War in the Pacific AAR Thread - ML vs JFranzen

Molon Labe · 01-18-23, 01:51 PM

1 November 1943
KB loitering, not pursuing

DEI
That sub that attacked our ARG yesterday tried to attack again, but we spotted it in time. Apparently it's pursuing the task force. We got some solid hits on it this time before it got away.

Japan
Another day, another PB on ASW duty sunk by the subs its supposed to be killing. This one by USS Rasher.

Burma
More Beaufighter attacks on that AV at Tavoy--hit it with another bomb and some cannon fire. It's probably not going down yet. I'm cancelling these attacks just because they've become too regular. Were they to be ambushed, the loss of the Beaufighters wouldn't be worth killing the AV.

CENTPAC and Truk
The KB only moved 4 hexes east, not enough to engage my retiring phibs and nowhere near it's movement capacity. It could have doubled that at cruising speed--and my opponent likes to move his carriers at flank.

Recon reports the Betties are at Saipan right now. Rebasing them to Truk--I failed to disable the airbase with my strikes--could allow them to strike my 2 main CVBGs before they're out of range. His positioning is curious--it's not quite close enough to Saipan/Truk to prevent me from attacking him with my carriers without exposing myself to the Betties.

I'd say the worst case scenario right now is that he's got more than 3 fleet carriers (unlikely) and he attacks me before I get out of Truk's range. The carrier fleets fight an even battle which depletes my CAP and disables some of my carriers from flight ops. Then the Betties arrive--without escorts--but the fleet is slow and relatively unprotected after the battle, allowing the followup strike to administer coup-de-graces to the fleet. This whole scenario is exceedingly unlikely, though, the timing and distances involved make it implausible.

But that does leave me guessing about what the KB's intentions are. It clearly doesn't want the phibs. And if it wanted my carriers, he could have done that last turn. This could be a defensive posture, but I think he's at a disadvantage if he leaves them there for me to attack. This really isn't like him at all--he usually keeps the carriers concealed, attacks, and pulls back. It's land-based airpower he disrespects in this process--never carrier airpower. For now I'm just going to continue to cover the retreat of the phibs and protect Wake. One the Lexington joins "my KB", I'll consider going offensive.

Yorktown's fighter squadron is now at full strength, having received replacement aircraft from the CVE that just joined the retiring phibs.

South China Sea
A Catalina on a search mission spotted and bombed a PB near Jessleton, Borneo.

Reinforcements
DE Emery arrives at Mare Island
TK Republic arrives at San Francisco
15th FG/45th FS arrives at San Francisco
860/865th Engineer Aviation Battalion arrives at San Francisco
111th(Sep) Infantry Regiment arrives at San Francisco

01-18-23, 01:51 PM	#11
Molon Labe Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Along the Watchtower Posts: 3,810 Downloads: 27 Uploads: 5	1 November 1943 KB loitering, not pursuing DEI That sub that attacked our ARG yesterday tried to attack again, but we spotted it in time. Apparently it's pursuing the task force. We got some solid hits on it this time before it got away. Japan Another day, another PB on ASW duty sunk by the subs its supposed to be killing. This one by USS Rasher. Burma More Beaufighter attacks on that AV at Tavoy--hit it with another bomb and some cannon fire. It's probably not going down yet. I'm cancelling these attacks just because they've become too regular. Were they to be ambushed, the loss of the Beaufighters wouldn't be worth killing the AV. CENTPAC and Truk The KB only moved 4 hexes east, not enough to engage my retiring phibs and nowhere near it's movement capacity. It could have doubled that at cruising speed--and my opponent likes to move his carriers at flank. Recon reports the Betties are at Saipan right now. Rebasing them to Truk--I failed to disable the airbase with my strikes--could allow them to strike my 2 main CVBGs before they're out of range. His positioning is curious--it's not quite close enough to Saipan/Truk to prevent me from attacking him with my carriers without exposing myself to the Betties. I'd say the worst case scenario right now is that he's got more than 3 fleet carriers (unlikely) and he attacks me before I get out of Truk's range. The carrier fleets fight an even battle which depletes my CAP and disables some of my carriers from flight ops. Then the Betties arrive--without escorts--but the fleet is slow and relatively unprotected after the battle, allowing the followup strike to administer coup-de-graces to the fleet. This whole scenario is exceedingly unlikely, though, the timing and distances involved make it implausible. But that does leave me guessing about what the KB's intentions are. It clearly doesn't want the phibs. And if it wanted my carriers, he could have done that last turn. This could be a defensive posture, but I think he's at a disadvantage if he leaves them there for me to attack. This really isn't like him at all--he usually keeps the carriers concealed, attacks, and pulls back. It's land-based airpower he disrespects in this process--never carrier airpower. For now I'm just going to continue to cover the retreat of the phibs and protect Wake. One the Lexington joins "my KB", I'll consider going offensive. Yorktown's fighter squadron is now at full strength, having received replacement aircraft from the CVE that just joined the retiring phibs. South China Sea A Catalina on a search mission spotted and bombed a PB near Jessleton, Borneo. Reinforcements DE Emery arrives at Mare Island TK Republic arrives at San Francisco 15th FG/45th FS arrives at San Francisco 860/865th Engineer Aviation Battalion arrives at San Francisco 111th(Sep) Infantry Regiment arrives at San Francisco __________________