It is now late July 1942. The Japanese have captured Gili Gili, Dobadura, and Lunga. An Australian counterinvasion at Gili Gili failed with severe casualties inflicted on the offloading Australian New Guinea Force; GG now remains in strong Japanese hands, and engineers are busy building up the ports and airfields there and at Lunga.
The IJN has made two attempts to invade Port Moresby; both were repelled at sea. My naval strategy has been to keep my TFs well within range of allied LBA, close to Australia and Noumea, using PM’s land based air to soften up the advancing IJN units first, and then letting US carrier aircraft pounce. In 2 engagements to date, the Shokaku, Zuikaku, and Junyo were hit hard by USN aviators, and retreated north. The Zuiho was sunk, along with 2 BBs: Haruna and Kirishima. The IJN has also lost 5 CAs, 4 CLs, and 7 DDs, all victims of USN SBD dive bombers. By driving off the IJN carriers, the invasion transports were exposed; 36 IJN APs sank, many with their onboard troops; some while attempting to reinforce GG, some when sailing towards PM. During this series of dust-ups, the IJN nailed 3 of my AKs fleeing PM/landing troops at GG. Also, the IJN sent Saratoga to the bottom, and damaged Enterprise, Yorktown, and Lexington so badly they were sent back to Pearl. My only remaining available CV is Wasp; not much carrier airpower left to cover from PM to Luganville. Overall, though, the IJN has now lost 72 ships (1183) points; allies 13 ships (426 points).
Land losses are nearly equal; 78 Japanese army loss points compared to 58 for the allies.
The early air war has gone as expected: 290 allied planes have fallen in air to air combat; compared to 133 IJN. PM is a meatgrinder for the P-400s, P-39s, and other FBs forced into CAP roles, but airfield damage from Japanese bombing is minimal, and the garrison at PM has been reinforced by both C-47s and seaborne transports.
Right now I hope to wage a “bushwhack” style of warfare against his transport assets, and to wound his surface and air combatants whenever possible, but avoid any direct pitched battles against his major combatants. Time is on my side, but right now he’s in the lead.
Currently my subs are patrolling the narrows between GG and the reef system west of Rossel Island; a natural choke point for any further IJN moves towards PM. Hopefully they will give some early warning and perhaps pick off any retreating cripples if and when the Wasp pounces as her sisters did…
To the east, fast transports and PBYs will try to set up a base at Irau, to bring Lunga within range of something besides B-17s from Luganville. The road to Tokyo runs through the Solomon chain.
