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[Erkki]

What kind of ships? Mostly empty transport I guess?

Not sure, lots of transports reported but some war ships as well. Probably cruiser Enterprise and lots of transports with torpedo holes... Rangoon doesnt have a dry dock so they're easy pickings. Dunno about the amount of AAA, so pretty high altitude strike ordered for tomorrow, numbers should make it up for at least a few ship hits.

[Erkki]

April 3rd

Rangoon raid is a great success.... Only 6 bombs hit, 3 are 250kg 3 60kg. CL Enterprise is confirmed to be there, but DD Paladin receives 2 hits and sinks after a massive ammo storage explosion. 3 transports also receive theirs, 2 of them reported to be heavily damaged, the other also burning.

For another day the enemy refuses to fly. We will rest fighter and bomber squadrons tomorrow. Its not like if the Brits were leaving Rangoon tomorrow.

[Sheb]

What benefits does resting have?

[Erkki]

What benefits does resting have?

Flying, missions and their duration, combat, all actions increase fatigue, which starts to lower morale if theres too high fatigue for too long... Depends on the unit(pilots and leader), base conditions etc. Low fatigue helps some keeping the OPS losses low too. Enemy is not flying, and G4Ms need the rest after 1 or 2 sorties/crew for 10 or 11 days, so we rest. Some CAP set but I dont think the Blenheims will show up.

[Sheb]

Okay. And anyway, those ships cannot escape. Do you have any ASW measures to protect your carriers?

[Erkki]

Okay. And anyway, those ships cannot escape. Do you have any ASW measures to protect your carriers?

Theres a dedicated ASW force of 4 hand picked destroyers with lots of depth charges, good crews , captains and a good leader. Carriers are only allowed to sail in their wake, unless at blue seas where reaction is allowed, but if theres nothing to go after they always follow those DDs. All the carrier task forces themselves have 2 DDs for each CV, too. Cruisers and battleships' float planes add to the search capacity and make subs much less effective. If they're spotted, they most likely dont attack, or try to get away.

[Zrk2]

So you're seeing nothing much other than a meatgrinder in Rangoon? What do you think America is up to?

[Erkki]

So you're seeing nothing much other than a meatgrinder in Rangoon? What do you think America is up to?

Hes reinforcing Solomons, New Caledonia and Southern New Guinea area heavily. Port Moresby is a major airbase, and his 4 engine bombers, B-17s at least, operate from there, together with at least 2 squads of B-26s and 1 of B-25s. We are building more airfields in the New Britain and Solomons too, once we have more than Medang and Rabaul ready, I have 2 Army and 1 Navy fighter Sentais of 45 planes ready to fly in. Then we will start suppressing Port Moresby.

[Erkki]

As you can see the game is slowly changing from all-out Japanese offensive to more stable "grinding" in the air, building up, and smaller offensive operations, mopping up behind the lines in Indonesia, but also still major all-out war in China.

I have moved the 54th Division from Honshu's reserves to Hong Kong, and 3 inf regiments and 2 armour more from Manchuria. My plan is to keep grinding in the north(about 200,000 Chinese cut off from their supplies, my units are in good terrain so they cant be just pushed away), reinforcing middle and attacking in the South, I need to shorten the frontline. Lots of Chinese units behind the lines there too, I dont need to play their game and attack enforces position when theres room and good roads to go around them, cut them off their supplies and move along.

Some Chinese fighters, 3 Soviet built I-15s, were spotted a few days ago near Hong Kong. A Ki-43 wing is moved there to escort the bombers, just to be sure.

Before this game I had played nearly a year against the same opponent, although a different game. There, I was on the defence practically all the time. I'm hoping to be able to use my experience from that game here as well... He knows the Road to Victory is not going to be a joyride against me. Wish him luck when hes going to do his first fully amphibious operation, at minimum 3 months from now, probably somewhere in the Solomons...

After the end of this month we're going to be largely defensive, unless good opportunities rise. Now the little yellow bastards are stealing all the Dutch oil and resources to feed the Home Islands' massive industry, that feeds the ever growing war machine.

[Sheb]

So only progress possibility is in China? I sure as hell hope you'll be able to make it. What about your plant to drop a regiment to cut their supply?

Also, can you do the same horrible things the japanese did in WWII and drop plague bomb in China to disrupt their supply? :p

[Erkki]

So only progress possibility is in China? I sure as hell hope you'll be able to make it. What about your plant to drop a regiment to cut their supply?

Also, can you do the same horrible things the japanese did in WWII and drop plague bomb in China to disrupt their supply? :p

At the moment, China. Theres still work to do in Indonesia but the only island that seems to have defenders is Ambon... To be dealt in a month or 2. Its nearly cut off, as soon as I move some air units to Timor and Java, it cant be supplied other than by submarines.

After this, the only thing that counts is lasting as long as possible, and steal as much as oil to the Home Islands while letting the Allies play with our fancy toys: Zeroes, Hayabusas, Netties, Kido Butai, heavy cruisers, old battleships, and especially Yamato and Musashi. 

To make defending easier I'm going to keep offensive in China rolling as far as possible. If I succeed well enough, units can be transported out to strengthen positions elsewhere, and to strategic counter-invasion reserve(that I'm planning to keep at Singapore or Manila in the Philippines).

[Sheb]

Another question: if you last past 1945, will the allies get a sudden boost from all the stuff freed up in the Western Front?

[Erkki]

Another question: if you last past 1945, will the allies get a sudden boost from all the stuff freed up in the Western Front?

Allied reinforcements will keep raising... But not exponentially. Good part of the forces sent to Europe had to be used to peacekeeping and making sure the Soviets wouldnt run over the rest of the Europe.


May 4th, 5th

Not much happening. After resting day Rangoon's port is raid again: 1 x 250kg deck-penetrating hit on CL Enterprise...

37 B-25s, 18 B-26s and 20 B-17s raid Rabaul. We lose 3 Zeroes(2 bombed) and some bombers, to at least 8 B-26s and 8 B-25s. B-17s kill Saburo Sakai.

I hate how they dont even need to escort those beasts, and when their fighters are so badly managed they cant do even 1:4, just sending in bombers without fighter escorts get my best pilots killed for practically no loss.

[yamo]

I regret nothing!

[Zrk2]

Not much happening. After resting day Rangoon's port is raid again: 1 x 250kg deck-penetrating hit on CL Enterprise...

How many hits have you scored on that one cruiser? I seem to remember at least four.