion where his KB is not...

[jeffk3510]

ORIGINAL: KPAX

Early 1944, my opponent has collected all his CVs, etc into a massive fleet, which he has done all game. He has several CVTF on follow.

At this point he can throw out 210+ escorts, 225+ Jills and 300+ Judys. Not sure how many on CAP. I have like 5 Essexs and 4 CVLs. I sank 2 CV and 1 CVE previously.

What can I do?

Go elsewhere..if he has all of this in one location, something has to be wide open elsewhere..

[crsutton]

Yep, what Moose says. You start moving your carriers to other places and attack him where his death star is not. Hit his oil in the DEI with your carriers. You are the Allies and it is mid 44. If you have not taken the initiative then it is time you should. That way if you are forcing him to react to your moves you can position your forces to attrit him.

Be patient, you soon enough will have the carrier force to meet him one to one. Until then, hit him where he ain't.

[Oberst_Klink]

OK, if not with the 'Wolfpack' tactic I suggested; perhaps what the other commentators suggested, in the words of von Clausewitz and the 'Centre of Gravity', or 'Schwerpunkt' as the Germans call it:

War planners need a practical method for
determining what a specific adversary’s CoG is. Such as:

Step 1: Determine whether identifying and attacking a
CoG is appropriate for the type of war we are going to wage.
Step 2: Determine whether the adversary’s whole
structure or system is sufficiently connected to be treated as a
single body .
Step 3: Determine what element has the necessary
centripetal force to hold the system together.
Additional Recommendations:
• Redefine CoG as follows: Centers of Gravity are focal
pointsthat serve to hold a combatant’s entire system or
structure together and that draw power from a variety of
sources and provide it with purpose and direction.
vii
• Refrain from applying the concept to every kind of war;
reduce the competition that can occur between CoGs and
political-military objectives.
• Identify where the connections—and gaps—are in an
enemy’s entire structure or system before deciding whether
a CoG actually exists; CoGs only apply where a combatant is
sufficiently interconnected to act with unity.
• Focus more effort on identifying the specific effect(s)to
be achieved by attacking a CoG.
• Continually reassess CoGs. However, reevaluate the
need to attack CoGs that are extremely transitory.
• Resist “salami-slicing” the adversary into tactical,
operational, and strategic CoGs. The bulk of our efforts and
intermediate objectives should focus on destroying the CoG.


Klink, Oberst

[rev rico]

It is my Death Star in question! [:-]
Yes, all the counsel given would work in normal situations, but in this case there isn't much he can do. He took Effate in a daring invasion, but my LBA & DS chased away his fleet before he could get any other bases. Therefore, Effate is out there all by itself. I own all the other bases around it and New Calendonia. I may never retake it from the 4th Marine Div but I will keep it suppressed with LBA; the DS is not needed ... unless his CVs show up again.

The opposite happened in my last game. My Allied opponent had his own DS prowling about bombing bases. I used sub attacks to get in lucky torp hits. I used well placed huge CAP over bases with TFs to attrition his fighters when he raided. Then, I sent in lots of LBA. Last but not least KB arrived to blow up the DS.

Bob

[JeffroK]

So tell us where you are weak and we can suggest he attack there! [:D]

[MrBlizzard]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

So tell us where you are weak and we can suggest he attack there! [:D]

[:D][:D]
It seems there is a little conflict of interests here
[;)]

[rev rico]

I am sure my opponent will discover that soon enough. [;)]

His patience has been admirable. After I sunk all of his CVs in 1942 he just ran and hid for 1943. I'm sure he will return with a vengeance.