Okay, so while we wait for the next turn, I thought to write down some of my thoughts regarding the Case Lexington.
Apparently my opponent had picked up some Vindicator dive bombers from Pearl and wanted to reinforce Wake with them. As the Kido Butai attacked Manila, he thought he'd have the time to do that. CV Lexington was sunk only 4 hex from Wake which is much, much closer than the Lexington TF needed to be to deliver the dive bombers or extract the F4F squadron. Why were they so close? Did he do that in hopes of catching an invasion fleet? What was his intel, known and unknown factors, on the Kido Butai? I am 100% positive that he must have seen the KB first attack Manila and then sail South to Mindanao where KB's Zeros fought off the P-26s. After this, CVL Ryujo entered the Celebes Sea and has been patrolling it since. Ryujo's 9 B5Ns have sunk 10 ships already, averaging one a day! Did Roger think that KB would stay with the Ryujo(or the other way around)? Is this why he has not contested the landings at Mindanao or Manado(in Celebes) or sent even destroyer patrols? If yes, where are his patrol planes - why did he not use them to make sure that the KB actually is where he presumed it to be?
Its also possible that he KB to be on its way and thought he could take the risk and get away with it. But why move Lexington that close then, why not keep CAP % high or fly Wake's VMF-211 aboard the Lex? KB had taken the most direct route to Wake and had been rendervouzed and refueled by a replenishment AO TF that had waited in anchor in a nearby Super Secret Hideout. KB had also used full speed of 28 knots(Kaga's flank speed) for a day.
Theres still something I got to give Roger. Though I can see that hes reinforcing Palembang's garrison(booooring!!) and mining the sea hexes around it, he has also been an active opponent so far. After only 10 turns, the naval losses have been greater than in the 200+ turns of my last game!!!
Naval lossesNihon Kaigun:
CL Isuzu (sunk by a submarine)
1 TB (sunk by RN DDs)
1 DMS (97 floatation damage and about to sink, will be sunk by a submarine)
2 PC (actually they were probably very old, re-designated DDs, sunk by RN DDs)
1 AMc tiny coastal minesweeper(sunk by strafing P-40s)
The SSX minisubmarines at Pearl Harbor
No other losses - of any kind!
Allies:
CV Enterprise
CA Astoria
CA Chicago
CA Portland
CL Dragon
CL Durban
CL Danae (has been hit by 10+ shells, 2 torpedoes and 2x 250kg bombs, at Singapore, probably sunk or sinking at the moment)
CL Tromp
4 old USN DDs
1 Dutch DD
1 modern RN DD
1 DM (Thracian)
3 or 4 modern USN DDs
At least 16 submarines!
Crapload of other shipping, with big fat xAPs and TKs... We're getting close to 200 confirmed sinkings!
Important damaged ships:
CL Mauritius (I have no idea how badly, but she did suffer multiple 200mm hits through the belt armor)
CL Java (probably just a scratch)
3-4 DDs (at least 1, DD Peary, has suffered heavily and will most probably not escape Singapore)
12-13 submarines, mainly at Manila, everything from heavy damage from bomb hits to depth charges
Its been a pretty fun game so far.