Mogami v DadMan: The Wonder Years...

[Capt. Harlock]

Mogami caught the Allies with their britches down. Pity . . . that would have been an interesting surface scrap if the British BB's had been in an active TF.

[Admiral DadMan]

Yeah, the fires would have made a lovely glow...

[Admiral DadMan]

[font="Courier New"]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/30/42

Allied Sub Wahoo gets run over by escorts off Tokyo, takes 2 hits, catches fire, and sinks.[/font]

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Here’s a really interesting night battle off Baker. I sent the BB Raider Group (5 BB strong now) to Baker to pound some transports.

In the first round, they blast their way through CL Yubari and 5 DD, sinking Yubari and 4 DD with nary a scratch.

BB Raider reaches the transports, but apparently are too tired to chase them, sinking a PC, an AP, and hitting 2 other AP’s.

They then blast the crap out of the island:

[font="Courier New"]BB Idaho
BB Tennessee
BB Pennsylvania
BB Arizona
BB Oklahoma

887 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 20
Airbase hits 4 Airbase supply hits 6 Runway hits 17
Port hits 6 Port fuel hits 3 Port supply hits 4
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B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on TF 60nm E of Baker (Transport group chased off by BB's)
AP Saipan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
PC Ch 7, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
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B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on Rangoon
Manpower hits 17
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B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on Nanomea Atoll
17 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 1
Port hits 1
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang
Attacking force 25787 troops, 192 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 40236 troops, 141 guns, 5 vehicles

53 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 1[/font]

Mogami is losing quite a few DD this month. I shall have to count them...

[Admiral DadMan]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 10/31/42

BB Raider Group doubles back to Baker and catches AP Saipan Maru, Shell hits 11, and is sunk

It then proceeds to leisurely plaster the place:

[font="Courier New"]163 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 5
Airbase hits 12 Airbase supply hits 11 Runway hits 54
Port hits 15 Port fuel hits 3 Port supply hits 6
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B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on TF, near Nanomea Atoll
AP Taiyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Shoun Maru, Bomb hits 1
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang

Attacking force 25757 troops, 195 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 40688 troops, 142 guns, 4 vehicles

107 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 7[/font]

So ends Bloody October. Summary Details later this evening.

[mogami]

Hi, Hey I want to see what happened next.

[mogami]

Hi, Hanging out in the THREAD???[X(]

[Admiral DadMan]

ugh, yes, it is time to stop playing and start writing again...

[Admiral DadMan]

October 1942

The defense of Koepang, Timor continues. I don't have much hope of kicking him out, my goal has been to make it as costly as possible - for him. I give it another month, maybe 2 if I'm lucky.

I must also continue the build up for the next phase of operations:
-Retaking the Solomons, Gilberts/Marshalls, and New Guinea.

There is currently a truce in China. I’m not too bothered about it. He’s not trying to take India, and I’m not pushing back toward the sea. It works for us.

Quite a bit a carnage has occurred this month. The IJN has lost as many as 18 DD's this month alone.

SCORE: (Current month in color)
Allies: 9563 -8630
Japan: 22853 -22095

BASES Controlled/Points
Allies: 144/3251 -145/3204
Japan: 304/4297 -303/4104

AIRCRAFT LOSS Points
Allies: 3202 -2980
Japan: 2220 -2009

TROOP LOSS Points
Allies: 10475 -10383
Japan: 376 -329

SHIPS/POINTS
Allied: 302/4769 -279/4582
(5 CV, 5 BB, 6 CA, 11 CL, 38 DD, 24 SS, many AP/AK/TK/AO)

Japan: 251/3712 -178/3088
(5 CV, 3 CVL, 1 BB, 1 CS, 1 CA, 3 CL, 48 DD, 8 SS, many AP/AK/TK/AO)
**BB Nagato is the big name this month**

Of the 70+ ship Japan lost, I bet the more than 50 were AP/AK's

Lexington and Yorktown made a surprise swipe at Baker Island against IJN BB's left without aircover. The BB's took a beating, but none sank. I don't recall seeing BB Yamato or Musashi yet...

Saratoga continues to be laid up. Progress is slow.

Fast BBs Washington and South Dakota are in theater now, and BB Indiana will soon arrive. BB North Carolina has just reached Mare Island for repair and will be out of action for about the next 9 months.

I have begun pulling my fleet boats in from patrol to get upgrades, which include new SJ radar sets. Combined with improving torpedo performance, I should start kicking ass in Jan/Feb 43.

This month, I'm planning to build an advanced base on Ndini to support the Lunga operation which is scheduled for March of 1943.

[Admiral DadMan]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/01/42

Battle Division One of the Battle Force (BB's Washington and South Dakota) were approaching Nanomea when an IJN Transport TF was spotted unloading. Admiral Lee was directed to press ahead at full speed to engage them. The 6 DD screening force blocked but to no avail. 5 of the 6 DD's suffered major damage and one of them sank.

The TF then fell upon the transports, scoring hits as follows.

[font="Courier New"]PC Ch 4, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
ML Hatsutaka, Shell hits 18, and is sunk
MSW W.3, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
MSW W.17, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Hofuku Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire
AP Seiwa Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire
AP Tatuta Maru, Shell hits 2
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B-17E Fortress and Hudson Day Air attack on Rangoon
Manpower hits 40
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B-17E Fortress and B-24D Liberator Day Air attack on Port Kendari
Japanese Ki-43-Ib fly CAP

AP Palao Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
PG Uji, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

71 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 3
Port hits 3 Port supply hits 4
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B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on Nanomea

14 Japanese casualties reported
Port hits 1 Port supply hits 1[/font]
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The 7th SeaBees and 121st USN Base Force begin landings at Ndini to set up an airstrip to cover the future Guadalcanal operation. They suffer greatly due to paltry LR CAP from Luganville, Espritu Santo. The plan is to see if I can keep Mogami distracted long enough to get a fighter strip built.

[font="Courier New"]G4M1 Betty Day Air attack on TF, near Ndini
Allied P-38G Lightning fly CAP

Allied Ships
AK Steel Navigator, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Susan Luckenbach, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Manoa, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Mana, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage

116 Allied casualties reported Vehicles lost 4
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang

Attacking force 25840 troops, 196 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 40960 troops, 135 guns, 4 vehicles

186 Japanese casualties reported
Guns lost 6[/font]

[mogami]

Hi, Todays broadcast from MPN.

[Admiral DadMan]

Something I forgot to annotate:

Back on 20 Oct, I landed 121st USN Base Force on Ndini, and suffered an air attack. I had forgotten that the Ndini Project had started that early and that I was trying to sneak in a Seabee Unit too..

[Admiral DadMan]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/02/42

BatDivOne (South Dakota & Washington) has another go at Nanoumea

[font="Courier New"]712 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 7
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Hudson & B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on Rangoon
Manpower hits 28
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B-17E Fortress B-24D Liberator Day Air attack on Kendari. This is a massive 100 bomber raid from Darwin a extended range...
Japanese Ki-43-Ib Oscar fly CAP

53 Japanese casualties reported
Port hits 2 Port supply hits 1
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B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on Nanomea Atoll
Port supply hits 1
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang

Attacking force 25980 troops, 198 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 41203 troops, 128 guns, 4 vehicles

49 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 1[/font]

IJA Troops continue to pour into Koepang. He has at least 2 divisions landed now.

[Admiral DadMan]

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/03/42

And, here comes the beginning of base-closing raids from Kendari
[font="Courier New"]
G4M1 Betty & G3M Nell Day Air attack on Koepang
Allied P-40E Warhawk fly CAP

20 Allied casualties reported
Port supply hits 3
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B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on Nanomea Atoll
Port hits 1
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang

Attacking force 25976 troops, 200 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 41498 troops, 133 guns, 4 vehicles

8 Japanese casualties reported[/font]

[Admiral DadMan]

[font="Courier New"]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/04/42

G4M1 Betty & G3M Nell Day Air attack on Koepang
Allied P-40E Warhawk fly CAP

10 Allied casualties reported
Airbase supply hits 2 Runway hits 11
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang

Attacking force 26065 troops, 205 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 41929 troops, 138 guns, 4 vehicles[/font]

[Admiral DadMan]

[font="Courier New"]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/05/42

Night Time Surface Combat, near Koepang
5 CA, 4 CL, and 6 DD catch a transport pulling out some troops for R&R..

AP Ormiston, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

They then blast the crap out of Koepang

402 Allied casualties reported Guns lost 12

Airbase hits 2 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 20
Port hits 2Port supply hits 7
AV Langley takes a couple of shell hits, on fire, heavy damage
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Japanese DDs ASW attack KVII near Kendari. They score 3 hits, on fire
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Japanese G3M Nell and G4M1 Betty Day Air attack on Koepang
Allied P-40E Warhawk

Airbase hits 4 Airbase supply hits 4 Runway hits 35
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang

Attacking force 25878 troops, 194 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 42203 troops, 144 guns, 4 vehicles [/font]

[Admiral DadMan]

[font="Courier New"]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/06/42

Mogami's cruisers hit me again:

Naval bombardment of Koepang

358 Allied casualties reported 3 Guns lost
Airbase hits 2 Runway hits 27
Port hits 3 Port supply hits 10
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Japanese G4M1 Betty G3M Nell Day Air attack on Koepang
12 Allied Aircraft destroyed
Airbase hits 5 Runway hits 22
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang

Attacking force 25642 troops, 187 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 42541 troops, 147 guns, 4 vehicles[/font]

Koepang Airbase is essentialy shut down. The end is not far away...

[Admiral DadMan]

[font="Courier New"]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/07/42

36 Liberators from Darwin Day Air attack on TF NE of Koepang

AP Taian Maru Bomb hits 1, on fire
40 Japanese casualties reported

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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang

Attacking force 25787 troops, 192 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 42917 troops, 151 guns, 5 vehicles

5 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 1[/font]

[Admiral DadMan]

[font="Courier New"]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/08/42

---

[font="Arial"]The BB Raider Group has been re-designated Battle Division Two (let's face it, those pigs are too slow to be called a "Raider Group"). [/font]

HMIJS I-171 is trampled under by screening DDs in an ASW attack near Baker Island
She takes 6 reported hits, on fire, heavy damage [font="Verdana"](glub, glub, glub)[/font]

The TF then tries to plaster the Island...
374 Japanese casualties reported Guns lost 11
Runway hits 1 [font="Arial"](Nice shootin', Tex)[/font]

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IJN TF unloading troops over beach at Koepang
155 Japanese casualties reported

PC Shonan Maru #17, Shell hits 2
143 Japanese casualties reported

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B-17E Fortress B-24D Liberator Day Air attack on 56th Division, at Koepang
56th Division 138 casualties reported Guns lost 6

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G3M Nell Day Air attack on TF at SSE of Baker Island (F*CKING TARAWA BASE!)
BB Idaho, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
That leaves a mark...

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ASW attack on Allied Saury at 37,45 hits 1

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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang
Attacking force 26403 troops, 195 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 50625 troops, 269 guns, 10 vehicles

50 Japanese casualties reported Vehicles lost 1[/font]

[Admiral DadMan]

[font="Courier New"]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/09/42

---

IJN TF 36 unloading troops over beach at Koepang
297 Japanese casualties reported
189 Japanese casualties reported
151 Japanese casualties reported
161 Japanese casualties reported
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B-17E Fortress B-24D Liberator Day Air attack on Koepang
Japanese 18th Division 72 casualties reported
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B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on TF, near Koepang
CA Mikuma, Bomb hits 1
CA Chokai, Bomb hits 1
CL Kiso, Bomb hits 1
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang
46 Japanese casualties reported
Guns lost 1[/font]

[Admiral DadMan]

[font="Courier New"]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/10/42

IJN TF 36 unloading troops over beach at Koepang

PG Takunan Maru #10, Shell hits 1
75 Japanese casualties reported
77 Japanese casualties reported
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Allied Sub attack near Koepang
S-38 fires at AP Chinko Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
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Air attacks around Koepang

B-25C Mitchell strike Japanese 21st Engineer Regiment 29 casualties reported

Martin 139 hit Japanese 56th Division 6 casualties reported

B-17E Fortress Day Air attack on TF
CA Myoko, Bomb hits 1
CL Oi, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Michishio, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
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Allied Ground Bombardment attack at Koepang
24 Japanese casualties reported
Guns lost 3[/font]

2 IJA Divisions landed now, 18th and 56th...