AAR from a sleepy lagoon

[Skipjack_]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Oh, where are the Powerpuff Girls when you need them?

Do you have a house rule about stationing a bombardment force permanently in a contested port?

We do not have such a house rule, but it would make sense - BBs repeating bombardments can strip ground forces of all their heavy equipment. AFVs and artillery are both desperately lacking in allied ground units early in 42 (along with experience!)

[Skipjack_]

3/15/42:
Australia: The VCR is inaccurate, so I selected sreen shots that best represent what happened as far as I can see.

First Japanese SCTFs move on Rockhampton and take allied LBA strikes - hits are reported in BBs and CAs/CLs with one CL sunk. My best guess is 1 CL sunk and 3 BB/CA moderate to heavy damage. This is followed by the approach of Amphib TFs that take several strikes, sinking around 4 APs and 12 MCS ... then the Allied CVs strike the Jap TFs now at Rockhampton, damage to BBs and CAs again shown.

Then the CV duel begins and the allies take the worst of it - Lexington, Saratoga, Indominable and Hermes sunk, Enterprise (48%) and Yorktown (25%) damaged. TF 50 managed a counter strike that appeared to do some damage in return (not shown in VCR but it is in the battle menu) - no ships sunk but it looked like a CV, CVL and CVE damaged. A Jap CV strike also hits a Brit SCTF and pounds the Prince of Wales, which staggers out towards Sydney with 79% damage.

Elsewhere: Bataan falls with several Phil Divs surrendering - the U.S. units and the Phil 2nd PC Div remain ... also Diampur holds vs Jap ground attack ... Jap SBF in Espiritu refuses to surrender to U.S./N.Z. assault.

Summary: Carrier losses make this a clear Jap success, but I hope accrued damage to the IJN will help take the heat off
allied ground troops.

[Skipjack_]

More 3/15 action:

[Skipjack_]

3/15/42 continued ...

[Skipjack_]

last screen shot from 3/15/42:

[Skipjack_]

3/22/42:
Australia (Rockhampton): Jap airstrike from Townsville meets no resistance (groups withdrawn to the south) ... Then bombardment TFs arrive - a 7BB TF (Yamato, a Nagato-type, 4 Fuso types) and a CA TF. Some allied strikes from Brisbane get a few hits but do little damage ... then the 2nd IJA Div lands and Rockhampton falls, 5 Aus Bdes and 2 Dutch Rgts fall back to Brisbane ...

South Pacific: Allied attack fails to mop-up the Jap SBF unit holding on in Espiritu Santo.

Summary: Damaged Allied ships (BB Prince of Wales, CA Minneapolis, CVs Enterprise and Yorktown) head for New Zealand ... remaining surface units (BB Colorado, 3 R-Class British BBs, several CAs and CLs) remain in Sydney to defend southern Australia ... CV Formidable arrives in Sydney also ... BBs Maryland and Pennsylvania heading south to Fiji.

3/29/42:
Philippines: U.S. forces and 1 Philippine unit still resist in Bataan.

Australia: Jap ground troops march overland on Brisbane, airstrikes from Rockhampton strike Brisbane also and encounter weak allied air resistance ... Japs land the 2nd Guards Div at Perth and take it, destroying the Chinese Army defending it ...

South Pacific: Transport TFs plus the 7BB and CA SCTFs move on New Caledonia - allied air (SBDs, P40s and Hudsons) strike them several times on the way in, damaging a CL and 2 AVs ... then KB (4 CV) and KB2 (Kaga and 3 CVL) move on New Caledonia with only KB2 getting close enough to engage - it launches airstrikes on the Noumea airfield. After bombardment the 5th IJA Div lands (the other transport TF aborted) but the defenders (30th Aus Bde, Blackforce Rgt, Ma-NC Rgt and the Indian Eng unit) hold [8D] SBF unit in Espirtu is finally wiped out end-of-turn.

Summary: What to do with this guy?

With no carriers to command, I could put him in command of the North Pacific Fleet (which I am using as a substitute for the lost South Pacific command). But his surface rating (7) and aggressiveness (9) make me think he would be my best option for a surface combat TF commander right now (Admirals Scott and Lee are months away). He may not be as good as R. Tanaka, but he IS as good as Nishimura!

[Skipjack_]

4/5/42:
South Pacific: Under the command of Adm Halsey, TF51 (centered on BBs Maryland and Pennsylvania) arrive at New Caledonia and achieve surprise on the IJN BBs sent to bombard - Marylands first shot gets a ***** hit on Yamato, sending the flagship to the bottom, the remainder of the TF pounds away at the rest of the Jap TF without any great damage, but the Jap TF promptly withdrawals afterward ... Then TF51 runs into the same TF again - A Nagato and Fuso damaged for Pennsylvania taking 20% damage, then CAs/ CLs from both sides take damage as fire is exchanged on down the line ... KB and KB2 again are on the scene, but too far off to interdict the surface combat, KB2 hits the Noumea airfield ... a CA SCTF appears to have been sent to the area also but got hit by multiple SBD strikes from Espiritu and failed to arrive.

Philippines: Last resistance in Bataan ends as the U.S. / Phillipine units surrender ...

Summary: Halsey as a surface commander worked better than I could have hoped - he gave better than he got in a battle whose odds were greatly stacked against him - I think he has found his niche for the foreseeable future [;)]

[Capt. Harlock]

South Pacific: Under the command of Adm Halsey, TF51 (centered on BBs Maryland and Pennsylvania) arrive at New Caledonia and achieve surprise on the IJN BBs sent to bombard - Marylands first shot gets a ***** hit on Yamato, sending the flagship to the bottom

"What do you mean, you forgot to close the magazine doors??"

Nice work!

[bradk]

ORIGINAL: Skipjack_

Summary: Halsey as a surface commander worked better than I could have hoped - he gave better than he got in a battle whose odds were greatly stacked against him - I think he has found his niche for the foreseeable future [;)]

I like that selection. I've played several games wehre I never used Halsey as an air combat TF commander. His aggressiveness rating works to the positive in surface combat. Too often in air combat it leads to trouble.

[Skipjack_]

4/12/42:
South Pacific: Guadalcanal is now the terminus for Combined Fleet plus multiple A6M/G4M squadrons, which attack the airfield at Espiritu Santo - the 2 Marine squadrons of F4Fs are quickly dominated. KB2 again stands off New Caledonia and airstrikes its airfield - here 60 U.S./ANZAC fighters intercept; losses are 55 IJN / 42 Allied, then a 2nd strike claims 18 A6Ms and 30 Vals/Kates vs 21 Allied fighters.

Adm Phillips brings his British TF with 3 R-class BBs to New Caledonia and surprises a transport TF - 3 AVs, 6 DEs and 2 APs sunk. Then a Jap SCTF (CA/CL/DD mix) engages the British, The Royal Sovereign is lost to long lances and 2 CLs are damaged, the Japanese suffer 2 CAs and 2 CLs moderate to heavily damaged.



The Japs then land the 2nd Inf Div but the base holds - barely (attack gets odds 5). [X(] Very close.

4/19/42:
Big air strike (90 A6M, 25 G4M) hits Espiritu Santo ... Brisbane hit by IJA airstrike from Rockhampton (145 fighters, 25 bombers) and losses heavily favor the Japanese (63 allied fighters lost vs. 35 IJA aircraft shot down).

U.S. & British SCTFs bombard New Caledonia ... IJN SCTF (4BB, 4CA) bombard Espiritu Santo ... TF57 trying to deliver engineers to Espiritu aborts - thankfully [8D] ... KB2 stands off New Caledonia, B17s claim 2 CVEs moderately damaged ...

4/26/42:
South Pacific:
Again A6Ms/G4Ms strike Espiritu, 24 F3Fs oppose them; losses are 12 IJN vs 24 U.S., then 7 IJN vs. 9 U.S. in a followup fighter sweep.

KB (4 CV) stands off New Caledonia, allied airstikes of B17s, then P40s/B17s/B26s attack, there are a few hits but no asterisks. KB2 (1 CV, 1 CVL) stands off Espiritu and takes a few B17 strikes that do not get any hits.

Just before the TFs start returning to base, one last strike from New Caledonia hits KB, and one lucky hit from a B26 gets a ***** on a Shokaku-type CV, which sinks - the first Jap CV sunk [:D].

Australia:
Strike from Rockhampton (100 fighters, 25 bombers) hits Brisbane, 71 allied fighters oppose; losses are 30 IJA/38 Allied, then 9 IJA/36 Allied in the followup sweep.

Then a transport TF sneaks in (fighter cover provided by AVs :@) and lands the 2nd Inf Div to trigger combat; this time the Aussies and Dutch hold - 2nd, 48th, 55th and Kure SNLF get odds zero on the attack.

End-of-turn Summary: Damage continues to pile on the IJN, plus Allied reinforcements continue to arrive (North Pac Fleet now has CVs Hornet and Formidable, BBs Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Revenge and Ramillies) so things are looking a little less desperate. And 2 engineer units finally arrive at Espiritu Santo (after about a month of trying - air zones from enemy CVs kept preventing my TFs from getting through).

[Skipjack_]

5/3/42:
The usual airstrike from Guadalcanal hits Espiritu Santo ... Jap CVs have now combined into 1 TF with 4CVs and a CVL, it stands off Espiritu Santo; strikes from B17s, B26s and SBDs get some hits but nothing critical, however 1 CV shows some accrued damage (perhaps low 20% range) ... a Jap transport TF of just APs approaches New Caledonia but does not reach the base, airstrikes sink 1 AP ...

5/10/42:
A whole lot of action this turn as the Japs pour in an all-out effort for Espiritu Santo. First the airstrike from Guadalcanal shoots down 9 F4Fs and destroys 16 aircraft on the ground, for the loss of only 3 bombers.

Then IJN transport TFs move in - airpower on Espiritu is down but not out; SBDs getting several hits on AVs, DDs, APs and MCS on the way in. TF6 commanded by Adm Izaki takes what looked like heavy damage to 2 AVs and 1 AP sunk, a TF of just MCS lost 2 sunk, TF under R. Tanaka loses an AP on the approach, another under Nishimura lost an AP and the admiral killed! (hope this was not fog-of-war).

TF51 (Hornet and Formidable) is hanging off Espiritu with standoff range 2 (around Efate) and gets a couple of strikes on the IJN SCTFs - 1 CA sunk [:)] Meanwhile KB stands off halfway to Rennell Island and does very little.

Then the surface battles begin - Japs bring TF3 (appears to be a bombardment TF with 4 BBs plus escorts), TF4s and 5 (both composed of about 4-5 CAs, 3-4 CLs and DDs). The Allies have 2 TFs - Adm Halsey with BBs Colorado, Maryland, Idaho and Pennsylvania plus 3 CAs (San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Portland) and 3 CL (Durban, Marblehead and Adelaide) plus DDs; TF54 under Adm Scott has New Mexico, Ramilles and Revenge plus 7 CAs (Vincennes, Pensacola, Louisville, Chester, Dorsetshire, Australia and Canberra) plus DDs.

3 combat actions result in both sides getting a pounding; Japs lose 5 CAs (looked like 2 Myoko-types, a Tone, Mogami and Aoba), a Kuma-type CL and about 3 DDs. Allies lose the Maryland, 7 CAs (San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Portland, Chester, Dorsetshire, Australia and Canberra) and about 4 DDs.

Several ground units land but Gen Geiger and his troops hold firm [8D]

[Skipjack_]

End-of-turn Summary: I have often kidded myself that I am tough on CAs in this game, but this turn it turned out true in spades. Only the New Orleans (just arriving at American Samoa escorting troop reinforcements) and the Vincennes (16% damaged) are left operational. The others are scattered across the Pacific - Houston (45% dmg) and Astoria (33% dmg) arrived on the West Coast for repairs, Chicago (56% dmg) just got back to Pearl Harbor, Indianapolis (78% dmg) is at American Samoa, Minneapolis (82% dmg) at Fiji, Northampton (38% dmg) repairing at Sydney; Pensacola (37%) and Louisville (33%) are with Adm Scott looking to retire towards Fiji.

The Battleship list of damage is getting long also - Prince of Wales (69% dmg) is languishing away in New Zealand, Pennsylvania (60% dmg) and New Mexico (73% dmg) will be looking to get back to the West Coast; the Revenge (32% dmg) and Ramillies (28% dmg) will likely retire also; they are not the most survivable platforms even when undamaged.

So I can scrape up about 1 SCTF now - Colorado (6% dmg) and Idaho (13% dmg) will rendezvous with the West Virginia and Tennessee (just finished repairs and arrived at Fiji), with 2 CAs and a collection of CLs (ANZAC types Leander, Achilles, Perth and Hobart, U.S. Marblehead, Detroit and Raleigh, British Danae, Dragon, Durban and Enterprise). Other CLs (Phoenix, St. Louis, Helena, Atlanta, Van Heemskerk, Nashville) will be CV escorts while the rest (Boise 60% dmg in Melbourne and Honolulu 22% dmg in San Francisco) are under repair.

I have to hope the Japanese are have an equally large number of surface units under repair [:(]

[Cuthalin]

Skipjack,

Thanks for this AAR.
I have just got a colleague interested in Pacwar and this will help him immensely [:)]

Cuthalin

[Skipjack_]

ORIGINAL: Cuthalin

Skipjack,

Thanks for this AAR.
I have just got a colleague interested in Pacwar and this will help him immensely [:)]

Cuthalin

Thanks for following this thread [:)]

[Skipjack_]

5/17/42:
Espiritu Santo: Air raid from Guadalcanal (100 A6M & 25 G4M) shoots down 22 F4Fs for the loss of 11 A6M, then a fighter sweep follows - 6 A6M vs 12 F4F lost. Invading Japanese troops evacuated by IJN TFs - 1 TF lost 6 APs to allied airstrikes retiring. During the movement phase the 65th Ind Bde lands alone and does little vs the U.S. divisions defending.

At Brisbane - 165 fighters and 25 bombers are intercepted by 62 allied fighters - IJA losses are 13 fighters, 2 bombers, 58 allied fighters shot down [:(]

Elsewhere in the South Pacific, IJN TF of 2 BBs and 3 CAs bombards New Caledonia ... Combined Fleet Engineers take Santa Cruz ... U.S. Fleet units from Fiji are sent on a counter-move north, retaking Ellis Island with the 41st U.S. Inf Div.

Reviewing my commanders, I see Adm Halsey has increased his surface rating to 8 - now he is as good as R. Tanaka!

5/24/42:
Espiritu Santo's airfield has increased to size 5, so P40s have been staged in, this helps even the losses to the airstrikes from Guadalcanal (losses 20 vs 41). Airstrikes on Brisbane are still going heavily against the allies (losses 29 vs 63).

Battleship duel at New Caledonia costs the IJN a BB, CA and CL, allies lose a CL and DD. Allied airstrikes sink 3 APs retiring from the area.

Tarawa taken by the U.S. 41st Inf Div.

Alaska: Japanese open a new front by taking Attu Island.




5/31/42:
The usual airstrike from Guadalcanal hits Espiritu (losses 27 IJN vs 48 U.S.). Airstrikes on Brisbane from Rockhampton continue to hit the allied squadrons heavily (losses 22 IJA vs 65 Allied). I would like to withdraw my air groups but that would leave the ground troops and fighter factory unprotected.

At New Caledonia, the IJA leaves the 2/5 Inf Bde behind - it is attacked by the Australian / New Zealand troops present but holds out against surrender.

Alaska: Japanese increase the pace of operations, Adak Island is taken and Dutch Harbor is bombarded by a SCTF of 3 CLs and escorting DDs / CDs.

6/7/42:
Air raids on Espiritu and Brisbane continue with results similar to previous turns.

China: Japanese attack Kumning and take it - several Chinese armies surrender due to no retreat path [:(]

Alaska: Kiska taken, Dutch Harbor again bombarded by CLs.

End-of-turn Summary. I am sending what I can to Tarawa (2 breakdown U.S. Inf Bdes and an Engineer unit) and Ellis Island (Seebees and a Marine Bn). I want to start developing airfields in this area without risking anything I cannot afford to lose. Hopefully the Engineers can be evacuated if the Japanese move to retake these islands.

[Capt. Harlock]

Battleship duel at New Caledonia costs the IJN a BB, CA and CL, allies lose a CL and DD.

That's what we like to see! Any idea of the identity of the Japanese battlewagon?

[Skipjack_]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

That's what we like to see! Any idea of the identity of the Japanese battlewagon?

It was reported as a Fuso-class. The sunk menu shows I have lost 7 BBs, but I can only account for 5 (California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Maryland and Royal Sovereign). I wonder if the number 5 reported on the first turn is hard-coded?

[Skipjack_]

6/14/42:
Japanese Army attacks the Chinese at Kwengyang, but the Chinese manage to hold ... with the increased airbase size at Espiritu Santo, the defenders do better dueling with A6Ms from Guadalcanal (losses 30 IJN vs 39 Allied) ... Brisbane air battle remains in Jap favor (30 IJA vs 54 Allied) ... An IJN CL force bombards Dutch Harbor ...

6/21/42:
Air Losses: Espiritu 40 IJN vs 48 Allied, later 30 vs 36. Brisbane 28 IJA vs 54 Allied.
Allied ground forces launch and ill-advised attack at Brisbane and suffer 1741 casualties vs 441 IJA.

6/28/42:
No raid on Espiritu this turn [&:] ... Brisbane air defenses still suffering 2:1 losses ...

The buildup in the Central Pacific gradually continues - Tarawa and Ellis Island have 2-factor airfields with F4Fs and SBDs.

7/5/42:
IJN ground based squadrons have moved into the Marshall Islands and strike U.S. bases in the Gilberts.
Brisbane air battle continues with similar results to previous turns [:(]

IJN then launches an attack on Tarawa! U.S. responds with a BB TF under Halsey - IJN losses are a Kuma CL, Nagato BB and 4 DDs vs CL Achilles and 3 DDs. KB with 5 CVs patrols from a distance, a CA/CL TF bombards.

End of turn: Adm. Theobald is bringing damages ships to the West Coast, but en route detects the IJN CL that has been bombarding Dutch Harbor and reacts! Pennsylvania, Durban and 2 DDs (Echo and Tenedos types) sink a Kashii-type CL with modest additional damage in return [8D]

Reinforcements: The BB Mississippi arrives (finally! [:@] Must have been delayed due to heavy shipyard repair activity).

[Capt. Harlock]

IJN then launches an attack on Tarawa! U.S. responds with a BB TF under Halsey - IJN losses are a Kuma CL, Nagato BB and 4 DDs vs CL Achilles and 3 DDs. KB with 5 CVs patrols from a distance, a CA/CL TF bombards.

End of turn: Adm. Theobald is bringing damages ships to the West Coast, but en route detects the IJN CL that has been bombarding Dutch Harbor and reacts! Pennsylvania, Durban and 2 DDs (Echo and Tenedos types) sink a Kashii-type CL with modest additional damage in return

Reinforcements: The BB Mississippi arrives (finally! Must have been delayed due to heavy shipyard repair activity).

Nice work! It looks like you're slowly tipping the scale back towards parity in surface combat units. (Though I would have assigned the Brooklyn-class CL's to surface combat and used the Achilles and other CL's for CV escort.)

At this stage of the game, it strikes me that a worse than 1:1 loss ratio in air-to-air combat is acceptable. You badly need more experienced pilots, and as long as most of the squadron survives, the increase in experience seems to me to be worth it. And soon, you'll have plenty more fighters where those came from.

[Skipjack_]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Nice work! It looks like you're slowly tipping the scale back towards parity in surface combat units. (Though I would have assigned the Brooklyn-class CL's to surface combat and used the Achilles and other CL's for CV escort.)

At this stage of the game, it strikes me that a worse than 1:1 loss ratio in air-to-air combat is acceptable. You badly need more experienced pilots, and as long as most of the squadron survives, the increase in experience seems to me to be worth it. And soon, you'll have plenty more fighters where those came from.

I agree I have made headway wearing down IJN surface power, but this air battle in Brisbane is costing too many pilots, so experience is tough to maintain. I have extra squadrons to rotate them, but resistance is getting tough to keep up. I need better aircraft.