New AAR - but not as good as Snigbert's

[IanLister]

Mogami, I agree with your views about victory conditions - there is no way the Japanese would have thrown away carriers, damaged or otherwise, in 1942; the situation at Leyte Gulf was obviously very different.
The problem, surely, is the fact that UV only represents part of the early part of the war. Could any possible circumstance have brought the allies to the negotiating table in 1942 or early 43? Surely not. So then, to establish what represents victory for the Japanese in this game, should we be measuring the performance of the player reative to history? If so, taking and holding Guadalcanal comfortably by the end of 1942 without significant naval losses relative to those of the Americans would represent victory.
Another way of looking at it: The allies were desperate to hold Port Moresby and prevent a Japanese airbase on Guadalcanal which could lead to interdiction of the US-Australia supply route, as I understand. Perhaps the capture and secure defence of these 2 bases would represent a significant victory for the Japanese. It would certainly have led to a longer and more difficult war, which in the long run was the best the Japanese could hope for, with the possibility that the allies would lose the stomach for the fight.
To sum up, I believe capturing, holding and fortifying Lunga, or somewhere in that area, and Port Moresby represents a decisive Japanese victory, by comparison with what happened historically; these should be the conditions for automatic victory, coupled with a limitation on Japanese naval losses, which were obviously much harder to make good than those of the US.

[madflava13]

I think you guys are missing the point of the auto-victory. It's not as easy as you think it is. You need double the supply level, and you must maintain it for some time period (not sure on the length tho). This is not easy - the japanese do not have the resources to do this, garrison PNG, etc. I bet once everyone has their hands on the game very few people will actually pursue this option as it is most likely not feasible.

Iain is going for it partly at the request of the Matrix staff to see how the AI reacts, partly because we're all egging him on, and partly for the hell of it. Thats why he's committing his carriers as "targets" for allied air - no one would do that for real, he's just going for broke to see what happens...

Finally, think of this: a squadron or two of Bettys based in Espiruto Santo has the range to interdict the supply lines from the US to Australia - there's your political/military reason to protect these bases...

[Caltone]

I have no doubts on the difficulty faced by turning Espiruto Santo into another Rabaul or Truk. It just seemed to me that achieving this through a pyrrhic victory should not be an automatic win.

Its all good though. One of the great things about historical wargames is that we have a context to measure our gains. As IanLister mentions, simply holding Guadalcanal and building it up without significant losses represents a Japanese victory.

And whether playing against the AI or PBEM, we can set our own house rules.

[IChristie]

I think one thing to remember is that we are discussing automatic victory vs. victory at end of the game. There is no doubt that holding the Solomons and Gili Gili - Buna - Lae would virtually ensure Japanese victory by the end of the game. But in this campaign, that's a long time to wait. I think the auto victory conditions are a way of deciding when one side has progressed to the point that further play is simply not worthwhile.

Obviously, if the Japanese still hold Espiritu Santo or Australia on Jan 1, 1943 the assumption is that the Japanese position is so strong that the game is pretty much over and the rest of 1943 is going to consist of watching the US batter itself ineffectually against the strong Japanese position. Better at that point to officially declare victory and start another game than play out the string just for form.

Frankly, I knew the auto-victory conditions existed but I did not even consider going for them until encouraged to do so by Joel (and the general staff). I think in any game there are always going to be ways to "play to win the game" as opposed to "playing to win the battle" meaning achieving victory within narrow game terms rather than within the larger "historical context". The challenge for the design team has obviously been to ensure that when one side wins the game it implies a victory in historical terms as well.

Obviously some thought has already gone into the auto victory conditions to ensure that any presences south of row 52 is credible (need for the base to >5, need for double supply etc). I would have to defer to those with more experience with the game to decide if it's balanced enough. Though obviously from Joel's comments it is not a strategy that it often pursued....

Though maybe it will be more common now :rolleyes:

[IChristie]

The bleary eyed theatre commander, cheeks hollow from lack of sleep and the weight of carrying the expectations of an empire (or at least a dedictated gaming community), hands wrapped around his coffee mug in a death grip to prevent them from shaking, shambles into the briefing room in the Imperial General Headquarters. There, leaning on the large chart table for support he tries to martial his confused and racing thoughts:

Admiral Mogami, you are once again a step ahead of the staff on the ground. Of course the long term view is the one to take. With troops safely ashore the priority now is to look to the logistical train and make sure we can sustain the incursion. There is plenty of time to throw the Americans out of Espiritu Santo once they are starving and desperate. For now it would seem that our priorities would be:

1. Take the US LBA out of the picture. This will require two actions: first disable the airfield at Luganville. Intel suggests we are close to doing this and that a couple more nights of bombardment by the Yamato will finish the job. Of course, this will not disable it permanently so some of kind periodic revisitation will be necessary. This will require some consideration of fuel consumption.

Second, take Port Vila. According to Intel The base is lightly held. I would suggest despatching a force of about 1000 troops, either from those still embarked at Luganville or using elements of the 2nd division now approaching from the North.

Once the enemy LBA is removed resupply even as far south as Koumac will become primarily a logistical and not a tactical problem. There are large stocks of supply at both Lunga (66K) and Shortland (75K) to support near term defensive or bombardment operations out of the beach head. Once the transports are back on convoy runs the logistics should be manageable

2. Establish a forward base for our own LBA. This could be either Koumac or Port Vila. The primary problems will be supply and av support which is always hard to come by. The Birds of Paradise base a lunga is too far away to act as a a base for close air support of the invasion.

3. Interdict all allied shipping heading for Luganville and potentially station at least light surface units there. Even if the airfield cannot be kept continuously out of commission a force as large as 47K cannot be resupplied by air, even when teh US transport fleet reaches 8 or 10 groups of C-47's by the end of the year.

4. Set a date for the final offensive and begin stockpiling supplies.

Gentlemen, I need to get back to the front and get a look at our latest dispositions, the staff has been so focused on the invasion that we have not been minding our other stores. Please let me know the outcome of your learned and wise counsels through the normal channels

I bid you good day...

[madflava13]

More general info on US subs (taken from Adm. Lockwood's "Sink 'Em All"):

US Subs (modern ones) had cruising ranges of about 10,000-12,000 (depending on whether they topped off again before heading out) - this translates into 50-60 days at sea roughly.

S boats had 30 day at sea times. Not comfortable though - temps could rise to 135 degrees in some of their engineering spaces.

The S-boat force in UV (sub squadron 5) historically was under the command of Captain R.W. Christie - he was based in Brisbane with the tender Griffin and 11 S boats. Lockwood says, "The inevitable corrosion and pitting of the strength of the hulls had so weakened them that their successful resistance to a close depth charging was in grave doubt." -- Iain's experiences seem to show that UV mirrors this...

Ok, I gotta run - if anyone has more questions re: subs, let me know and I'll see what I can find out...

[ratster]

I tend to be a "gamer" as opposed to a "wargamer", although I prefer wargames for their detail, complexity and challenge. So I look for exploits, or "TKOs", in every game system I play.

I don't have a problem with the auto-victory conditions as they are. Perhaps having to hold the base with double supply for a week or 2, amd or with a defined minimum number of troops, would make it have a more "realistic" feel, avoiding the last ditch land-100-guys-for-a-day-on-Jan 1, 1943-with-double-supply-at-an-empty-base-and-win-the-game-scenario. Not having played the game its impossible to know.

As for Ian's current situation, as I originally stated, "an island too far". The AI has yet to respond with all of its assets. I suspect things are going to get very dicey for the Emporer's boys at Luganville, very soon. Mogami has the right take on the situation, its all about supply now. This is where not having the assets that were "burned" doing other things not related to this operation early in the game is going to come back and haunt Ian. Of course since he hadn't planned this operation from the start, his culpability at the court martial will be defensible.

[HOTB]

Well, it looks like I'll be checking every 4 hours or so to see if there's been another briefing. I'm certainly enjoying reading about it.

In regards to the automatic victory condition, I was wondering if the conditions should be raised for a non-Midway May starting time? In a historical game without the CV's lost at Midway I imagine it would be harder to take and hold a southern base. I guess what I need to ask is: How much help have the Akagi, Kaga, and Hiryu been? Would this invasion have been possible without them (or at least their dis-embarked airgroups)?

[brisd]

Hi all. longtime lurker, rare poster. First off, FANTASTIC THREAD!
I am looking forward to this game and its bigger bro, WITP with anticipation. A few observations:

1. Iain's AAR is the most fun I've had reading in sometime. Remember fellow gamers, this is a BETA AAR and he is learning the game as he plays. Having said that, he gives me hope that an aggressive Japanese player can do much better than history.

2. I trust this wargame will be a superb effort, most due to Gary Grigsby. I have been playing his games since early 80's (North Atlantic '86, War in Russia '84&'93, Second Front, Kampfgruppe, Steel Panthers 1/2/3 and his previous masterpiece, WITP.) My fav was WITP, I prefer strategic level games, with operational ones and tactical level efforts in that order. After the game has been released and initial posts indicate it is NOT a bugfest, then Matrix has my $$ immediately. The team they have assembled seems first-rate.

3. This debate on the Auto-Victory conditions seems premature to me. We don't even have a copy of the game (beta even) to refer to. I like Iain's last post concerning AV as a way to wrap up a one-sided game and not drag it out if one side is badly losing. One point I will say - any Allied player that does not hold those AV bases and have sufficient forces to recapture one that was lightly defended is losing badly after Jan43 - the date is there to make sure there is sufficient Allied resources to prevent its occurance except during exceptional IJN or poor Allied play.

4. My input on the selection of Luganville as target of knockout blow seems right on. In GG's WITP, my fav strategy was to capture Guadalcanal and Rennel, build them up and then move south, capturing a large Allied held base and then putting my LBA there. Once the IJN has sufficient Betty's and Zero's in place, the isolation of the other surrounding bases is inevitable if the IJN still have naval superiority. Such strategy only works prior to 1943 of course, soon after the deluge from America overwelms the Japanese.

5. I am looking forward to the new WITP: Struggle Against Japan and hope that an aggressive Japanese player can conquer OZ as in the original WITP. Australia was practically defenseless in Dec 41 - what if the IJN intercepted those troop convoy's ferrying Aussies from the Middle East? I will take that up on the other forum at some date.

Good luck Iain!

Brian

[malvoisin]

first, i'm not much of a wargamer, but i've really enjoyed this thread (although until now, i've had very little to contribute) and i'm really excited by the prospect of UV, despite being a mac person. (hey! the wider monitor size would let me see more of the map.) but anyway, this might *gasp* force me into rehabilitating my pc.

second, yes, the automatic victory conditions will lead to gamey results, but since you're dealing with a game, well, you're going to get them anyway.

the rule is probably intended to do two things:

1. get rid of a really boring endgame. if the automatic victory is balanced such that it is only acheivable when a player would decisively dominate the rest of the game, it will prevent the last x% of the game to feel like a simple mopping up operation. chasing that last aztec settler around the map is No Fun At All, and nobody likes to win by resignation or die slowly.

2. the game designers want to encourage some kind of behavior in the players. they may be trying to encourage (possibly ahistorical) risky behavior that might not necessarily be realistic, but as ian's aar shows, it is whole lot more exciting than watching him sit around waiting to be eaten alive by the allies and mosquitos. on the other hand they may be trying to encourage historical behavior without adding complexity to the game engine itself OR that might be just impossible to model -- it is not a coincidence that the window on the japanese automatic victory really starts to close just as the allied materiel advantage starts to be felt. given that concerns outside of the theater are irrelevant to the game itself, maybe the rule is simply intended to discourage the allied player from sitting around and hoarding resources until the odds get better later in the campaign. a game which could be won by the allied player doing -nothing- wouldn't be much fun, would it? and if the actual automatic victories are -rare-, you still have a damned good reason to be fighting in new guinea and the solomons, which means that the rule has encouraged historical behavior without having to model history exactly (which is, of course, impossible. and hey! this is an abstraction, anyway, right?)

i'd guess the allies' initial strategy, first and foremost, should be to render the japanese incapable of acheiving their automatic victory conditions (which means that he will have to fight for the solomons), and then put their superior numbers to work. its a little general, i know, but i haven't played the game, and i don't know all of the rules. and where the hell is australia, anyway?

third, as a remarkably underutilized game programmer in nyc who's up for adoption (clean, charming, industrious, well-disciplined, etc.), i can tell you, mogami, that the rules are more a matter of design than programming and that it shouldn't be too hard to program new victory conditions (in theory, at least.) the trick would be getting them tested, balanced, and getting AI to exploit them all in time to meet whatever deliverables deadline that they have with matrix (which i'd bet is overdue, no offense meant to the developers, so they'd like to get paid.) and trying to do all of that in the midst of bug fixes, balancing, and play-testing is probably one of the best possible ways to make a project fail. to recontextualize your assertion that its poor form to voice reservations concerning operational plans after commencement: asking for new features in any nontrivial application when it is in late beta is a really good way to get programmers really uptight.

see? it got me all worked up and i'm just waiting for the game to be released.

[mogami]

Greetings. My reference to Auto victory requirements was aimed primarily at the historically minded war-gamer. The war between the Empire of Japan and the US and Allies was remarkably short.
(abet bloody) The US fought and defeated the Japanese with one hand (Europe) tied behind their backs. And yet after the campaign represented in UV the outcome was never in doubt.
In Witp when it is released I think this Theater will decide final outcome in many games. I for one intend on fighting here to try to achieve Japanese victory in that game. I am certain the designers feel their Auto Victory conditions are reasonable.
I also don't mean to imply I think they are easy. Speaking only of the Long non Midway campaign, An Auto victory represents Japan remains n the offensive into 1943 after inflicting serious reverses on the US.
When is an attack justified? Attack is justified when
1. A weakness is found in the enemies position that can be exploited by the attacker
2. The attacker has a material, or positional advantage (often related to time)
In May 1942 the Japanese possess both a material and positional advantage but it has a time limit (US production will catch up at some point)
So Japan is clearly the attacker in May 1942.
Auto victory should reward a successful attack (which it does)
but my question was more aimed at adding the requirement that Japan also have the means of exploiting the victory. (capturing any base anywhere in the South Pacific would gain nothing if the IJN paid too high a price.) The reason the US could mount the historic operations on Guadacanal was the IJN had lost her main threat (the 4 CV at Midway) So beside any territory captured Japan should also have to avoid a Midway result.
In my most recent PacWar PBEM game the Japanese player resigned the game on 2/15/42 after all 6 of his starting carriers were sunk in the South Pacific without sinking a single US CV in return. (he raided Noumea successfully so I sent all 4 US CV there and placed the max LBA on NI. He came back for a second helping and lost 3 CV the next week he sent 2 more and they were sunk as well as the one crippled CV. It was apparent to him he could not win the game (I disagree here I would not have quit,) but I also do not send CV to raid bases without making sure I have LBA support or as part of a larger operation.
I refer to sending TF's to locations without planning as "Easter Egg hunting")
The Japanese were (and should be in any game) in the un-eviable position of being force to seek battle but unable to lose anything major (read un replaceable) . The threat of their winning the auto victory should be more a means to force the US player into fighting then a realistic way to win the game. (I really am not too worried that too many games will end in Japanese auto victory. ) Even supposing the Japanese player refuses to fight beyond building his bases prior to a Dec dash below the 52nd hex row, the US will have the means of stopping it. In order to effect an Auto victory Japan will have to win several major battles (which Ichristie has done) .
I only was asking should there also be a limit before the IJN High Command would look down and say "No more" Japanese CV (and their air wings) are the one thing Japan cannot lose if she is to retain an offensive threat. I don't really want the Japanese auto victory changed. I think a Japanese auto defeat rule would also be a good and reasonable way to end the game. (and further intice the US player into fighting) It makes perfect sense to me that in a non Midway start if the US player can win a Midway type battle he wins the campaign. (he certainly must win one before he can justify attacking Japanese held bases)
If not an auto defeat it should at least make any Auto victory impossible. (remember this is only in games where Japan has avoided the battle of Midway)

[IChristie]

Gentlemen, first let me say that I am optimistic about winning the auto-victory and I think that risks I have taken so far (vis a vis the carriers) are justified. To understand why I think it is a good time to summarize the enemy situation, as I see it. To be fair, since I am the only one with direct intel, I have insight denied to everyone else because they have not been in possession of the full picture (AAR's can only contain so much info, after all).

SITUATION ENEMY
Naval
- The enemy navy is not a factor at this time. The last major surface unit - BB North Carolina is currently docked in Luganville unable to raise steam and slowly being reduced to scrap by the our BB's each night. She is accompanied by a CA and 2 CL's.
- I would estimate that their are no more than 4 additional enemy CA's in theatre
- The enemy carrier fleet has either been sunk (Lexington, Yorktown) or returned to Pearl Harbour for repairs (Hornet, Wasp, Saratoga, Enterprise). I expect a return to theatre NET 15 October (based on leaving for repairs in early July).
_ The enemy tanker fleet has been crippled but that is not of much importance in the short term as there is nothing left to refuel.
- The enemy transport fleet has suffered lignt to moderate losses and is still capable of providing sufficient lift capacity to support offensive ops

Land
- I estimate 40% of the enemy effect LCU combat strength is in Luganville (1st Marines, maybe elems Americal), 40% in Port Moresby (Aus divs, 47Div?, 35Div?). 20 % at Noumea.
- The location of 2 Marine Para is of utmost importance as without command of the sea it now represents the most convenient way to strike at Koumac or Port Vila.
- The enemy has the capacity to move troops from Port Moresby but I estimate that it will take 2 to 3 weeks to move one division from there to Noumea

Air
- Enemy LBA is very much intact. The principal centre of enemy LBA is Port Moresby. Using the assets based there the enemy shut down the airbase at Gili Gili in less than a week of concentrated activity even with 60 fighters based at Gili Gili.
- The Enemy LBA strength probably exceeds 800 a/c at this time (compared to approx 500 friendly). Enemy LBA strength will likely exceed 2000 by mid November including over 150 heavy bombers and 300 medium bombers
- The enemy possess a very large infrastructure force and the means to deploy it by air. Typically a base with no support can be built up to a level to support over 200 a/c in less than a week.
- The interior lines of the enemy mean that air groups can be deployed at will within the combat zone

Bearing these facts in mind, the most sensible enemy strategy would appear to be:
- Move LBA units to New Caledonia and begin the reduction of Koumac immediately
- One the airfield is out of commission capture Koumac using 2 Marine para as soon as possible.
- Once Koumac air base is rebuilt move LBA units forward and begin reducing Port Vila and Luganville. This will be difficult because of range and because there are two targets.
- The enemy may try to reoccupy small islands closer to Espiritu Santo to build fighter strips to better escort his bombers.
- Once Luganville and Port Vila are reduced or degraded - resupply Luganville
- Husband LCU, transport and naval units.
- When air superiority is achieved and can be maintain invade Port Vila and reinforce Luganville with support from naval units and naval air power

In short, the principle weapon left to the enemy is LBA. If the AI is going to rescue the situation it can only be done with land based aircraft.

This estimate is based not only on intel gained during "in the field" but also from having access to the enemies warplanning and war gaming records (i.e. playing this game from the other side ).

I am confident that our current situation is secure and that once use of the airbases at Luganville and Port Vila is denied to the enemy , there will be no threat of offensive action North of New Caledonia until Mid October at the earliest and more likely by early November.

If either Port Vila or Koumac bases can be made and kept operational there will be no further need of the CV fleet. Their a/c will likely be needed though in order to keep anything like parity with the enemy. Future confrontations with enemy CV's should be handled from secure land bases. As mentioned by Admiral Mogami CV's do not match up well with strong LBA. This has already been demonstrated in this campaign when a US CV force won a carrier battle with our carriers and then steamed ineffectually off the coast of Gili Gili, unable to achieve any appreciable offensive results against a relatively small airfield.

[byron13]

Thank you for your report, commander. I will discuss the implications with my subordinate, Admiral Mogami ("Mo").

You sound very certain as to the status of the American carriers, yet you have been surprised by their resilience before. Do I gather that your comment about enemy war records means that we have a spy with direct access to the imperialist American's records and that we are not just relying on battle reports? If so, congratulations, you treacherous dog.

I wonder, however, how long it will take to reduce the supply status of the 1st Marine Division to a point where they can be defeated by our warriors. If they "hunker down," as the Americans like to say, in a purely defensive mode, isn't it possible that they will expend little in the supply? Do you have any way of judging from day to day their supply status so that you will know when they are ripe for plucking off the vine?

In any event, commander, I wouldn't worry about the Marines very much. I know you haven't had a chance to join us here at the Yokosuka steam baths in awhile, but there is a joke making the rounds now:

Why are the American Marines like bananas?

Because they start green, turn yellow, and die in bunches. 'Tis a good thing you are not facing many of the dreaded soldiers of the U.S. Army.

[IChristie]

Yeah, I'm sticking my neck out about the CV's a bit.

I figure if they were in theatre they would have shown up by now. The AI has thrown everything else at the landing. If they did go back to Pearl I'm figuring you can't get there and back in less than about 90 days.

BTW, it turns out that the previous confusion about the Hornet was an identification issue. The information db is showing Lexington sunk by a torpedo. This must have been the CV that was identified as Hornet - hence her untimely ressurection.

Also, BTW, the damaged carriers that I sent back to Tokyo are gone for approx six months, after which they will be available in Japan.

[mogami]

Hello, there seems to be some confusion regarding Mogami's rank.
Alas Operations Officer is a only title. Mogami is an enlisted man (cooks helper) who was placed on the general staff to provide a handy scape goat should anything go amiss. He however has gone to ground somehwere on the side of Mount Fuji and communacates by carrier duck or weather balloon. He has continued to transmitt messages in an attempt to CHOA or claim the credit what ever the future reveals. I have tried to attach the only known photo of him at work on plans to no avail (the anti-social miscreant has somehow made his image un reproducable)

[byron13]

Oh, I thought you were suggesting that you saved the game and then opened the game file as the American player. Seems to me you could do that in PacWar. By doing that, you could see exactly what the opposing side had. So it really is a guess then? Well, I think your estimates are sound. Might want to check with Mo, though, since he's the man with the plan.

You say the carriers won't be back for six months? Does the game actually tell you that? Any indication that you could get them back early (and unrepaired) in an emergency? Wasn't it the Yorktown that still had civilian shipwrights on her, still riveting away, when she sailed to her fate at Midway?

Well, good, we'll have them back in time for our Central Pacific campaign in Struggle Against Japan. But next time, please consult with us before starting your beta test game, okay? It really is easier for us if we, the non-testers, have absolute control from the beginning.

[byron13]

Personally, I don't think Mogami exists. It's actually either Gary himself (most likely) or Iain cracking under the pressure and starting to argue with himself.

[mogami]

Don't go starting rumours like that. At least not till after he finishes the game. If you can provide direction on how to attach a picture to a post I will prove it is not GG (although he is Mogami's all time hero)

[IChristie]

I'm still playing, but chew on this for a while. Things are getting interesting.

21 Sept - A reminder that bearding the lion in it's den is always dangerous even when the lion is badly wounded. The bombardment force is forced to withdraw to refuel. To replace them I send a CA screening force split off from the fast carriers. The fast carriers RV with the big guns and with Ryujo off Rennell island.

In the confusion a US taskforce centred around 2 CL's gets in amongst the invasion fleet. Once again in a night of incredible heroism the escorting DD's drive the attackers away from the transports. Not a single AP is sunk but the cost is high 5 DD's are sunk, but both CL's join them on the bottom, victims of the Long Lance

A separate transport TF has been split off to carry troops to assault Port Vila, this has the undesireable effect of diluting the LRP. Once again air attacks come from everywhere (at least 10 different strikes). B-17's from Noumea get involved for the first time. That is an ominous sign. In the end the only damage is one transport that takes a couple bomb hits but it does not bode well. Luckily the transports are just about finished unloading and will be on their way soon.

The fighter squadrons at Koumac are down to 50% effective a/c because of operational losses and no base support. No help for it right now, but to move more groups in. I need the LRP for the port vila attack.

The troops ashore now number about 42000. With the 2nd div still at sea. Not sure what to do with them right now. Probably send them to wait at sea for a while until things are clearer.

22 Sept - The air battle over the transports is continuing to heat up. The US strikes are now coming with very heavy escort - up to 20+ fighters to cover 5-10 bombers. New fighter groups have obviously moved in. It is starting to take a toll on my fighters. Today saw a couple more hits on transports - although one had already been hit, it eventually sank. I grouped all the remaining transports together so that they can all be protected together when the pull out (should happen tomorrow).

The Port Vila assault force lands. There appears to be only base force personnel on the island. Putting that airfield out of action would be very helpful.

I finally get the patrol a/c out of Gili Gili which allows me to step up the pace of moving base forces by air down to Koumac. I also pull out the last daitai of zeros. It basically leaves the troops to the mercy of the Port MOresby air, but I just don't see a choice right now. Supplies are also running low, Gili Gili is an extremely unpleasant place to be right now. If I could I would extract the troops but I can't see mounting a major convoy operation there right now. The only positive aspect is that every bomber attacking Gili Gili is one that is not dropping bombs on the convoys at Luganville

23 Sept - The air attacks are starting to get through more often now. B-26's have also shown up. Another sign of shifting groups from New Guinea? Three more transports and a DD are hit. The Transports leave today. Every hex travelled will bring them closer to the CAP at Nevea so that should help

Also, God love the Army. Port Vila falls in one day. That not only eliminates the air base but it also gives me a level 4 base and I net 4K of supplies and 16K of fuel as well!

I embark a base force that landed at Luganville and send some more down by flying boat then transfer all the level bombers and some Val divebombers to Port Vila. This should make attacks on Luganville more effective. I am really missing those heavy surface units. After two days of dithering about with the replenishment TF, I finally send them all the way to Lunga in exasperation. I also send the CV TF back to Shortland to draw on the fuel reserves there.

[byron13]

I told you to attack Pearl Harbor, didn't I? Now you're going to pay.

So where is all of this air support coming from? You own Koumac and now Port Vila. Is it all in Noumea? Or was some of it at Port Vila? Any indication that you overran some airplanes when you captured Port Vila?

And, Mogami/Gary: posting a picture won't help. First of all, I have no idea what Gary looks like. Being our hero, I naturally picture him with a cape, buff, and having a strong chin - but I could be wrong. Second, you/Gary is devious enough to post a photo of someone other than Gary just to throw us off. No, I think - I'm sure - that Mogami is Gary. Can't convince me otherwise. Yeah, Gary's just having a little fun in pushing Iain into Operation Guinea Pig. Besides, though I've never seen it, I'm sure Gary's middle initial must be "M." And that would be "M" for Mogami.

Press on, Iain. I'm bailing for the rest of the weekend. You'll get better advice from the others anyway.