Back for the First Time – Allied AAR vs. AI - War in the Pacific: Admirals Edition

[Schlussel]

jmalter/Yaab, thank you both for the thoughts on the Samoas. My inexperienced eyes didn't see their potential. I've got a small base force in Pago-Pago, but I think I'll divert some additional resources as they become available. base expasion is going slooooooooow.

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

BTW, you might get some ideas from my old Tutorial AAR, it's quite outdated, being from 2010, but might give some insight:

tm.asp?m=2564541

Thanks Sardaukar! Just looked over this, very informative. I have already adjusted my fighter CAP altitudes....among other things [:)]

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Zero fighters with drop tanks have an operational range of 14 hexes. At that range, LRCAP missions would be momentary as the plane has no fuel to loiter, so about 12 hexes is as far as I would estimate LRCAP from Zeros. I am not sure if the game imposes a max range on LRCAP.

The Zeroes hung around awhile (long enough to rip my bombers to shreds), maybe they were coming off a carrier then. Haven't had any CV sightings yet, but my PBY coverage is spotty in that area NW of New Britain.

Finschafen is pretty close to Rabaul - I doubt the Zeros came from a carrier. Check your subs in the area for high D/L - that is often the first sign of a carrier in the area.

Yeah, I don't have any subs North of New Britain...closest one is patrolling the Rabaul gap. This will be rectified soon though.

[jmalter]

hi Mr. Key, I've been reading your AARs from the start, & while I started to write some replies, they were all were binned 'cos I'm trying to adhere to a rule, "Do not post after the 2nd glass of wine!"

I'm breaking that rule here, being +4, but here goes:

Your weekly AARs are well-organized & v. readable. But they're all about the tactical, w/ v. little strategic-level info. I fear that you are paying too much attention to fighting, & not nearly enough on logistics & future plans. You've got a fight going on near Baker/Canton, but they're too close to IJ airpower from the Gilberts, & I doubt you have enough fighter CAP to support those bases.

What your AARs lack is info about supply/fuel convoys, PP use, pilot training, base-building, or planning for future ops.
Sure, CV Enterprise got tagged near Sydney, are her airgroups off-loaded to nearby land bases w/ adequate air-support, are they Training?

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: jmalter

hi Mr. Key, I've been reading your AARs from the start, & while I started to write some replies, they were all were binned 'cos I'm trying to adhere to a rule, "Do not post after the 2nd glass of wine!"

I'm breaking that rule here, being +4, but here goes:

Your weekly AARs are well-organized & v. readable. But they're all about the tactical, w/ v. little strategic-level info. I fear that you are paying too much attention to fighting, & not nearly enough on logistics & future plans. You've got a fight going on near Baker/Canton, but they're too close to IJ airpower from the Gilberts, & I doubt you have enough fighter CAP to support those bases.

What your AARs lack is info about supply/fuel convoys, PP use, pilot training, base-building, or planning for future ops.
Sure, CV Enterprise got tagged near Sydney, are her airgroups off-loaded to nearby land bases w/ adequate air-support, are they Training?

Thanks for following and commenting jmalter!

Yeah, except for my initial posts, it looks like I didn't do a good job at describing my thoughts about all things 'strategery'. In my next update (later this week) I'll add a post shedding light on my strategic vision and the logistics I have set up.

As for the big E, she kept her planes with her on the trip back to Sydney for repairs...as I don't have any forward bases that have a level 1 airfield yet (that is just about to change though...Rossel Island is @ 85-ish %). So instead her airgroups remain on the CV in training mode (Fighters->Escort DB's->Nav. Attack TB's->Nav.Search).

Appreciate all the interest you guys have in my AAR!

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

jmalter/Yaab, thank you both for the thoughts on the Samoas. My inexperienced eyes didn't see their potential. I've got a small base force in Pago-Pago, but I think I'll divert some additional resources as they become available. base expasion is going slooooooooow.

Something that is in the manual and that I did not sink into my brain until recently is that fort building affects base expansion. If you build forts to, say, level 3 and then want to build an airfield or port, the engineers must build level 3 forts around that expanded area = slow construction.

It is often best to build a critical facility first (unless invasion is imminent) and then build the forts. Personally, I hate level 0 and 1 ports because offloading is so slow and that puts the ships which are there at risk, so level 2 port (or level 1 with a Port Service Unit) is priority if the area is out of normal IJA LBA range, or if I have good AA. If enemy bombers are too close, a level 1 AF for CAP comes first.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

jmalter/Yaab, thank you both for the thoughts on the Samoas. My inexperienced eyes didn't see their potential. I've got a small base force in Pago-Pago, but I think I'll divert some additional resources as they become available. base expasion is going slooooooooow.

Something that is in the manual and that I did not sink into my brain until recently is that fort building affects base expansion. If you build forts to, say, level 3 and then want to build an airfield or port, the engineers must build level 3 forts around that expanded area = slow construction.

It is often best to build a critical facility first (unless invasion is imminent) and then build the forts. Personally, I hate level 0 and 1 ports because offloading is so slow and that puts the ships which are there at risk, so level 2 port (or level 1 with a Port Service Unit) is priority if the area is out of normal IJA LBA range, or if I have good AA. If enemy bombers are too close, a level 1 AF for CAP comes first.

Are you sure about that? It would imply that after facilities are built (port, airfield) then the fort level would go down until it is built back up, which I have never seen.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

jmalter/Yaab, thank you both for the thoughts on the Samoas. My inexperienced eyes didn't see their potential. I've got a small base force in Pago-Pago, but I think I'll divert some additional resources as they become available. base expasion is going slooooooooow.

Something that is in the manual and that I did not sink into my brain until recently is that fort building affects base expansion. If you build forts to, say, level 3 and then want to build an airfield or port, the engineers must build level 3 forts around that expanded area = slow construction.

It is often best to build a critical facility first (unless invasion is imminent) and then build the forts. Personally, I hate level 0 and 1 ports because offloading is so slow and that puts the ships which are there at risk, so level 2 port (or level 1 with a Port Service Unit) is priority if the area is out of normal IJA LBA range, or if I have good AA. If enemy bombers are too close, a level 1 AF for CAP comes first.

Are you sure about that? It would imply that after facilities are built (port, airfield) then the fort level would go down until it is built back up, which I have never seen.

You misread me - it is just the opposite. The level 3 forts around NO facilities are there, and if you start to build a facility every % point of construction has a level 3 fort built with it. The Forts slow down the construction thusly.

[witpqs]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy



Something that is in the manual and that I did not sink into my brain until recently is that fort building affects base expansion. If you build forts to, say, level 3 and then want to build an airfield or port, the engineers must build level 3 forts around that expanded area = slow construction.

It is often best to build a critical facility first (unless invasion is imminent) and then build the forts. Personally, I hate level 0 and 1 ports because offloading is so slow and that puts the ships which are there at risk, so level 2 port (or level 1 with a Port Service Unit) is priority if the area is out of normal IJA LBA range, or if I have good AA. If enemy bombers are too close, a level 1 AF for CAP comes first.

Are you sure about that? It would imply that after facilities are built (port, airfield) then the fort level would go down until it is built back up, which I have never seen.

You misread me - it is just the opposite. The level 3 forts around NO facilities are there, and if you start to build a facility every % point of construction has a level 3 fort built with it. The Forts slow down the construction thusly.

So that means that the base building table that was published from a player testing is only good for the one case he tested for (meaning fortifications at one specific level).

[Schlussel]

Week 10: Feb. 9th – Feb. 15th 1942

North Pacific: Quiet [Insert cricket chirping here]

Central Pacific: I attempt to shore up my defenses @ Midway after a particularly damaging CV raid. Base facilities are being patched up and a few xAK’s are on their way with more supplies. I am short on fighters, and Pearl doesn’t have much to spare at the moment…so I’ll have to make due until reinforcements show up at the end of the month.
After her December 7th damage is patched up (with bondo I’m assuming), I send the BB Nevada from Pearl to Seattle to finish dry dock repairs. No sense tying up Pearl Harbor’s shipyard for the better part of a year, there are plenty of other’s that need that spot.

Southern Pacific: Under heavy escort, I send an army regiment to re-inforce Baker Island’s garrison. Looks like my intel was correct, and the Japanese really want that island…but I’m not giving it up without a fight.

New Guinea/Solomons: The IJN continue to expand their perimeter around Rabaul, and with the lack of adequate air coverage, there’s not much I can do (I’ve been saying that a lot lately). Lae and Salamaua are next on the hit list. Salamaua falls immediately, while Lae’s garrison resists the initial assaults.

DEI/Phillippines:
Clark Field still under constant ground attack, but is holding its own. The supply situation is still a concern, but not critical. Daily bombing of Clark Field and Bataan.
The rest of the Philippines are being mopped up Japanese forces. As with oter areas, I lack air cover, so there is little I can do but watch.
In the DEI, the Japanese step up air assaults on Java and Sumatra with both land and carrier based aircraft. In Java, my rag-tag collection of Dutch planes do a marginal job at keeping the Japanese bombers at bay, while my forces (without air cover) in Sumatra aren’t as lucky.
With the Japanese encroachment, I’ve decided to move force Z from Darwin to Sydney, as the Japanese now have a constant carrier presence in the DEI. I don’t see how my surface force can be effective against land/carrier based aircraft without air cover of its own. Betty bombers have shown me how easily they can inflict damage on a defenseless ship, and I’d prefer not to give them any more easy targets.

SE Asia/China: IJN is still hammering Singapore from the air. However, the deliberate & shock attacks from the ground have stopped, and they are just bombarding. The respite has allowed my engineers in Singapore to build the fortifications back to 1. This is welcome news, the longer Singapore can hold out, the longer those IJN troops (approx.. 100K) will be tied down.
In Burma, the IJA continues its march towards Rangoon, no flanking movements seen yet.
In China, I am focusing on conserving as much supply as possible. I’m consolidating my positions, and staying on the defensive for the time being. With the Burma road now cut, I have a squadron of DC-20’s flying supply from Ledo to Kunming. It’s only 20 points per turn, but every little bit counts.

Notable Base Captures:
-Kuching and Jesselton [Borneo] captured by Japan (2/9)
-Hansa Bay [New Guinea], Mersing [Borneo], Donggala [Celebes] and Zamboanga [Philippines] captured by Japan (2/10)
-Green Island [Solomons] captured by Japan (2/13)
-Salamaua [New Guinea] and Kudat [Borneo] captured by Japan (2/15)

Campaign Overview:
Aircraft Losses to date (change]:
Japanese: 926 [+135]
Allies: 598 [+87]

Ship Losses to date [change]:
Japanese: 88 [+6] Notables: CVL Zuiho, CA Mogami, CA Mikuma, CA Suzya. 2 CVE’s are
assumed sunk, but not confirmed yet.
Allies: 139 [+21] Notables: CA Portland, CL Durban, CL Sumatra

VP Totals [change]:
Japanese: 7,307 [+414]
Allies: 13,597 [+549]

Other Notes:
-Air-to-Air battles have really intensified around Java and Port Moresby, with both sides taking heavy losses. So far the loss ratio has been favorable.
-IJN subs strike again off Horn Island. Two of my cruisers sailing with force Z from Darwin are hit and sink before they can reach a friendly port. The rest of the ships reach their destination safely
- While it’s sometimes hard to be in constant retreat mode, I can take solace in the fact I have made the Japanese pay in ships and planes. Not sure how long the Japanese can keep up this pace, but the longer they do, the easier it will be for me once I can take the offensive.

[Schlussel]

Week 10: Strategic Update

Future Plans:
In the immediate future, my strategy is to slowly give ground to the Japanese, to allow my troops to fortify and hold key areas.
-In SE Asia, I am actively fortifying Akyab, Cox’s Bazaar and Imphal/Kohima area, to halt the IJA advance at the natural defensive line at the India/Burma border. Long term plans involve a counter-attack down the coast once my forces are reinforced. This theatre is secondary to me, the idea is to hopefully draw some Japanese units away from my main thrust in the south-west pacific.

-The China theatre is similar, after losing Wenchow, I had troops fall back to more defensible inland bases. Offensives are out of the question at the moment, as I’m trying to save every last supply point and keep China as the proverbial “Thorn in the side” of the Japanese Empire.

-The DEI and Philippines are a lost cause at this point. My force positions have been adjusted for maximum defensibility, with the goal of occupying Japanese forces for as long as possible so that they cannot be brought to bear elsewhere.

-In Australia, I plan to keep supply coming in and develop bases on the NE Coast (Cooktown/Coen/Portland Roads) to act as bomber bases and a fallback defensive line if my main defense @ Port Moresby succumbs to the Japanese onslought. Future plans include the use of Australia as a base for my counterattack in New Guinea and the Solomons, so stockpiling supplies and fuel are a priority.

-Speaking of that, in the New Guinea/Solomons area, I plan to continue my buildup of my main defensive line of Port Moresby, Milne Bay, Rossel Island, and Lunga. Noumea is being groomed as my main base of operations. Port and air facilities are being expanded as quickly as possible, and Noumea has been on the receiving end of a steady stream of supplies, fuel, engineers, AA guns and ground troops. Spare air squadrons have only recently become available, and they will be arriving shortly. Future operations include a counterattack similar to the one that happened in the actual war. However, I want to capture either Rabaul or Truk so that it can be my springboard to an attack on the Marianas. From there I am leaning toward an offensive straight at the home islands, picking up Iwo Jima/Okinawa and some flanking bases on the way.

-In the South Pacific, I am playing defense. Canton and Baker Islands are my initial defensive line, with Fiji and the Samoas as fallback positions. This is the theatre I plan to use my carriers to raid forward Japanese bases. Future plans involve an operation to retake the Gilbert Islands of Tarawa and Makin, again mostly to divert Japanese attention from SW pacific.

-Defense is also the name of the game in the Central Pacific. I am building up Midway for this purpose, and once it has a decent air force and can defend itself from carrier raids, I will turn it into a sub base as well. Future plans involve an attack westward to Marcus or Wake to open a more direct supply route once I take the Marianas.

-In the North Pacific, I don’t plan to do much besides develop Adak and possibly a feint attack toward Etorfu as a diversion.


Organization/Supply:
See the attached image for my main supply convoy routes. On the west coast, SF handles supply convoys and LA handles fuel convoys. As far as organization, I am using Pearl Harbor for deployable surface ship, and San Diego is a collection point for all my deployable Air and Ground Units.

PP Use:
PP usage has been light and has been mainly used to add a few units to my defensive line in the South and Southwest Pacific, and to replace sub captains with more aggressive counterparts. I am getting more AP ships, so soon I will be using PP’s to move more land and air units off the West Coast to the South Pacific for defense and SW Pacific in preparation for my grand counter-attack.

Training:
Pilot training is being conducted with all units not on the front line, and as a general guideline, average pilot experience must be 50 before they are committed to battle (groups stuck in the DEI and Philippines are the exception). All air groups on the US mainland slated for withdrawal on or before July ’42 are dedicated training squadrons.
As far as training type:
-Fighters --> Escort/Sweep
-Dive Bombers --> Nav. Attack/Nav. Search (CV Units mostly)
-Torp. Bombers --> Nav. Search/Nav. Attack
-Patrol Craft --> Nav. Search/ASW Patrol
-Level Bombers --> Nav. Search/Airfield Attack

Once pilots are sufficiently trained in the first category (65-ish), I switch to the second category. I put a premium on naval search ability, I need to be able to find ‘em before I can sink ‘em.

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Schlussel

jmalter/Yaab, thank you both for the thoughts on the Samoas. My inexperienced eyes didn't see their potential. I've got a small base force in Pago-Pago, but I think I'll divert some additional resources as they become available. base expasion is going slooooooooow.

Something that is in the manual and that I did not sink into my brain until recently is that fort building affects base expansion. If you build forts to, say, level 3 and then want to build an airfield or port, the engineers must build level 3 forts around that expanded area = slow construction.

It is often best to build a critical facility first (unless invasion is imminent) and then build the forts. Personally, I hate level 0 and 1 ports because offloading is so slow and that puts the ships which are there at risk, so level 2 port (or level 1 with a Port Service Unit) is priority if the area is out of normal IJA LBA range, or if I have good AA. If enemy bombers are too close, a level 1 AF for CAP comes first.

After seeing your comment, I re-read that section of the manual, and you are right about the fort effects on base expansion. Nice find BBFanboy!

[Schlussel]

Week 11: Feb. 16th – Feb. 22nd 1942

North Pacific: Quiet [Insert cricket chirping here]

Central Pacific: Another air raid on Midway beat up the airfield pretty good. I have fighter reinforcements are coming in a few days, but not sure how long they’ll last. The last air raid was escorted by 40+ Zeroes.

Southern Pacific: Engineer unit headed to Pago Pago to speed up base expansion.

New Guinea/Solomons: The IJN continues to expand its perimeter around Rabaul. Lae finally falls, and the Japanese start advancing down the slot towards my small outpost @ Lunga.
Rabaul begins launching air attacks on Port Moresby, Milne Bay, and Lunga… sinking part of a supply TF in Milne. Port Moresby has a fighter squadron to protect itself, but the other two bases haven’t got their AF’s up to Level 1 yet. I stop both bases from expanding their ports so the engineers can focus on the airfields. In addition, I send all my local carrier assets (Saratoga and Hermes) to Lunga to provide CAP while a CB unit in-route is unloaded.

DEI/Philippines:
Clark Field still under constant ground attack, but is holding its own. The supply situation is still a concern, but not critical. Daily bombing of Clark Field and Bataan.
The rest of the Philippines are being mopped up Japanese forces. As with other areas, I lack air cover, so there is little I can do but watch.
In the DEI, the Japanese hit Borneo/Celebes hard. Multiple bases are invaded. IJN still has a KB Jr. (1-CV & 1 CVL) operating in the area.

SE Asia/China: IJN is still hammering Singapore from the ground and air. Every time the IJA knocks the forts down to 0, my engineers build it back up to 1 the next turn. Unfortunately, the supply situation is becoming a concern here as well.
In Burma, the IJA is still 45 miles SE of Rangoon. Even though no flanking movements have been seen, I begin the evacuation most troops toward my next line of defense (Mandalay), leaving a small rearguard to cover garrison requirements. At Mandalay I have engineers building forts, hopefully they will be beneficial when the Japanese arrive.
In China, I am focusing on conserving as much supply as possible. I’m consolidating my positions, and staying on the defensive for the time being.

Notable Base Captures:
-Shortlands [Solomons] captured by Japan (2/17)
-Palopo [Celebes] captured by Japan (2/18)
-Balikpapan [Borneo] and Lae [New Guinea] captured by Japan (2/19)
-Munda [Solomons] captured by Japan (2/20)
-Sorong [New Guinea] captured by Japan (2/21)

Campaign Overview:
Aircraft Losses to date (change]:
Japanese: 1054 [+128]
Allies: 654 [+56]

Ship Losses to date [change]:
Japanese: 97 [+9] Notables: CVL Zuiho, CA Mogami, CA Mikuma, CA Suzya. 2 CVE’s are
assumed sunk, but not confirmed yet.
Allies: 153 [+14] Notables: CA Portland, CL Durban, CL Sumatra

VP Totals [change]:
Japanese: 7,825 [+518]
Allies: 14,010 [+413]

Other Notes:
-All my fighters in the New Guinea/Solomons area are P-40, and with the attrition, replacements have dried up in the replacement pool. Luckily I have some Airacobras arriving in Noumea from the West Coast. Even though the Airacobras are not really any better, they will spread out the losses a bit and allow the P-40 pool the chance to recover.
-Experienced Australian brigades are arriving from Europe. Currently have them loading on transports in Aden, heading for India to help fortify the border with Burma.
-Intel reports Japanese units preparing for Milne Bay. My CV TF will stay in the area after supporting the Lunga reinforcement effort.

[Schlussel]

Week 12: Feb. 23rd – March 1st 1942

North Pacific: I have an engineer battalion and a small garrison unit heading for Adak to begin base expansion. I think Adak will make a good alternate sub base, since protecting Midway from CV strikes will be impossible until more fighter squadrons become available.

Central Pacific: Quiet….too quiet.

Southern Pacific: Yorktown (+escorts) heads to Tarawa to conduct a raid and scout out the defenses, afterwards, it will stay in the Canton/Baker island area, looking for IJN surface forces. Pago Pago and Canton continue building port and airfield facilities.

New Guinea/Solomons: The IJN sorties (amphib. TF with 2 CA’s & 2 DD’s) and attempts to invade Milne Bay. Intel had tipped me off a week prior, and I was able to position the Saratoga and Hermes in the area protecting supply convoys. The amphib. TF is wiped out (2 AP’s & 4 AK’s, approx. 6K casualties) while the escorting IJN surface forces are damaged (CA Tone heavily damaged by 4 bomb hits, others not hit). The following day a mini KB (KB Junior) is spotted heading SW from Rabaul. Not ready to go CV vs. CV right now, my Carriers high-tail it back to Noumea.
The Rabaul Airfield continues to target ships supplying Lunga and Port Moresby. PM has 2 squadrons of P-40’s and can hold its own , though these squadrons are due to withdraw on 3-15. I have Kittyhawks on their way to PM so they can replace the P-40’s when they have to be withdrawn. The Kittyhawk pilots are more experienced (approx 20 point higher), and I’m hoping that will offset the poorer performance of the Kittyhawks they are flying. Lunga finally gets its level 1 airfield and I waste no time transferring a squadron of Wildcats from the Saratoga, who was retreating due to enemy KB Jr. in the area.

DEI/Philippines:
A reported 100K IJA troops, 900 Guns, and 800 AFV’s are continuing the attack on Clark Field. The defenders are fighting valiantly, but the supply situation is critical. Currently both Clark and Bataan have no supply left, so it’s just a matter of time now.
The rest of the Philippines are being mopped up by Japanese forces.
In the DEI, the Japanese occupy all of Borneo (except Brunei), and Celebes. At the end of the week, the invasion of Java begins with an amphibious assault on Semarang. I have held my DEI air forces back and now unleash them on the Japanese ground forces at Semarang. Reports are vague about damage inflicted, but I’m sure it’s better than the results they would have got attacking IJN surface forces (anything is better than a 0% hit percentage).

SE Asia/China: IJN is still hammering Singapore from the ground and air. The supply situation is not quite critical, as I still have about 2 weeks worth; however, IJA shock attacks have ben constant the past week with no rest in between. In addition, I am now starting to take 1,000-1,500 casualties from every attack. The Japanese have similar losses, but this is one instance where high attrition doesn’t work in my favor (in the short term anyway).
In Burma, the IJA is still 45 miles SE of Rangoon, but a tick mark shows some of the forces are now marching toward the Burmese capital. The Japanese start the anticipated flanking movement and assault Toungoo…overwhelming the small rearguard I left there. The good news is it took the Japanese a few days to capture Toungoo, so my retreating forces got a bit of a head start in reaching Mandalay, my next defensive line.
In China, I am focusing on conserving as much supply as possible. I’m consolidating my position around Chengchow, as the IJA looks like it is also moving troops in that direction. Continuing to stay on the defensive due to supply.

KB Watch:
Enemy CV’s have are nowhere to be seen for most of the week. Only exceptions are below:
-On 2-28, SS Tambor (patrolling NW of Saipan) sights carrier aircraft, and Detection level is 10/10. No visual sightings, so # of CV’s is unknown.
-On 3-1, 4 CV’s (+escorts) are sighted near Rabaul heading SW towards Lae.

Notable Base Captures:
-Bandjermasin [Borneo] and Sambas [Borneo] captured by Japan (2/24)
-Sandakan [Borneo] and Samarinda [Borneo] captured by Japan (2/27)
-Ketapang [Borneo] and Toungoo [Burma] captured by Japan (3/1)

Campaign Overview:
Aircraft Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 728 [+74] Biggest Losses (#): Buffalo (109), P-40 (49), 139WH3 (45)
Japanese: 1130 [+76] Biggest Losses (#): Betty (220), Nate (124), Lily (123)

Ship Losses to date [change]:
Allies: 153 [+14] Notables: CA Portland, CA Adelaide, CL Durban, CL Sumatra
Japanese: 97 [+9] Notables: CVL Zuiho, CA Mogami, CA Mikuma, CA Suzya. 2 CVE’s are
assumed sunk, but not confirmed yet.

VP Totals [change]:
Allies: 14,295 [+285]
Japanese: 8,282 [+457]

Other Notes:
-Airacobras have short legs, I can’t air transfer them to Lunga like I had hoped (even from Efate). Guess I’ll have to do it old school on transports.
-Serious IJN attempt to assault Milne Bay was thwarted due to intel. I was able to commit some of my CV forces in time and had the benefit of PBY scouting. My forward PBY scouting bases in the SW PAC (PM, Milne Bay, Rossel, Lunga) are proving their worth, as they spotted the enemy KB Jr. before it got into striking range, and I was able to get my own CV’s away from the danger zone.
-After hearing a lot of good arguments here on the forums, I have decided to change my difficulty setting from “historical” to “hard”. Sounds like this will better assist the AI with supplying its forces.

[BBfanboy]

Nice ambush at Milne Bay! Looks like recon and adequate escort are AI weaknesses.
You are getting good at using Intel data to get an idea of enemy plans.

About the P-39ts at Efate - did you check the drop tank range, or are those not available there?.

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Nice ambush at Milne Bay! Looks like recon and adequate escort are AI weaknesses.
You are getting good at using Intel data to get an idea of enemy plans.

About the P-39ts at Efate - did you check the drop tank range, or are those not available there?.

Thanks! I'd like to take more credit, but playing defense with strong PBY coverage makes things so much easier. Your tip about sub detection levels was a lifesaver as well. After my ambush, my subs NW of Rabaul were detecting carrier aircraft and their detection levels spiked to 9/10. I was able to withdraw my carriers a whole turn before the enemy KB was actually spotted by my search aircraft. One turn can definitely be the difference between having a carrier and having a hunk of metal at the bottom of the ocean.

The AI did a little scouting of the seas around Milne Bay with a small surface force prior to their attempted assault, but that was it. And their KB support was a few turns late. Being able to sit back and decide when to commit and when to retreat is one of the few advantages the allies have at the moment, and I plan to make the best of it.

As for the P-40's @ Efate. Yes, I switched to drop tanks like you suggested and I was able to get them to Lunga. Thanks for the tip!

[Schlussel]

Situation Report – March 1st 1942

Central Pacific:
Surface Forces: 1-CV , 7-BB, 7-CA, 30-DD (@Pearl Harbor)

Fuel Reserves: 520K @ Pearl Harbor



New Guinea/Solomons:
Surface Forces: 2-CV , 1-CVL, 1-BB, 11-CA, 16-DD (@Noumea)

Fuel Reserves: 105K @ Noumea
20K @ Port Moresby
20K @ Sydney



SE Asia/China
Surface Forces: 1-CV , 2-BB, 9-CA, 4-DD (@Colombo)

Fuel Reserves: 218K @ Colombo



Base Status:

Port Moresby:
Port Size: 2.43
Airfield Size: 4.24
Supplies: 71K (24 Weeks of normal operations)

Lunga:
Port Size: 0.76
Airfield Size: 1.35
Supplies: 13K (18 Weeks of normal operations)

Luganville:
Port Size: 2.87
Airfield Size: 2.37
Supplies: 10K (29 Weeks of normal operations)

Pago-Pago:
Port Size: 2.00
Airfield Size: 2.78
Supplies: 10K (30 Weeks of normal operations)

Baker Island:
Port Size: 1.60
Airfield Size: 1.09
Supplies: 12K (25 Weeks of normal operations)

Johnston Is.:
Port Size: 1.35
Airfield Size: 2.02
Supplies: 2K (4 Weeks of normal operations)

Midway:
Port Size: 1.83
Airfield Size: 4.00
Supplies: 21K (16 Weeks of normal operations)

Akyab:
Port Size: .042
Airfield Size: 3.04
Supplies: 4K (10 Weeks of normal operations)

[BBfanboy]

March 1942 and the IJA is not on Sumatra or Java yet -- you are doing well!

[jmalter]

Good to hear that the sounds of shovels & dozers will soon start to drown out the crickets in NorPac. Adak is an essential supply-hub, comparable to Pago & Luganville. Since all the Aleutians are under WestCoast command, you can hop Restricted USA airgroups to Adak & points west if you build a chain of airbases, say, Annette Island > Seward > Umnak. Beware building at a 0(0) facility, especially in Winter. Dutch Harbor seems to be especially resistant to airbase construction. I generally use Prince Rupert as the POE for supply/fuel/LCUs for this sector. Don't neglect to call on your Canadian allies for additional air/LCU assets.

[Schlussel]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

March 1942 and the IJA is not on Sumatra or Java yet -- you are doing well!

The AI must have read your post. I'm about halfway through the next game week, and the Japanese have already landed/captured Semarang, and have landed at Merak and Tjepoe. All I ask is that you don't post something like "Wow Schlussel, all your CV's are still afloat, you are clearly outwitting the AI."
A statement like that could easily doom my air combat TF's. [:D]