An Idiots Guide To Losing Your CV's Before 1942: WiTP:AE KyzBP vs UCG

[KyzBP]

Me too. Most fun I've had with my clothes on.

I won't tell you what I wear while updating this then. ???

[KyzBP]

April 25, 1942

Our least favorite morning show starts the day.

I know it's just one AK but it's been "just one AK" everyday for the last 2 weeks.  I have a feeling this will set the tone
for the day.

A grim dawn raises at AM.

I think I'm stretched too thin here.  I detached some of the CV escort to protect the landings at Kunashiri and ended up
getting Sara hit.  I've summoned all the surface warfare vessels I could find, that weren't busy, to head towards AM.  The
Hornet is a few days out and there's a few BB's and CA's steaming this way.  This is turning into a troop suck.  I think I
have to put off Hokkaido until I get control of this area again.  Geek still has those 100 fighters I have to contend with.
As soon as the Hornet arrives Sara will head to Portland for repairs.  Her planes will remain at AM.

Sara's current situation:

Not much damage really.  When she heads East for repairs she'll also receive an upgrade.  I doubt she'll be out of commision
more than 10 days.

Transport sunk.

A little parting shot/salt in the wound from Geek's DD Raiders.  I don't really have anything to contest his DD's.  I don't
have the ships to spare to go chasing him around and I'm too thin to protect all my new acquisitions.  Those DD's are usually
too nimble to hit from the air and I need my air assets to pound his bases.  This just went from fun to serious.

Raiders bombard Etorofu.

Seriously? Will you guys leave already.  No real damage done but the smiles have disappeared from everyone's face.

Attu bombarded.

Because I could.  Don't judge me.

Townsville bombarded.

I was looking for planes.  None found.  These guys have joined up with another group of DD's and CL's and will head
up to Townsville in search of some aircraft to pummel.  I want to thin his aircraft presence as much as possible before
his carrier planes start showing up.

Bundaberg Bombings.



By time all the bombings were done we had a little over our 200 daily casualty goal.  I think the disruptions are working.  I
won't know for sure until his stacks merge at Bunda.  Then the real "Fight in the East" begins.

SBD's find some targets.


The Silent But Deadly squadron finds some foolishly aggressive cruisers.  I'm not really sure what Geek was hoping to
achieve with these guys.  He may have thought that the carrier aircraft that were attacking him were actually launched
from carriers.  He may have sent these guys out to find them.  I don't really have another scenario that makes sense.
No matter, these guys aren't getting away.  I have a bunch of subs looking for limping warships and they're not American
subs.

Kates over Kunashiri.


What little CAP I had over the landings managed to hold off the first wave but the second was able to hit one of the
transports.  Again, I'm too thin here now.  There are squadrons on the way but they're still a few days out AND they
have to get past Geek's DD's. 

Chinese Forces retake Tuyuan.

This China thing is pretty easy once you get the hang of it or until Geek's Super Stack turns around and comes back.  I just
got a few more divisions of Chinese troops at Chungking (or Wang Chung or something).  They'll be headed down and into
the pursuit of the Super Stack.

[KyzBP]

Really enjoying this!

Thanks again, ABR!

[jomni]

Monkey getting spanked by DDs. 

[KyzBP]

Monkey getting spanked by DDs. 

Thanks for the reminder, Jomni.  >:(

I'm hoping this is just a temporary set back.

[KyzBP]

April 26th, 1942

Bombarding Townsville.

Hey, we found some planes!  We destroyed a whole 1 of them.  Well worth the expenditure of shells I'm sure.
I can stick around and bombard here or go back down along the coast and see whats lurking in the other ports.  Although
a Coastwatcher reported another, potentially juicy target not too far away.  I think I'm going to go after it.  It shouldn't take
long and I doubt anyone will miss these guys.  I'll tell you the target just before we hit it.

Air over Bundaberg.

My Cap is finally up and running.  It looks like these guys could swing the air war here in my favor.  A few more
screens.


18 Geekanese aircraft destroyed to my 2.  We're headed in the right direction.  I'm sure something is about to happen
to change all that.

SBD's attack fleeing raiders.


They're getting hits on these guys but I'm not sure it's enough to sink them.  They'll run into my sub screen shortly
and hopefully those guys can finish off these guys.  Does anyone want to venture a guess as to why he sent these guys
along the coast without air cover?  I still can't come up with a good reason.

B-25's take their shots.

You know if there's action somewhere the B-25's will find a way to inject themselves into it.  And it's almost guaranteed that
they'll contribute.  I lost sight of Geek's CV's near Perth so they could be headed this way to try to save these guys.  My number one
priority is to make sure my bombers have escorts.  Shall we revisit what happens when I don't provide escorts?

Vindicators over AM.

I had escorts assigned but they never joined up.  This one stings a little because I tried to fill this squadron with veterans and
they were getting ready to upgrade.  They'll be grounded until I can either upgrade them or replace the aircraft lost.  I now have
a bunch (a few?) high experience bomber pilots sitting in Quonset Huts, playing cards and feeding seals because my fighters didn't
launch.  It's a big waste, especially now when I really need Navy dive bombers.  I've got to plan that stuff better.

Wildcats try to make me feel better.



Tack on another 18 lost bombers for Geek.  The number of planes he's been able to throw at me is staggering.  My
CAP has been able to keep up with it for now but there's still a turd load of bombers in China he could pull and a bunch
near Singapore.  If there is a "later in the war" phase to this game then he'll be pretty low on aircraft at that point. Especially
considering Pratt Field hit level 5 today.  B-17's are inbound and reforming.  I'll wait until I have a very large group to send them.
I'm hoping his CAP will be concentrated towards the East Coast of Hokkaido.  I'll try to hit a city far to the West.  I have no escort that
has those kind of legs.  I've learned nothing.

Good things can happen if your bombers are escorted.

All I need, apparently is  one bomb hit per destroyer and I can send them back to port.  That seems like a reasonable request.

Dutch Buffaloes doing what they can.

Anything with wings in this area is set to Naval Attack.  We may get luckier than this if we keep trying.

The AAR is now current. Whew!

[FarAway Sooner]

Kyz, thanks for answering all my questions here!  Don't ever feel compelled to answer them--keeping the posts going here is certainly the top priority.  I'm fascinated by this thread...

[KyzBP]

Kyz, thanks for answering all my questions here!  Don't ever feel compelled to answer them--keeping the posts going here is certainly the top priority.  I'm fascinated by this thread...

I don't mind answering questions at all.  If I'm slow getting back to a question though, it's probably due to kids events beyond my control.

[MetalDog]

Your opponent has been sorely lacking in posting in his own thread.  Three weeks since his last game shots.  I really appreciate you keeping the faith.  I say you quit sending turns until he decides to update and bring things up to the level of dedication you are showing.  ;)

[KyzBP]

Your opponent has been sorely lacking in posting in his own thread.  Three weeks since his last game shots.  I really appreciate you keeping the faith.  I say you quit sending turns until he decides to update and bring things up to the level of dedication you are showing.  ;)

Thanks MD!  I'm afraid of angering him into kicking me even harder though.

[KyzBP]

April 27th, 1942

Fuso and Friends continue their romp around Java.

I should've kept score of how many of my ships these bleeping bleeps have sunk.  I had so many cargo ships headed
to Tjilatjap and Darwin that they keep popping up just in time to be accosted and sunk.  Run Fuso, while you still have a chance!

Seawolf off Japan.

The sub war off of Japan got quiet for a few days.  The Seawolf has decided to heat things up once again.  I hope Geek
feels the way I did when he had his sub fleet parked off the West Coast.

But Geek's subs have moved.

Thankfully we're ready for them at AM.  We're not ready for raider TF's, not yet at least.

Rockham bombarded.

Just checking to see if Geek's planes moved back here.  I'm now sending this bombardment TF after that target of
opportunity I mentioned before.  I'll reveal it in a day or two.

Potential disaster off Sumatra.


Where in the hell did he get more carriers from?????  I thought everything was near Oz and I had free reign here. F!!!
The Hermes is hurt pretty bad.  There's absolutely no way she can make it to Colombo.  I did take possession of a small island
off of Sumatra that has a small port.  This ambush took place just 2 hexes from this island.  I'm hoping the Hermes can stay afloat
long enough to make it there.  Then I have to figure out how to fix her enough  so she can sail to Colombo.  I really didn't need this
right..."Excuse me, sir.  Sorry to interrupt your AAR but Gooney 4 has located 3 Geek carriers plus escorts Southwest of Sabang.  They are in
range.  Flight Ops is requesting permission to launch a retaliatory strike.  What shall I tell them?"

Tell them to launch everything we have!!!

Most of the planes on the Hermes survived the attack and were transferred to the remaining carriers.  Once again the Brits are sending out
biplanes (yes, they're attracted to both types of planes) against IGN Zeroes, the best pilots in the war.  I think our chances are pretty slim
but the pilots are very confident given what they accomplished last time they found Geek carriers.
.
.
.
.
The overhead speaker crackles. "Ascot 11(Fulmar Group Leader) to Ascot group, stay tight and keep those Zeroes off the Fish."
-"31 to 11.  Andy, I only see about a dozen of them and their decks look full.  I don't think they are expecting us."
-"I copy that, Tommy. Break. Barney 11(Martlet Group Leader) from Ascot 11. Cecil, if you boys can keep the Zeroes busy, we'll
  take the Fish down to the targets. Copy?"
-"We'll cover you, Andy.  Cheeri-o and good luck!"
-"Oak Tree, Oak Tree from Ascot 11.  We have eyes on 3 Geek carriers, decks full.  The fish are beginning their attack.  Standby for
  further."
.
.
.
.

.
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.
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-"Oak Tree, Oak Tree from Ascot 21.  Do you copy?"
-"Continue, Ascot 21. We hear you."
-"Oak Tree, Oak Tree SRATCH 3 GEEKANESE CARRIERS, Sir!  We took care of them, sir but they didn't go down easy."
-"Oak Tree reads you.  Confirm 3 carriers sunk."
-"3 carriers sunk, sir.  Sorry, sir but Andy didn't make it."



I was just about to walk away from the game in disgust when Geek's carriers suddenly showed up and hit the Hermes.  I also
figured I had no chance once the Brit carrier planes ran into CAP over the carriers.  These carriers are a key part in not only
the supply interdiction but are tasked with sinking the Fuso at all costs.  In case you're keeping score at home:
Brit Carriers 6, Geek Carriers Nil. (That's in honor of the Brits.)

Well enough of that.  Back to Oz.

Mitchell's find a transport.

Just another day for the B25's.  Again, no CAP.  That almost guarantees that they went East.

SBD's try to finish off the CA/CL TF near Adelaide.

And get jumped by the CV planes I've been looking for.  BOMBERS MUST BE ESCORTED!!!!!  That was half a full
squadron of good SBD's wasted...again. 

Bombing Bunda.

My version.

Geeks version.

We barely broke 100 casualties today and his big stack moved another space.  There's a chance that his big stack
is NOT going to Bundaberg but Marysbourough instead. I have a decent defense at Mary so I hope to be ready for him
if he does head that way.  The East Coast is getting pretty confusing.

My question is: Where is Geek keeping all of those planes?

[Airborne Rifles]

I'm telling you, those Swordfish biplanes always get their man 

[KyzBP]

I'm telling you, those Swordfish biplanes always get their man 

I'm falling for them as well.  Six carriers under their belt.  That'll be tough to beat.

[jomni]

Woohoo!!!   O0

[Sir Slash]

Damn KyzBP! Did I see 35 strike bi-planes sink 3 Geek carriers? With just 11 hits? That's some damn fine shooting. I'd give those boys a raise. Sorry about Andy.